The sidecar is a classic sour cocktail that has been around for decades. It is lemony, sweet and just a little bit tangy. We wanted to make the traditional sidecar cocktail into a modern, tasty mocktail. We looked at sidecar cocktail recipe after sidecar recipe looking for inspiration for our mocktail. We think we have finally mastered it!

History of the Sidecar Drink

The sidecar cocktail was first created toward the end of World War I. There are a few different stories about the exact origin of the cocktail. The most widely accepted backstory is that the sidecar drink was created by an American Army Captain. The captain loved cognac but it was not considered an appropriate drink to have in the afternoon.

A bartender mixed up some cointreau and lemon juice. This new, acceptable drink became the captain's go-to beverage. The captain used to travel in the sidecar of a motorcycle so the bartender dubbed the drink a “sidecar’. The name stuck and the drink became one of the most popular cocktails of the times.

Sidecar Ingredients

All of our drinks here at mocktail.net are completely alcohol free. That means our sidecar mocktail has not one drop of liquor. It still tastes amazing! You really don’t need alcohol to make a great drink. Here are the sidecar ingredients we use.

Orange Juice- Sidecar cocktails are usually made with cointreau or triple sec which are orange liquors.
White Grape Juice- White grape juice makes the drink extra rich and also sweet. It has a nice, fruity taste that goes well in the mocktail.
Lemon Juice- Lemon juice is the hallmark flavor of the sidecar. Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor.
Vanilla Extract- Vanilla extract adds a depth and warmth to the drink. Use alcohol free vanilla extract to ensure the drink is completely void of alcohol.

We like to garnish our sidecar mocktail with an orange slice and lemon peel twist. You can also rim the martini glass with honey and sugar to help make the drink sweeter. No one can resist a fancy mocktail with a honey rim!

How to Make our Sidecar Drink Recipe

Sidecar mocktails look super fancy but they are actually incredibly easy to make. All you need is a cocktail shaker! Measure and add all of the ingredients to the cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and then use a strainer to hold back the ice while you pour the drink into a martini glass. Enjoy right away while the sidecar mocktail is nice and cold!

Tips and Tricks for a Perfect Sidecar Mocktail

We have a few little tips and tricks that will help you make the perfect sidecar mocktail. Take a look at these little secrets before you start mixing your sidecar drink recipe.

Use a cocktail jigger to measure your ingredients. A standard jigger has two sides. One side holds 2 ounces of liquid and the other side holds 1 ounce. This makes measuring and pouring ingredients very easy. You will also look like a professional mixologist as you pour with your fancy jigger!
Run the orange slice around the rim of the glass before tossing it into your drink. This will give you an instant orange taste the second your lips touch the glass.
Use apple juice in place of white grape juice for a sweeter twist
Add a fresh bing cherry as a garnish. Sidecar cocktails were often made with brandy which has a cherry flavor. A cherry garnish is a great way to finish off this yummy drink.
Make a big, 4x batch of this sidecar mocktail and simply whisk it all together in a pitcher. Chill the pitcher of sidecar mocktail mix in the fridge. Place the pitcher on your mocktail bar or brunch table as a perfect party drink. Serve it with or without ice. Everyone will go crazy for this lemony drink!

Are you a real mixologist or professional bartender? We want to know your secrets! Tell us what you do to make your sidecar mocktails perfect. We always want to learn a little more about the art of making mocktails.

Is Vanilla Extract Alcoholic?

This is a question we talk about a lot. Vanilla extract is used in a lot of drink recipes to enhance the flavors and make the drink richer and sweeter. It adds such a wonderful taste to so many drinks.

However, vanilla extract does have alcohol. Vanilla extract is about 35% alcohol. However, you use such a small amount of vanilla in drinks that the amount of alcohol is very negligible. Most people do not consider vanilla extract to be a real alcohol. You use so little that there are none of the alcoholic side effects or flavors associated with alcohol.

If you are hesitant to use vanilla extract in your drink recipes, you can skip it. We recommend looking for a non alcoholic vanilla extract. There are plenty of alcohol free vanillas on the market that will make your drinks great and alleviate any worries you may have about the alcohol content of vanilla.

Sidecar cocktails are a truly iconic drink. Hopefully you also love our sidecar mocktail. It is tasty, very easy to make and full of refreshing, vibrant flavors. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

Virgin Sidecar Mocktail Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Recipe by Mocktail.net

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Ingredients

1 ounce orange juice
2 ounces white grape juice
1½ Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp vanilla extract
Orange Slice and lemon twist for a garnish

Directions

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add all the ingredients to the cocktail shaker, cover and shaker well.
Strain the drink into a martini glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist and fresh orange slice.

Tips and Tricks

• Use non alcoholic vanilla extract to make the drink completely alcohol free. Vanilla extract is not usually considered a true alcohol but there are many, delicious alcohol free vanilla extracts that you can use.
• Dip the rim of the glass in honey and then in granulated sugar. A sugared rim makes the drink even sweeter and more irresistible.
Tools:
• Cocktail jigger or ounce measuring cup
• Measuring spoons
• Cocktail shaker with strainer
• Martini glass

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You Asked, We’re Answering

We get quite a few questions about our sidecar mocktail. Hopefully these quick questions and answers will help you make a yummy drink. You can always ask any other questions in the comments below.

Why is it called a sidecar?

The sidecar drink was named after an army captain who used to travel in a motorcycle sidecar. The name stuck! Read our little section about the history of the sidecar to learn some more about the origin of this tasty drink.

What does a sidecar taste like?

A sidecar has a fruity, bright taste. It is orangey and lemony. Our drink has a touch of vanilla which gives it a richer, deep flavor.

What cognac do you use for a sidecar?

If you use a cognac to make a classic sidecar, you can use almost any kind. Hennessy works well. However, our drink skips the alcohol and uses white grape juice, orange juice and vanilla extract in place of any liquor.