English Garden Mocktail Recipe

This English garden mocktail tastes like someone bottled a picnic. It’s fruity, crisp, a little sharp — and yeah, there’s balsamic vinegar in it. Sounds odd, works beautifully. Takes just a few minutes to throw together and looks like something you’d serve at a garden party, even if you’re just sitting in pyjamas on your balcony.

Ingredients Needed

For the Base:

• 2 oranges
• 1 lemon
• ¼ cucumber
• 1 handful strawberries

For the Flavour Boost:

• 4 sprigs fresh mint
• 1½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For Assembling:

• 1 handful ice cubes
• 600ml organic lemonade
• 300ml sparkling water

How To Make English Garden Mocktail

1. Juice the Orange: Cut one orange in half and squeeze it right into a large jug. Catch the seeds if you care. I usually don’t.
2. Slice Up the Fresh Stuff: Thick slices of lemon, cucumber, strawberries, and the other orange. All of it goes into the jug. No fancy shapes. Just slice and toss.
3. Add Mint and Vinegars: Pick and finely slice the mint leaves. Throw them in with the balsamic and cider vinegar. Yes, vinegar — it’s what gives it that punchy, tart twist. Kinda like shrub, if you’ve had one.
4. Build the Mocktail: Toss in a handful of ice. More is better. Then pour over the lemonade and sparkling water. Stir. Stir again. Let it sit for 5-ish minutes to settle.
5. Serve Cold: Pour into glasses, try to scoop up a bit of everything. The mint. A slice of strawberry. A sliver of cucumber floating on top. That’s the good stuff.

Why I Love This Recipe

Made this once when I’d run out of everything fun and didn’t want plain juice. Dug around, found an old bottle of balsamic, half a cucumber, a sad lemon — and somehow it just… came together. It’s become my go-to when I want to sip something pretty without alcohol. Bright, tangy, kind of addictive.

Recipe Tips

• Don’t skip the balsamic vinegar. It gives depth, not just tartness.
• Slice everything chunky so it doesn’t disintegrate too quick.
• Chill all the ingredients first if it’s a hot day.
• Let it rest for 5–10 mins after stirring — helps the flavours meld.
• Organic lemonade is best, less fake sugar taste.
• Swap strawberries for raspberries if needed.
• Want it extra fizzy? Skip lemonade, use only sparkling water + splash of apple juice.

How To Store English Garden Mocktail

• At Room Temperature: Not ideal. Serve cold or don’t bother.
• In the Fridge: Cover the jug. Keeps well for 1 day. Stir before serving again.
• In the Freezer: Nope. Fruit texture goes weird. But you can freeze leftover mocktail as ice cubes.
• Reheating: Don’t even think about it.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

• Calories: ~95 kcal
• Carbs: 21g
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Sugar: 18g
• Fibre: 1g
• Sodium: 5mg

Let’s Answer a Few Questions!

• Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
  A: Totally. Just don’t add the sparkling water until you’re ready to serve or it’ll go flat.
• Q: What if I don’t have balsamic vinegar?
  A: You can leave it out, but it’s not the same. A splash of pomegranate molasses or red wine vinegar might kinda work.
• Q: Can I use lime instead of lemon?
  A: Yeah! It’ll be zingier. Still works great.
• Q: Is this kid-friendly?
  A: Yep — all ages. Just maybe skip the apple cider vinegar if you’re serving picky kids.