25 Best Cocktails and Mocktails for Brunch

Easy Drinks Perfect for the Midmorning Meal

Fuzzy Navel cocktail recipe

 The Spruce Eats

Light drinks filled with fruit flavors are ideal for brunch, and several fantastic cocktail and mocktail recipes are perfect for a mid-morning meal. A few are easy-drinking wine cocktails, while others feature gin, tequila, and vodka, and you'll find zero-proof drinks if you want to skip the alcohol entirely. With brunch favorites like the bloody Mary, screwdriver, and mimosa leading the way, these drinks are easy to mix up, great with food, and sure to be a hit with your guests.

  • 01 of 25

    Screwdriver

    Popular screwdriver recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Ali Redmond

    A staple at the brunch table, the screwdriver is simply vodka-spiked orange juice. It's easy to make by the glass or pitcher and pairs wonderfully with a variety of foods. For the best screwdriver, don't overpour the vodka and use fresh-squeezed orange juice.

  • 02 of 25

    Bloody Mary

    Bloody Mary Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats/ S&C Design Studios

    The bloody Mary's tomato flavor is an excellent choice for brunch. It's most satisfying when served with breakfast casseroles, pancakes, and other savory dishes. Make it spicy or keep it mild, and mix up an entire pitcher without the alcohol to let everyone decide whether they want it spiked or not.

  • 03 of 25

    Crazy Bloody Mary

    Mugs of crazy bloody mary with bacon straw and grilled cheese

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    This crazy bloody Mary is like a meal in a glass. It starts with a traditional vodka-tomato juice mix, but the garnish makes it far more enjoyable. The drink is adorned with a mini grilled cheese sandwich and dill pickle skewer with a bacon "straw" that's as fun to make as it is to eat.

  • 04 of 25

    Mimosa

    Mimosa Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Loren Runion

    The mimosa is an iconic brunch cocktail because it's soft, effervescent, and incredibly easy to mix up. You'll need just three ingredients—triple sec, orange juice, and Champagne—for the basic mimosa. There are many fabulous variations to try, as well.

    Continue to 5 of 25 below.
  • 05 of 25

    Bellini

    The Famous Bellini Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    When you're feeling a little peachy, turn to the Bellini. While you could take a few shortcuts to this classic drink, a fresh peach purée keeps it authentic and ensures the freshest taste. The sparkling wine cocktail goes well with fish and white meat dishes as well as light omelets.

  • 06 of 25

    New Orleans Fizz

    New Orleans Fizz

    The Spruce Eats / Claire Cohen

    Show off your cocktail skills with the New Orleans fizz. Filled with a delightful mix of citrus, a shot of gin, and its creamy effervescence, this drink never fails to impress. The real secret to pulling off the Big Easy favorite is to shake until it hurts. Don't worry; you'll forget the pain after the first sip!

  • 07 of 25

    Melon Patch

    The Melon Patch is an easy vodka cocktail.
    Thomas Barwick / Digital Vision / Getty Images

    Easy and refreshing, the melon patch is perfect alongside fruit salads on a warm summer day. The recipe uses a melon liqueur, triple sec, and vodka topped with club soda. Despite the three liquors, it's not a potent vodka cocktail and is similar to enjoying a glass of wine.

  • 08 of 25

    Greyhound

    Greyhound cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Emily Baker

    Grapefruit is another popular morning fruit, and the greyhound flaunts it spectacularly. For this recipe, you'll use grapefruit juice instead of the screwdriver's orange juice. If you offer vodka with both juices, guests can choose between the two mixed drinks, so everyone's sure to be happy.

    Continue to 9 of 25 below.
  • 09 of 25

    Irish Coffee

    Original Irish Coffee Recipe

    The Spruce Eats

    There are many coffee cocktails to choose from, though few can beat the charm of an authentic Irish coffee. Spiked with Irish whiskey and sweetened with brown sugar, this recipe is best topped with lightly whipped heavy cream.

  • 10 of 25

    Sea Breeze

    Sea Breeze Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / Karen Hibbard

    A muffin, a grapefruit, and a sea breeze combine for a quick and straightforward brunch on short notice. The vodka-cranberry drink adds a touch of grapefruit juice for extra dimension without additional hassle. Garnish it with a slice of grapefruit, and a brilliant drink is ready to serve.

  • 11 of 25

    Fuzzy Navel

    Fuzzy Navel Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats

    Take the fuzzy navel out of the bar and bring it to brunch for a quick mixed drink. If you're feeling a little wilder one morning, add vodka to the peach schnapps and orange juice mix for a hairy navel.

  • 12 of 25

    Abbey Cocktail

    Classic Abbey Cocktail

    Bill Boch / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images

    When it comes to morning martinis, the abbey cocktail is always a winner. Gin, an apéritif, and orange juice combine for this easy neat drink, and the dash of orange bitters makes it a little more interesting.

