Sweet Sunrise Mocktail

This Sweet Sunrise is an easy mocktail that’s a play on the infamous Tequila Sunrise. This orange and pineapple drink recipe omits the tequila while adding a dash of orange bitters for a burst of flavor. This delightful mocktail recipe that will please guests young and old! Makes 1 drink.

Love a good sipper? Be sure to check out Blood Orange Mocktail Mule and Sparkling Ginger Cranberry Mocktail!

This Sweet Sunrise Orange Pineapple Drink recipe was originally shared in March 2015. The text and images were updated in June 2021.

My friend Susannah from Feast + West made us this gorgeous mocktail in celebration of my first maternity leave in March 2015.

The Sweet Sunrise is a special drink that’s perfect for a party, and it’s one that could fly at a happy hour, an at-home brunch or even a baby or wedding shower.

Whatever you make it for, it’s sure to be a hit.

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I’m going to let Susannah share why she loves this mocktail recipe so much…

Why Susannah loves this recipe:

Hi! I’m Susannah, and I’m so excited Erin asked me here today to share a mocktail recipe with you.

Cocktails are immense amounts of fun, even when you don’t add spirits to them.

Whenever I throw a party, I try to make sure I have several options for any guests who don’t drink.

Mocktails are the perfect answer.

With a beautiful virgin drink in hand instead of a plain ol’ soda, no one feels left out.

More mocktail recipes: Strawberry Mockarita (Strawberry Virgin Margarita) | Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktail | Arnold Palmer Iced Tea Lemonade Mocktail | New Year’s Eve Cranberry Sparkler Mocktail | Sparkling Balsamic Mocktails

Need mocktail inspiration? Head on over to my Nonalcoholic Drinks Recipe Index.

What you need to make this easy mocktail:

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• Highball glasses
• Mini angled measuring cup or jigger
• Cocktail spoon

Here’s what you need:

• Orange bitters
• Orange pineapple juice — or equal amounts of orange juice and pineapple juice
• Grenadine syrup
• Grapefruit, orange or pineapple slices — use what you’ve got on hand for garnish

How to make a Sweet Sunrise Pineapple Orange Drink

This Sweet Sunrise mocktail is a play on the infamous Tequila Sunrise cocktail.

For that, you start with a base mixture of orange juice and tequila poured over ice.

Then, you add cherry grenadine syrup, will sink to the bottom because it’s heavy, creating gorgeous striations in color—like dawn over a tropical beach.

For this version, however, I opt for orange-pineapple juice and a dash of orange bitters for a bit more flavor.

And, of course, I omit the tequila.

The result is a sunny drink that only looks like a cocktail.

You’ll love it as we move into warmer months, and it’s a great recipe to have in your back pocket for any gatherings you are planning this spring or summer. You’ll get extra points for being the thoughtful host with mocktails.

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

As Susannah said above, these pineapple orange drinks are perfect for a party because they’re perfect for people young and old and also an excellent choice because everyone can sip these.

Personally, I think these would be fabulous at a breakfast/brunch gathering because the pineapple-orange flavors just work nicely with breakfast foods. That said, this would also be an excellent happy hour drink, too.

Here are some tips to making this for a crowd:

• Make it a bar drink. Transform a surface in your kitchen to a Sweet Sunrise bar. Set out all the ingredients in labeled jars/bottles, and let guests make their own. While this would be fun as a pitcher drink, you’ll lose the pretty swirl effect, and that’s one of my favorite things about this drink recipe.
• Have extra ingredients on hand. If you’re serving a lot of people this fun mocktail, make sure that you’ve got enough for all!
• Spike it! If you and your guests like a cocktail, add a shot of blanco tequila to your glass.
• Prep your garnishes in advance, and set ’em on a plate. Let your friends choose their favorite fruit as a garnish. 🙂

Quick tips and tricks to the best homemade mocktail recipe:

• Can’t find pineapple-orange juice? Measure equal parts pineapple juice and orange juice into this drink recipe.
• Don’t skip the orange bitters. They add a burst of brightness and flavor to this recipe.

More mocktail recipes to try:

If you adore margaritas, you’ve got to try my Virgin Margarita and Strawberry Mockarita.

Love citrus and pineapple? Don’t miss this tropical Pineapple Punch and this colorful Blue Lagoon Mocktail.

Into pomegranate? Try out my Pomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling Mocktail.

Want to try this one? Scroll on down to the recipe card for the measurements and instructions…

  Susannah Brinkley is an Instagram-obsessed graphic designer and cat lady based in Charlotte, N.C. When she’s not designing or taking a zillion photos, she blogs about food, design and travel at Feast + West. Traveling inspires Susannah the most in her design work and in the kitchen, and she loves to recreate recipes at home. Keep in touch on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.