20 Non Alcoholic Party Drinks for a Crowd

These non alcoholic party drinks are built for a crowd, so every recipe below scales up in a large punch bowl or drinks dispenser without watering down the flavour. Each one uses pantry-friendly ingredients like chilled juice, soda and fresh fruit, so you can prep most of them in one 3.8 L (1 gallon) batch. Whether you need something fizzy for a birthday, warm and spiced for a winter gathering, or frozen and fruity for a summer barbecue, there's a version here that works. Best of all, nobody has to sit out the toast.

Fill a large glass pitcher with 500 g (about 4 cups) of ice, then pour over 500 ml (2 cups) of chilled orange juice, 500 ml (2 cups) of chilled lemonade and 500 ml (2 cups) of sparkling water. The mix of citrus juice and fizzy water keeps it light rather than syrupy-sweet, which matters when guests are drinking several glasses over a few hours. Swap the orange juice for grapefruit juice if you want something a little more tart. Serve within 30 minutes of adding the sparkling water so it doesn't go flat.

This is the punch-bowl classic: 1.9 L (1/2 gallon) of rainbow or pineapple sherbet, 1 L (4 cups) of pineapple juice and 2 L (67 fl oz) of chilled ginger ale. Scoop the sherbet into the bowl first, pour the juice over it, then top up with ginger ale right before serving so the fizz doesn't fade. The melting sherbet naturally thickens and sweetens the punch as the party goes on, which is exactly what makes it a crowd favourite. For a firmer float, keep half the sherbet in the freezer and add it in scoops rather than all at once.

Recreate the drive-in favourite with 1.5 L (6 cups) of lemon-lime soda, 60 ml (1/4 cup) of coconut syrup or coconut cream, and a drop of blue food colouring for that signature ocean-blue tint. Pour the soda over ice first, then stir in the coconut syrup so it doesn't fizz over, and add the colouring last, a drop at a time until you hit the right shade. The coconut flavour is what sets this apart from a plain lemon-lime soda, so don't skip it even if you skip the colouring. Serve immediately over plenty of ice, as the fizz fades fast once the syrup is stirred in.

Combine 1 L (4 cups) of vanilla ice cream, scooped into a punch bowl, with 1.5 L (6 cups) of chilled cream soda poured slowly over the top. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes before stirring so the ice cream softens into a light foam rather than melting into a thin liquid. A splash of 15 ml (1 tbsp) of vanilla extract deepens the flavour if your cream soda is on the mild side. This one is best made just before serving, since the ice cream keeps it thick for only about 20 minutes.

Muddle 1 sliced cucumber and a large handful of fresh mint leaves in the bottom of a pitcher, then add 1 L (4 cups) of chilled water or sparkling water and the juice of 2 limes. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the cucumber and mint infuse the water properly. This is the drink to make for guests who find the sweeter punches too much, since it's clean and low in sugar. Add a spoonful of honey or simple syrup only if you want a touch of sweetness.

Warm 2 L (8 cups) of apple cider in a slow cooker or large pot with 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole cloves and 1 sliced orange, heating gently until it just steams (do not let it boil). Keep it on the low or warm setting for up to 3 hours so guests can help themselves throughout the party. Strain out the whole spices before serving if you're pouring into a punch bowl rather than serving straight from the slow cooker. A cinnamon stick stirrer in each mug adds a nice touch without any extra prep.

Blend 300 g (about 2 cups) of fresh or frozen strawberries with 250 ml (1 cup) of lemonade until smooth, then strain if you want a completely pulp-free drink. Pour the puree into glasses over ice and top with 750 ml (3 cups) of chilled lemon-lime soda for the sparkle. This one leans sweeter than the citrus sparkler above, so it's a good pick for kids' parties or dessert-course drinks. Frozen strawberries work just as well as fresh and keep the drink extra cold without diluting it.

Freeze 600 g (about 4 cups) of cubed watermelon overnight, then blend it with 250 ml (1 cup) of lemonade and the juice of 1 lime until slushy. Blend in short bursts rather than continuously, scraping down the sides, so the fruit breaks down evenly instead of clumping at the blades. This one has no added ice, so the frozen fruit itself gives the drink its texture, and it holds its slush consistency for about 15 minutes once poured. Serve straight away with a wide straw.

This is the one to make when you're short on time: mix 500 ml (2 cups) of any fruit juice with 500 ml (2 cups) of chilled sparkling water and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Stir gently rather than shaking, so you don't knock the fizz out of the sparkling water. Cranberry, white grape and pineapple juice all work well as the base, and you can switch the fruit to match whatever's already in the fridge. Pour over ice right before serving for the best sparkle.

Blend 400 g (about 2 cups) of frozen mango chunks, 250 ml (1 cup) of pineapple juice and 250 ml (1 cup) of coconut milk until completely smooth. This one is thicker than the other punches on this list, closer to a smoothie than a drink, so serve it in smaller 120 ml (4 oz) glasses rather than a full punch cup. If the blend is too thick to pour, loosen it with an extra 60-120 ml (1/4-1/2 cup) of pineapple juice. It's best served within an hour of blending, before the fruit starts to separate.

Steep 4 chai tea bags in 1 L (4 cups) of just-boiled water for 5 minutes, then stir in 500 ml (2 cups) of milk (dairy or oat both work) and 60 ml (1/4 cup) of honey or brown sugar while the tea is still warm. Chill for at least an hour before serving over ice, or serve it warm in mugs if the party's in winter. The warm spice notes from the chai make this a good alternative to the apple cider if you want something less overtly seasonal. A dusting of ground cinnamon on top finishes it off nicely.