    Continue to 13 of 25 below.
  • 13 of 25

    Cucumber Collins

    Cucumber Collins Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    The cucumber collins is delightfully refreshing and perfect for a summer brunch in the garden. It begins with a muddle of fresh cucumber and lime and is fabulous with either vodka or gin. Pour a hard seltzer if you like or keep it gentle with club soda, and have fun arranging the cucumber ribbons in the glass.

  • 14 of 25

    Bacon Me Angry

    Angry Orchard Hard Cider's Bacon Me Angry Cocktail with Bacon-infused Vodka

    Angry Orchard

    If you're the adventurous type, give the bacon me angry cocktail a whirl. This funky drink recipe begins with bacon-infused vodka, which you'll have to make yourself. When that's ready, mix it with maple syrup, bitters, and hard cider for an unforgettable drink.

  • 15 of 25

    White Wine Sangria

    Simple White Wine Sangria

    The Spruce Eats/ Laura Scherb

    Sangria is ideal for any party, large or small, and it makes serving drinks a little easier. While the traditional red wine version may be a little heavy, this white wine sangria with brandy and fresh citrus is light and refreshing, so it's a better choice for brunch.

  • 16 of 25

    Raspberry Lemonade Sangria

    Raspberry Lemonade Sangria
    Besjunior / Getty Images

    When you want to shake up your routine, go with the raspberry lemonade sangria. You'll make the moscato, lemonade, and raspberry base the night before and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Add citrus soda to the pitcher when guests arrive, and you can enjoy the meal without worrying about drinks.

    Continue to 17 of 25 below.
  • 17 of 25

    Cranberry Mule

    cranberry moscow mule

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    During cranberry season, mix up a seasonal Moscow mule. This recipe adds fresh berries to that popular mix of lime juice, vodka, and ginger beer. It's a perfect big-batch cocktail for a small party.

  • 18 of 25

    Papaya Smash

    Tequila Avion's Papaya Smash Cocktail

    Kyle Rothenborg / Perspectives / Getty Images

    Aged tequila is the star of the papaya smash. The tropical mix combines papaya, lime, and orange and is sweetened with agave nectar. Fitting for brunch, it includes Aperol, the bitter orange liqueur that turns any drink into a meal-worthy delight.

  • 19 of 25

    Basil-Rosemary Orange Shandy

    Freshmade Orange Shandy

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Beer on your mind? This orange-flavored shandy recipe is an outstanding choice. You can make the orangeade ahead of time, and you'll love the additional flavor from the basil and rosemary-infused simple syrup. When it's time for drinks, fill half the glass, then add your favorite wheat ale or lager.

  • 20 of 25

    Zipper

    Zipper Cocktail Recipe

     The Spruce Eats

    It doesn't get much easier than a cocktail with just three ingredients. The zipper is a raspberry-flavored, sparkling vodka cocktail that offers a taste everyone will appreciate. Though typically served very short, this recipe is an excellent candidate for a pitcher drink as well.

    Continue to 21 of 25 below.
  • 21 of 25

    Amaretto Sour

    Simple Amaretto Sour Cocktail

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Low-proof and simultaneously sweet and tart, the amaretto sour is a fun mixed drink. Requiring nothing more than amaretto and lemon juice—with a dash of simple syrup if you like—it's a charming and easy drink.

  • 22 of 25

    Sweet Sunrise

    Sweet Sunrise Drink

    The Spruce Eats / Nyssa Tanner

    Hold the tequila and mix up a sweet (or virgin) sunrise. This mocktail recipe offers the same showstopping look of the tequila sunrise but in a more innocent form. The grenadine adds a perfect amount of sweetness to counteract the orange juice's tart acidity. No matter what food you're serving, it's an ideal match for breakfast or brunch.

  • 23 of 25

    Orange Fizz

    Orange Fizz

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

    Some of the best drinks simply enhance ordinary ingredients, and that's what you'll find in the orange fizz. It's a budget-friendly nonalcoholic drink recipe for a crowd made with frozen orange juice concentrate and ginger ale. Adding orange garnishes hides the fact that it's an effortless drink.

  • 24 of 25

    Copycat Caramel Frappuccino

    Copycat Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    Skip the coffee shop run and make caramel Frappuccinos at home! It's easy to replicate this blended coffee drink using instant coffee, milk, and caramel syrup. Taking a tip from baristas in the know, the addition of xanthan gum ensures a perfect consistency.

    Continue to 25 of 25 below.
  • 25 of 25

    Sweet Pepper Spritzer Mocktail

    Sweet Pepper Spritzer Mocktail

    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

    For a light and savory zero-proof drink, go with the sweet pepper spritzer. Unusual to say the least, this recipe gives you the chance to taste freshly muddled sweet peppers mixed with fresh basil and lemon juice. Topped with ginger ale, it pairs wonderfully with an array of food, too.