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This time of year you can find me wandering the aisles of my local antique store clutching a pumpkin spice latte from my local coffee shop likely wearing a fall themed sweatshirt. I take autumn seriously, but like in a whimsical way. And when I’m not drinking a fall latte I’m likely at home sipping on a fall mocktail.

This pumpkin spice mocktail is extra special because it’s made with Pumpkin Butter and Apple Juice for a delicious fall drink. You might not think of pumpkin butter as a mocktail ingredient, but the warmly spiced, slightly tart jam is a perfect addition to a well rounded non-alcoholic drink.

What is a Mocktail

Mocktails are more than juice. When I first started drinking mocktails I would often get handed a sugar filled one note drink on ice or more often just a soda. But, as more and more folks choose to drink less as part of a healthy lifestyle the definition of a mocktail has evolved into a more sophisticated, complex drink. To me a mocktail is something sharp like a non-alcoholic liquor alternative like Lyre’s or Ritual Zero Proof. These alternatives are made to be a 1:1 replacement for liquor and they really elevate drinks. But, other ingredients that work are black or green tea or soda water. And then something sweet like a juice or syrup. And then something a little tart. In this Pumpkin Butter Apple Mocktail we use black tea as the sharp element, apple juice as the sweet element, and pumpkin butter as the tart element. The spices in the pumpkin butter also add a nice addition to create an even more complex drink.

Are Mocktails good for you?

High quality, hydrating mocktails are good for you. If you’re anything like me I can get busy throughout the day and forget to drink enough liquids. And alcohol is very dehydrating and comes with many health risks. So switching to non-alcoholic mocktails can be a great choice for your overall well-being.

Variations

If you’re not the biggest fan of tea, you can absolutely substitute it with 2 oz of a non-alcoholic gin alternative or non-alcohol bourbon alternative. Lyre’s non-alcoholic London Dry or Lyre’s non-alcoholic American Malt. And if you want to change up the flavor profile a little bit you can swap out the pumpkin butter for apple butter instead. Don’t be afraid to make it your own.