When most people think of Cinco de Mayo beverages, margaritas tend to come to mind. However, there are so many other beverages that are great for celebrating Cinco de Mayo in the desert, and they don’t have to have alcohol as an ingredient. These three simple beverage recipes are perfect for your Cinco de Mayo celebration — especially if you’ll be hosting a party with kids!

Virgin Margaritas

Margaritas can be just as delicious (or perhaps even more so) when they’re not mixed with tequila. With a virgin margarita, you can enjoy the full flavor of a margarita without the buzz of alcohol, which can sometimes help you to taste more of the fruit and other fresh ingredients. 

To create a delicious virgin margarita, you’ll need:

• a can of frozen limeade
• a cup of orange juice
• two-thirds of a cup of grapefruit juice
• lemon and lime slices (for garnish)
• bar salt (for the rim of your glass)

Salt the rim of your margarita glass, then toss all of the ingredients (aside from the lemon/lime wedges for garnish) into a blender, along with ice. Blend until thoroughly mixed together, then pour into a margarita glass and garnish with a lime or lemon wedge. Yum!

Frozen Horchata

Want to deviate from the “norm” a bit? If so, you might want to try a frozen horchata, which is both refreshing and a little spicy (for those who like cinnamon)! Perhaps the best part about this recipe is that it only requires three ingredients:

• a cup of vanilla rice milk
• a cup of vanilla ice cream
• a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon (or more, to taste)

Toss all of the ingredients into a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth, about thirty seconds in most cases. Then, pour into a glass and garnish with a tiny bit more cinnamon. Enjoy!

Watermelon Agua Fresca

Agua fresca is a very popular drink in Mexico. Why not make it even more delicious and refreshing by adding just a hint of watermelon flavor? To create a glass of watermelon agua fresca, you’re going to need:

• four cups of finely chopped watermelon (without seeds)
• the juice of one lime
• a tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar
• orange slices (for garnish)
• fresh mint sprigs (also for garnish)

Start by tossing the watermelon into a blender. Puree it, then add the lime juice, sugar, and some ice. Blend until the mixture is nice and smooth. Then, pour the mixture into a glass and garnish with a fresh orange wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. Your guests will be sure to love this super refreshing and flavorful concoction; they won’t even miss the alcohol!

As you can see, there are all kinds of non-alcoholic Cinco de Mayo drinks that you can serve up for your big fiesta. Whether it be a virgin margarita that’s full of flavor, a frozen and spicy horchata, or even a tall glass of watermelon agua fresca, your party guests are sure to enjoy these beverages. If you want to celebrate Cinco de Mayo a little more, be sure to stop by Macayo’s Mexican Kitchen as we celebrate Cinco throughout April!