5 Herbal Mocktails to Sip This Summer

Summer is full of good things: warm sunshine, flourishing plants, long evenings, and, of course, ice-cold drinks. (And no, we’re not talking about beer!) But with busy days, outdoor adventures, and all the things that come with making the most of the season, it can be hard to keep herbs in your daily routine. And while we love a good cup of herbal tea, a steaming mug isn’t always the most appealing choice on a hot summer day.

That’s where herbal mocktails come in. These beautiful, refreshing, plant-filled drinks are a fun and seasonal way to bring herbs into your life. We’ve gathered 5 of our favorite herbal mocktail recipes, each featuring aromatic plants that do more than simply decorate your glass—they’re the stars of the show. From cooling herbs to bright, floral botanicals, these recipes offer a delicious way to sip something special and reconnect with the plant world all summer long.

Do you ever put off a task because it feels bigger and more complicated in your head than it actually is? (I do!) Herbalism and aromatic medicine don’t have to involve elaborate preparations or hours in the kitchen. Sometimes, it can be as simple as reaching for a handful of fresh Lemon Balm, a sprig of Rosemary, or a few fragrant Peppermint leaves.

Herbal mocktails are a perfect example. Some recipes can be incredibly simple, while others give you the opportunity to get a little more creative and elaborate, depending on your mood and how much time you have. There’s no right way to do it!

We especially love using fresh herbs in these summer drinks, but you don’t need a garden to get started. Most of the herbs featured in these recipes can be easily found at your local grocery store. And if you’re inspired to grow your own, even better! A small herb garden can be a rewarding way to build a daily relationship with plants. Many of the aromatic herbs that make delicious additions to mocktails are easy to grow and thrive in containers, too, making them perfect for a sunny porch or windowsill.

If you don’t have access to fresh herbs, no worries. Herbal and aromatic preparations like simple syrups, cordials, and oxymels can be made using dried herbs and provide an easy way to add botanicals to your drinks as a delicious ingredient.

There are tons of tasty ways to add aromatic herbs to mocktails (and cocktails) beyond just a garnish. These preparations make a wonderful addition to any drink, but they’re also great to have on hand because they’re so versatile and easy to use; just add a touch to sparkling water, and you have an instant herbal beverage!

Here are some of our favorite ways to use herbs in drinks:

The classic simple syrup recipe is just 2 ingredients: sugar and water, in a 1:1 ratio. Add in some herbs, and you have an herbal simple syrup! You can use fresh or dried herbs, whatever you have access to. Some of our favorite aromatic herbs to use in simple syrups include Rosemary, Cinnamon, Lavender, Basil, Mint, Rose, and Ginger. And we love to use honey instead of sugar for our simple syrup recipes, but you could use the traditional white sugar, or brown sugar, maple sugar, or coconut sugar instead.

Ingredients

1 cup raw honey
1 cup water
2-4 TBSP dried herbs

Directions

- Add the water and dried herbs to a small saucepan, cover, and bring the water to a simmer over low/medium heat.
- Gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, add in your honey, and stir to dissolve.
- Let the liquid cool at room temperature and allow it to thicken.
- Strain your syrup into a clean jar with an airtight lid. Label and store in the refrigerator, and it should keep for up to 1 month. (Alternatively, you could pour the simple syrup into an ice cube tray and freeze it for longer storage.)

An oxymel puts an herbal twist on the traditional shrub, a sweet-and-tart cocktail ingredient typically made with fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Instead of fruit and sugar, an oxymel combines vinegar, honey, and herbs to create a flavorful botanical infusion. This one takes a little planning, since you’ll want to give the herbs about 2 weeks to infuse into the vinegar, allowing time to extract their aromatic and beneficial plant constituents. The result is a versatile herbal preparation that can be added to sparkling water, mocktails, dressings, and more.

Want to give it a try? Check out our free guide: How to Make an Aromatic Herbal Oxymel (+ Why You Should).

A cordial is a combination of an alcoholic herbal extract and honey; basically, a sweetened herbal tincture. They are traditionally made with brandy, but you can use other types of alcohol if you’d prefer, like vodka or gin. Technically, if you’re adding cordials to your mocktail, the drink will not be alcohol-free, although oftentimes I just like to add 1 dropperful. The amount of cordial you use in beverages is totally up to you. This type of preparation also requires some planning, as it takes anywhere from 4-6 weeks to infuse a cordial. 

