This virgin Mai Tai Mocktail has all the flavors of the classic Mai Tai Cocktail sans the alcohol! It’s made with tropical citrus fruit juices along with the classic spiced almond flavor thanks to flavored simple syrups.
If you love this Mai Tai Mocktail recipe, you’ll also want to check out my other tasty mocktail recipes – Pina Colada Mocktail, Strawberry Elderflower Fizz Mocktail , Passion Fruit Lemonade Mojito Mocktail.
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Why This Recipe Works
- It has all the flavor of the original with no alcohol, which means no nasty hangovers!
- It’s very easy to make right in the glass with no equipment or cocktail shaker needed.
- It’s easily scalable and can be batched to serve a group of people for any occasion.
Ingredient Notes
- Fruit juices (orange, pineapple, and lime)
- Orgeat syrup or almond extract syrup – Orgeat is a syrup that has complex flavor with notes of almonds. You can find it on Amazon, but for a simple and more accessible option, you can add almond extract to regular simple syrup to make a DIY almond syrup.
- Spiced simple syrup – This syrup is made with Chai tea bags and granulated sugar. Many of the same spices found in Chai can also be found in spiced rum, so it’s a perfect swap to turn this classic cocktail a virgin cocktail.
- Garnishes – I used sliced oranges and fresh mint, but you can also use a maraschino cherry as garnish, which is common in the original cocktail. Fresh pineapple wedges are also a nice touch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Add the fruit juices to a rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
Step 2: Add the orgeat or the almond extract mixed with simple syrup.
Step 3: Add the spiced simple syrup.
Step 4: Stir well, moving the spoon up and down while stirring to evenly distribute the flavors.
Step 5: Garnish with orange slices and/or fresh mint, if desired.
Tips and FAQ
What is the origin of Mai Tai cocktails?
Where the Mai Tai cocktail originates is debatable as there are a couple of different people that claim the creation of the Mai Tai. Bottom line, it was created sometime in the 1930s/1940s in bars that would be considered tiki bars.
It is very important to not glorify the kitschy tiki bar culture that rose up around that time as it is rooted in colonialism and cultural appropriation. Many Oceanic communities want to see the word “tiki” replaced with “tropical” as well as an end to using tiki mugs that depict carvings of deities and ancestors amongst many other ways to dismantle the appropriation.
Can I make a batch of Virgin Mai Tais for a crowd?
Yes, you can. I’ve included measurements for serving 8 mocktails in the notes section of the recipe below.
Can I make a batch in advance?
Yes, you can definitely make a batch in a pitcher in advance of when you need it. You can make it up to 1 day in advance and should be kept in the fridge until needed, especially if you are using freshly squeezed juices.
Do you recommend a type or brand of orgeat?
I bought this one on Amazon:
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Related Recipes
For more non-alcoholic cocktails, you’ll want to also check out:
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Mai Tai Mocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces orange juice
- 1 ½ ounces pineapple juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce orgeat (or ¼ teaspoon almond extract mixed in an additional ½ ounce simple syrup)
- ½ ounce spiced simple syrup (recipe follows)
- Orange slice and/or fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the orange, pineapple, and lime juices to a cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Add the orgeat (or almond extract syrup) and spiced syrup.
- Stir well and garnish with mint and/or an orange slice, if using.
Notes
- 1 Chai tea bag
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 cup brown sugar (loosely packed)
- Seep tea bag in boiling water for at least 5 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar and whisk until dissolved.
- Allow to cool and keep in fridge for up to to 3 weeks.
- (Makes about 10-12 ounces of simple syrup)
- 1 ½ cups orange juice
- 1 ½ cups pineapple juice
- ½ cup lime juice
- ½ cup orgeat (or ¼ teaspoon almond extract mixed in ½ cup simple syrup)
- ½ cup spiced simple syrup
- 8 orange slices and/or mint sprigs for garnish, optional
Nutrition
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