Combine 750 ml (3 cups) of cranberry juice with 750 ml (3 cups) of chilled ginger beer and the juice of 1 orange in a large pitcher or punch bowl. The ginger beer's spice plays well against the tartness of the cranberry, giving it a more grown-up flavour than a plain cranberry-soda mix. Float fresh or frozen cranberries and a few orange slices on top for a festive look that suits Christmas and New Year parties especially. Add the ginger beer last, right before serving, to keep the fizz strong.

Pour 500 ml (2 cups) of grenadine-tinted orange juice into tall glasses first, then very slowly pour 500 ml (2 cups) of pineapple juice over the back of a spoon so it settles on top rather than mixing straight through. The layers form because the sugar content in each juice differs slightly, so pour slowly and use a spoon to break the fall of the liquid. It looks impressive for a party photo, but stir it together once guests are ready to drink for the best flavour. This one is best assembled glass by glass rather than in a big batch.

Mix 750 ml (3 cups) of pomegranate juice with 500 g (about 3 cups) of mixed frozen berries and 500 ml (2 cups) of chilled lemon-lime soda. The frozen berries double as ice cubes, keeping the punch cold without diluting the deep pomegranate flavour as they slowly thaw. This is one of the more intensely flavoured drinks on the list, so it's a good contrast if you're also serving lighter, fizzier options. Fresh pomegranate seeds scattered on top add crunch and colour.

Brew 1 L (4 cups) of black tea and let it cool completely, then stir in 500 ml (2 cups) of peach juice or nectar and 30 ml (2 tbsp) of honey while the tea is still slightly warm so the honey dissolves. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving over ice with fresh peach slices. Using peach nectar rather than juice gives a rounder, smoother mouthfeel because it's thicker and less acidic than straight juice. This one holds well in the fridge for up to 3 days, making it a good make-ahead option.

Brew 750 ml (3 cups) of green tea, cool it fully, then combine with 750 ml (3 cups) of fresh lemonade and pour over plenty of ice. Green tea has a lighter, slightly grassy flavour than black tea, so it pairs well with the sharpness of the lemonade instead of getting lost in it. Sweeten to taste with 30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) of honey stirred into the warm tea before it cools. A few slices of fresh lemon and a mint sprig in the pitcher finish it off.

Pour 750 ml (3 cups) of chilled fruit juice into a pitcher with just 250 ml (1 cup) of sparkling water, so the juice flavour leads instead of splitting evenly with the fizz. Serve in stemmed wine glasses over a few large ice cubes rather than a crushed-ice tumbler, which keeps it dilution-free and gives it a more grown-up, adults'-mocktail feel next to the punch bowl. Any single juice or juice blend works here too, but the higher juice ratio suits deeper flavours like pomegranate, cherry or grape best. Garnish with a fresh herb sprig, such as basil or rosemary, instead of a citrus wheel for a different look on the drinks table.

Fill a glass with ice, pour in 250 ml (1 cup) of chilled club soda, then add 30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) of a flavoured syrup such as vanilla, raspberry or hazelnut. Top with a float of 30 ml (2 tbsp) of cream or half-and-half poured gently over the back of a spoon so it sits on top rather than mixing straight in. Stir just before drinking so the cream swirls through rather than settling flat at the bottom. Make a batch of a few different syrup flavours so guests can build their own.

Blend 500 ml (2 cups) of orange juice, 250 ml (1 cup) of milk, 60 ml (1/4 cup) of sugar, 5 ml (1 tsp) of vanilla extract and 300 g (about 2 cups) of ice until frothy and smooth. The blended ice is what gives this its signature frothy texture, so don't swap in pre-chilled juice and skip the ice cubes. Taste and adjust the sugar depending on how sweet your orange juice already is. Serve immediately in chilled glasses, as it separates if it sits for more than 15-20 minutes.

Blend 400 g (about 3 cups) of mixed fresh or frozen berries with 1 L (4 cups) of water and the juice of 1 lime, then strain through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and pulp. Sweeten with 30-60 ml (2-4 tbsp) of simple syrup, added a little at a time and tasted as you go, since berry sweetness varies a lot batch to batch. This is one of the lightest drinks on the list, closer to flavoured water than a punch, so it's a good palate cleanser between richer options. Serve over ice in tall glasses with a few whole berries dropped in.

Chill every ingredient, including the glasses, before you start assembling any of these party drinks, since warm juice or soda flattens the fizz almost instantly. Always add carbonated ingredients like soda, ginger ale or sparkling water last and pour them gently down the side of the glass or bowl rather than straight down the middle. Taste as you build a punch rather than following amounts blindly, because juice sweetness varies noticeably between brands and even between batches. If a punch tastes flat, a squeeze of fresh citrus fixes it faster than adding more sugar.

A frozen fruit ice ring, made by freezing water with sliced citrus, berries or mint in a bundt tin, keeps a punch cold for hours without watering it down the way plain ice cubes do. Rim glasses with sugar or salt for the creamier or citrus drinks, and keep a small bowl of extra garnishes like mint sprigs, citrus wheels and skewered berries next to the drinks station so guests can dress their own glass. Label each punch bowl or dispenser with a small card naming the drink, since guests are more likely to try something new when they know what's in it. Set out a stack of straws and stirrers so nobody has to go hunting through a drawer.

Most of the juice- and tea-based drinks on this list can be mixed up to 2 days ahead and kept covered in the fridge, but hold back any soda, ginger ale or sparkling water until you're ready to serve so the fizz stays intact. Freeze fruit ice rings and any fruit purees up to a week in advance to save time on the day. Anything with dairy or ice cream, like the cream soda punch or the Orange Julius, is best mixed no more than an hour before guests arrive, since it separates and loses texture the longer it sits. If you're scaling a recipe up for a bigger crowd, multiply the juice and tea quantities freely, but add fizzy ingredients in the original ratio just before serving rather than all at once.