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This Spicy Grapefruit Ginger Fizz mocktail is full of deliciously bold, spicy, and fresh flavors, it’s minimally sweet, and it’s easy to whip up in just 5 minutes.
After having spent the better part of the last two years not drinking much alcohol (especially amidst our fertility struggles, IVF, and later becoming pregnant), I’ve sampled more mocktails recently than I have in years. And you guys, I’ve gotta be honest — there are a lot of terrible mocktails out there! Most that I’ve ordered out at restaurants and bars are loaded up with far too much sugar, they typically lack any sort of “kick” or interesting nuances, and they’re just — oof — disappointing. Which seems like such a missed opportunity!
So this winter, I’ve been on a mission to up my mocktail game here at home. And this recipe in particular has been one of my absolute favorites so far.
Meet this legit-awesome, alcohol-free, spicy grapefruit ginger fizz. ♡
It’s made with some of my favorite mixers that go big on fresh flavors, including tart grapefruit juice, spicy ginger beer, fresh lime and mint, and a generous muddling of fresh jalapeño slices to add some kick. They’re simple ingredients that can be mixed together in less than 5 minutes. And together, they combine to create a drink that is refreshingly tart, minimally sweet, fun and fizzy, and packed with however much heat you can handle.
The result is a satisfying sipper that is genuinely fun to drink and anything but boring. So grab some grapefruit while they’re in season, and let’s craft some mocktails together!
Mocktail Ingredients:
Before we get to the full recipe below, here are a few important notes about the ingredients you will need to make this grapefruit mocktail recipe…
- Grapefruit juice: I went with good-quality, not-from-concentrate, no-added-sugar, 100% grapefruit juice for this mocktail…which is wonderfully tart. (Just the way I like it!) I wanted this drink to be more of a slow sipper rather than a sugar bomb, and found that the ginger beer added plenty of sweetness on its own. But that said, if you would like a sweeter cocktail, feel free to use a pre-sweetened grapefruit juice. Or of course, you’re also welcome to add in some simple syrup (or honey simple syrup) to the mocktail as well.
- Ginger beer: I recommend a good, strong, spicy, minimally-sweet ginger beer for this cocktail. We’re partial to Fever Tree and Q ginger beers in our house, but feel free to use whatever brand you love best.
- Lime juice: To add another layer of citrus to this mocktail.
- Fresh mint: I always love mint paired with citrus in drinks and really enjoy the extra freshness it brings to this drink. (It also makes for a fun garnish!)
- Fresh jalapeño: We’ve tested this mocktail with and without fresh jalapeño slices muddled in, and both my husband and I agree it kicks this drink up a major notch. The jalapeño adds great flavor, in addition to heat, and makes the mocktail much more interesting. I found that three jalapeño slices muddled into each cocktail was the ideal amount for my taste, but if you are sensitive to heat, start with less and you can always add in more. (Feel free to also omit the jalapeño seeds if you want more pepper flavor with less heat.)
- Ice: I used crushed ice for this drink, but any type of ice will do.
Possible Variations:
Want to vary things up a bit with this mocktail recipe? Feel free to…
- Add alcohol: If you would like to turn this into a cocktail, feel free to add in some bourbon or vodka to your drink!
- Use a different herb: If you don’t happen to have fresh mint available, fresh basil or cilantro would be fun to try in this recipe. Or you could also try a small sprig of fresh rosemary!
- Use a different kind of fruit juice: If you aren’t a big fan of grapefruit juice, this mocktail would also be delicious made with blood orange juice or pineapple juice.
- Omit the jalapeño: If spicy drinks aren’t your thing, feel free to remove the seeds from the jalapeño slices before muddling them into the drink, or just omit the jalapeño entirely.
- Make it sweeter: If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, you can use pre-sweetened grapefruit juice or a sweeter brand of ginger beer. Or, feel free to add in some simple syrup (or honey simple syrup) too.
Scale
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) 100% grapefruit juice*
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 sprig fresh mint
- 1 to 3 slices fresh jalapeño
- 1 cup ice
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) ginger beer*
Instructions
- Muddle the lime and jalapeño. Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, mint and jalapeño slices to a cocktail shaker.* Use a muddler or a wooden spoon to gently muddle the mint and jalapeño into the juices.
- Combine. Add the ice to a copper mug or large cocktail glass. Strain the grapefruit juice mixture over the ice. Top with the ginger beer and briefly stir to combine.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish the drink with an extra citrus slice, jalapeño, and/or a sprig of fresh mint and enjoy! Cheers!
Notes
Grapefruit juice and ginger beer: As mentioned above, I recommend using 100% pure grapefruit juice and a minimally-sweet brand of ginger beer to keep this cocktail nice and tart and not overly sweet.
Cocktail shaker alternative: If you don’t own a cocktail shaker, feel free to just use a mason jar or a glass to muddle the juices, then strain into your serving glass.
