Paloma Mocktail

This paloma mocktail is full of tart grapefruit, zingy lime, a salted rim – zero tequila required! It’s ready in 5 minutes and a refreshing non alcoholic drink.

After years of developing cocktail and mocktail recipes, I’ve become a little obsessed with nailing the non-alcoholic versions of classic drinks. And by that, I mean not just glorified fruit juice: non alcoholic drinks worth making!

This paloma mocktail is so much fun and everything I love about a great mocktail: refreshing, delicious, and interestingly complex! It’s similar to my popular Virgin Margarita: which has a little flavor secret to make it pop. There are no non alcoholic spirits needed: just normal, delicious ingredients! Here’s how to make a virgin spin on the classic Paloma.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• 5 minutes, no blender or cocktail shaker. Squeeze, stir, pour. That’s it!
• Refreshing, complex flavor. The pickle brine and honey sound weird, but they make the best drink: I promise!
• A perfect party drink. Make a big batch of the base and let guests top their own glass with bubbles.

What You’ll Need

A classic Paloma recipe, a Mexican cocktail that’s a cousin of the margarita, uses grapefruit soda and tequila. Here’s what I use for my Paloma mocktail recipe:

• Fresh grapefruit juice: You want that fresh-squeezed flavor: about ½ to 2/3 of a grapefruit gets you what you need for this drink.
• Fresh lime juice: The lime lifts the grapefruit and makes everything taste more tart.
• Honey (or simple syrup): A very small amount balances the flavors: I like keeping this drink more sweet tart. I like using honey because it’s all natural but you can use simple syrup if you want. Maple syrup is usually my go-to but I didn’t want to make the drink too dark in color.
• Pickle brine: I know, I know! It sounds weird. But I use this in my Virgin Margarita to add that tequila-like funk and it really works! It’s the way to make it feel like a cocktail without alcohol. If you don’t have it, you could try olive brine.
• Tonic water: I reach for tonic water because it has a little quinine, which adds more flavor intrigue. Grapefruit soda also works for a sweeter drink! Here’s my Guide to Tonic Water for more info on bubbly options.
• Flaky sea salt & tajín: I love adding Tajín to the rim: it’s a Mexican seasoning blend of chili peppers, lime, and salt that adds a burst of tangy, spicy flavor.

How to Make a Paloma Mocktail

This comes together in minutes. Here’s the method (or jump to the recipe below):

1. Prep your glass. Cut a small notch in a grapefruit wedge and run the cut side along the rim of your glass — or along the side (see the photos). Dip the rim into a small plate of flaky sea salt and tajín to coat.
2. Mix the base. Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey, and pickle brine directly to the glass. Stir until the honey is fully dissolved.
3. Add ice and top with tonic water. Fill the glass with ice, then pour the tonic water over the top. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and serve immediately.

Pitcher Paloma Mocktail (Perfect for a Party)

This drink is perfect for batching: it’s great for parties! The base comes together in seconds, and because you’re adding tonic water per glass, every drink stays perfectly fizzy. See the Notes section in the recipe below.

I love this version for baby showers especially: it’s fun , non-alcoholic, and looks vibrant in a glass with a salted rim and a grapefruit wedge.

Serving Ideas

This paloma mocktail is great when you need a drink that’s refreshing and non alcoholic. Here’s what I’d pair it with:

• Tacos or Mexican-inspired food: Try it with my rice bowls, shrimp tacos, or fish tacos.
• A summer brunch spread: Enjoy it with a hashbrown casserole or blueberry waffles.
• As a mocktail bar: You could serve it with a Non-Alcoholic Mimosa or Virgin Piña Colada for a full mocktail bar.

If you’re building out a mocktail menu, my 15 Easy Mocktail Recipes roundup has more ideas!

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Paloma Mocktail

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This paloma mocktail is full of tart grapefruit, zingy lime, a salted rim – zero tequila required! It’s ready in 5 minutes and a refreshing non alcoholic drink.

• Author: Sonja Overhiser
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 drink 1x
• Category: Drink
• Method: No Cook
• Cuisine: Mocktail
• Diet: Gluten-Free, non alcoholic, Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 1 ounce fresh lime juice (see Notes for pitcher variation)
• 2 ounces fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (about ½ large grapefruit), plus 1 wedge for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon honey or simple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon pickle brine (juice from a pickle jar; see Notes)
• 3 ounces tonic water (or grapefruit soda; see Notes)
• Flaky sea salt and tajín, for the garnish

Instructions

1. Cut a notch in the grapefruit wedge, then run the grapefruit around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of flaky sea salt and tajín (or you can wet the side of the glass, like in the photos).
2. To the glass, add the lime juice, grapefruit juice, honey, and pickle brine, and stir until the honey is fully dissolved.
3. Fill the glass with ice. Top with tonic water and serve immediately. 

Notes

• Pitcher variation: For a pitcher of 8 drinks, mix 1 cup lime juice, 2 cups grapefruit juice, ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup pickle brine in a pitcher. Prep the glasses, then pour in about 3 oz of the mixture in each glass, then top with 3 oz tonic water.
• Substitutions: If you don’t have a jar of pickles, olive brine works too — or even caper brine. You can also substitute grapefruit soda for the tonic water to make a sweeter drink.

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More Mocktail Recipes To Try

• Virgin Mojito Mocktail
• Easy Pomegranate Mocktail
• Lemon Blueberry Mocktail
• Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri

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