For step-by-step instructions on how to make your own cordial, check out our blog article here.

Let’s not forget about one of the simplest ways to enjoy herbs in the summer: iced tea! Brew a flavorful herbal infusion, let it cool, and use it as the base for a refreshing mocktail or simply enjoy it over ice on its own. Some of our favorite herbs for iced teas are Hibiscus, Peppermint, Rose, Tulsi, and Rosemary. Try combining these herbal infusions with fresh fruit, citrus, or sparkling water!

Freezing fresh or dried herbs in ice cubes is a fun, simple way to make an everyday drink feel special. You can also brew a batch of herbal tea, let it cool, and freeze it into cubes for an extra burst of color and flavor as they melt into your drink. Some of our favorite herbs to freeze include Rose, Lavender, Basil, Mint, Calendula, Violet, Lemon Balm, Chamomile, and Hibiscus. Try pairing the herbs with complementary flavors, like Lemon Balm with berries, Rosemary with citrus, or Hibiscus with lime.

This takes fresh herbs one simple step beyond being a garnish. Gently muddling fresh aromatic herbs, or even just lightly pressing or bruising the leaves, helps release their aromatic oils, adding fresh flavor and fragrance directly to your drink.

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

¼ cup fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, or a combination)
6-8 fresh Lemon Balm leaves (or Mint or Basil if preferred)
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Rose water or Rose cordial
1-2 teaspoons Rose simple syrup (or other sweetener)
4-6 oz sparkling water
Ice
Optional garnish: fresh Rose petals or a sprig of Lemon Balm

Instructions

- Add the berries, Lemon Balm leaves, Lemon juice, and sweetener or simple syrup to a glass.
- Gently muddle until the berries release their juices and the Lemon Balm becomes fragrant.
- Add ice and pour in the Rose water or Rose cordial.
- Top with sparkling water and ice, gently stirring.
- Garnish with a sprig of Lemon Balm or edible Rose petals.

- Note: Rose water and Rose cordial can vary quite a bit in strength, so start with 1 teaspoon and add more if desired. You want the Rose to complement the Lemon Balm and berries rather than dominate them. Be sure the Rose water you use is safe for culinary use.

Makes 2-3 servings

Tools

Blender
Fine mesh strainer
Measuring cups
Large pitcher
Optional: large glass mason jar with lid for storage

Ingredients

1 cucumber, chopped and peeled
1 cup fresh Mint leaves
½ cup fresh Lime juice
1 cup water
1/2 cup Mint simple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
3+ cups sparkling water
Ice
Optional garnish: Lime wheel, Cucumber slice, Mint sprig

Instructions

- Add the cucumber, Mint leaves, Lime juice, water, and sweetener to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Strain the liquid into a pitcher using a fine-mesh strainer to remove any pulp.
- Stir in 3 cups of sparkling water.
- Taste and add any more sweetener or sparkling water if desired.
- Add ice, garnish, and enjoy!

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

2 cups Lavender tea, chilled (made with 2 teaspoons dried culinary Lavender + 2 cups water)
1 cup fresh Lemon juice
3 cups water or chilled blue butterfly pea flower tea
½-¾ cup honey or Lavender-infused simple syrup, to taste
Ice
Optional: Lemon wheel and Lavender sprig

Instructions

- First, make the Lavender tea by bringing 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add 2 teaspoons of dried culinary Lavender to a tea strainer, and steep for 5-10 minutes, then strain. (If you’re using honey as the sweetener, dissolve it into the warm Lavender tea before chilling.) Allow the tea to cool completely.
- In a large pitcher, combine the chilled Lavender tea, fresh Lemon juice, and 3 cups of water (or chilled blue butterfly pea flower tea for some color!).
- If you’re using Lavender simple syrup as the sweetener, start by adding ½ cup of syrup and stir well. Taste and add more sweetener, up to ¾ cup total, if desired.
- Fill glasses with ice and pour in the Lavender lemonade.
- Garnish with a Lemon wheel and a small sprig of fresh Lavender, and enjoy!

- Notes: Butterfly pea flower tea is a beautiful blue color when brewed, which adds a fun Lavender-like color to your lemonade! And the naturally blue tea will shift toward shades of purple and pink as its pH changes with the addition of Lemon juice.

