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This fruity virgin strawberry daiquiri recipe makes the best homemade mocktail, no rum required!
Hands up: who ordered strawberry daiquiri mocktails as a tween to feel sophisticated and grown up? (I know I did!) This recipe makes a beautifully fruity version of the classic drink, no rum required.
There are a few secrets to avoid your virgin strawberry daiquiri tasting like a strawberry smoothie. While delicious, that’s not what you’re going for. This delicious homemade mocktail is berry-forward, sweet-tart, and fruity, with a hint of intrigue on the finish. Here’s how to make it!
What you’ll need
The strawberry daiquiri is a variation on the daiquiri, a classic cocktail with lime, rum, and simple syrup invented in the 1800s in Cuba. It’s shaken and stirred, served up in a cocktail glass.
Frozen daiquiris came along later, blended with rum, fruit, and ice. There are lots of frozen daiquiri flavors: strawberry daiquiri, frozen daiquiri, banana daiquiri, mango daiquiri, etc. This style of drink became very popular in the 1990s in the U.S., as you may well know. For a virgin strawberry daiquiri, simply ditch the rum!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Frozen strawberries
- Simple syrup
- Lime juice
- Water
- Tonic water or lemon lime soda (Sprite)
- Ice
Choosing your bubbles
The genius behind this virgin strawberry daiquiri recipe is carbonation! Use a little carbonated water or soda to help add intrigue to the flavors so you don’t miss the rum. Here are a few notes on your options:
- Tonic water is carbonated water with added quinine and sugar. The sweetness and bitter finish add an intrigue to the flavor. I don’t typically buy soft drinks, so I prefer using tonic water in my blended drinks.
- Lemon lime soda, whether it’s homemade or Sprite, also works. It’s carbonated and much sweeter than tonic water. A nice idea is to simply add a splash when serving. If you add Sprite to the blender, keep in mind the drink will be much sweeter than with tonic water. It’s up to you!
Tips for blending
This virgin strawberry daiquiri recipe is easy to blend up, but sometimes you’ll have to use a different amount of liquid depending on the strength of your blender. Here’s what to know:
- Start with the lower end of the water quantity, or even lower. You absolutely don’t want it to be too watery, so be careful!
- Add just enough water so it blends up. You may need to stir and scrape a few times.
- If desired, serve with a splash of lemon lime soda. This can help the very thick texture to be more drinkable or sippable with a straw. But be careful. Only add a splash to each glass! You want the texture on the thicker side, and it will melt as you drink it.
If you want a cocktail
If you’re serving a mixed crowd of cocktail and mocktail fans, you can easily turn this drink back into the alcoholic version. Here’s what to do:
- Make the entire virgin strawberry daiquiri recipe below, keeping it on the thicker side texture-wise. (Add just enough water for it to blend.)
- Add 1 ½ ounces rum (3 tablespoons) per glass for the cocktail version.
- Add the same amount of lemon lime soda for the mocktail version.
Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri Recipe
Here’s a beautifully fruity virgin strawberry daiquiri recipe that makes the best homemade mocktail, no rum required!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 12 ounces (2 cups) frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup simple syrup
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 cup tonic water or lemon lime soda (Sprite), plus more for serving
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until a smooth, thick puree forms, adding just enough water and stopping and scraping as necessary. (All blenders are different, so start at the low end of the water and work up.)
- If desired, serve with a small splash of lemon lime soda in each glass. (This can make a more drinkable texture, depending on how much liquid you use.)
- Garnish with fresh strawberries and lime wheels, if desired.
More mocktail recipes
Looking for more mocktails? I love serving up virgin versions of classic cocktails. There are different tricks for every drink to get it to mimic the original cocktail. Try these mocktail recipes and pair them with the classic:
- Try a virgin Margarita, or my classic Margarita recipe with tequila.
- Go for a virgin mojito mocktail, or try the classic Mojito recipe with rum.
- Opt for a fruity virgin piña colada or a piña colada with rum.
- At brunch, grab a virgin Bloody Mary or a classic Bloody Mary with vodka.
Hi there. I tried making this tonight with my wife and followed the recipe, however it didn’t turn out red like yours. Your photos look like ketchup it’s so red. Ours turned out pink. Not exactly sure why since we followed the precise measurements.
It must be a variation in the strawberries. Sorry!
Daughter approved! Thanks.