There are many different species of Lavender out there. We recommend using English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which is often called “culinary Lavender,” as other species can have more bitter or soapy flavor profiles. (We love Mountain Rose Herb’s Organic English Lavender!) Be sure to use a small amount of Lavender––too much can be overpowering!

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients

1 cup chilled Hibiscus tea (using 1 cup water and 1 TBSP dried Hibiscus flowers)
2 TBSP fresh Lime juice
2-4 TBSP Basil, Mint & Rose oxymel
4-6 oz sparkling water or regular water
½-1 tsp honey or Mint simple syrup, to taste
Ice
Optional garnish: fresh Basil or Mint sprigs, berries, Lime wedge, or edible Rose petals

Instructions

- First, make your Hibiscus tea by pouring 1 cup of boiling water over 1 tablespoon of dried Hibiscus flowers in a mesh tea infuser. Let steep for 10-15 minutes, then strain.
- Stir in the honey or Mint simple syrup and adjust to taste.
- Set the Hibiscus tea in the fridge for 1 hour to cool.
- Add the chilled Hibiscus tea, fresh Lime juice, and herbal oxymel to a glass.
- Add ice and top with water (or sparkling water) and gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, a strawberry, and/or a Lime wedge.
- Cheers!

- Note: Start with 2 tablespoons of oxymel and taste your drink before adding more. Depending on how tart your Hibiscus tea and oxymel are, you may want to keep it as-is. For a more tangy drink, add more oxymel; for a more balanced drink, add a little extra sweetener. We love the Basil, Mint & Rose oxymel combo, but feel free to just use a single aromatic herb oxymel if you prefer!

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

½ cup fresh Grapefruit juice
1 TBSP fresh Lime juice
1 TBSP Rosemary simple syrup
½ cup tonic water or sparkling water
Ice
1 small fresh Rosemary sprig
Optional: Grapefruit wedge for garnish

Instructions

- Add the Grapefruit juice, Lime juice, and Rosemary simple syrup to a glass.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Top with tonic water or sparkling water.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Give the Rosemary sprig a gentle clap between your hands to release its aromatic oils, then add it as a garnish.
- Finish with a Grapefruit wedge. Enjoy!

If you’re the type of person who likes to experiment in the kitchen, here’s our simple formula for making the perfect herbal mocktail:

aromatic herb + fruit + acid + sweetener + liquid (bubbles or iced tea)

Choose Your Herb(s)
Peppermint
Lemon Balm
Rosemary
Basil
Tulsi
Lavender
Rose
Thyme
Tarragon
Sage
Lemon Verbena
Chamomile
Bee Balm
Spearmint
Catnip
Anise Hyssop
Hibiscus
Ginger
Cinnamon

Add Fruit
Lemon
Lime
Grapefruit
Orange
Berries
Peach
Nectarine
Watermelon
Cucumber
Pineapple
Mango
Pomegranate

Balance with Acid
Fresh Citrus juice
Shrub
Herbal vinegar

Add Sweetener
Honey
Maple syrup
Simple syrup
Herb-infused syrup
Oxymel

Finish with Liquid
Sparkling water
Mineral water
Tonic water
Iced tea

A Note on Choosing Herbs for Mocktails

- Remember: not every aromatic plant is appropriate for culinary use. If it’s not commonly consumed as a tea, it's best to avoid adding it to drinks.
- Use culinary-grade dried herbs and fresh herbs from a trusted source. (We love Mountain Rose Herbs!)
- Start with small quantities, particularly with intensely aromatic herbs such as Lavender, Rosemary, Sage, and Thyme.

If you've ever caught yourself dreaming of crafting your own herbal remedies and aromatic creations but weren't quite sure where to begin, now's your chance to turn those dreams into reality.

Our Art of Aromatic Preparations Mini-Course walks you step-by-step through the core skills of creating tinctures, glycerites, cordials, oxymels, infused oils, salves, and more.

With 6 immersive, hands-on video tutorials, you'll master the essential herbal & aromatic preparations, guided by Erika Galentin, clinical herbalist and aromatherapist with 2+ decades of experience.

© 2026 The Northwest School of Aromatic Medicine. All rights reserved.

*The statements above have not been evaluated by the FDA, and are for educational purposes only. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult your physician before you use this information for health purposes.