Mojito Cocktail

A Mojito is a much-loved Cuban cocktail that’s perfect for when it is hot. This is a completely refreshing drink with mint, lime, and rum you are going to love. You will love how this drink will taste.

classic mojito cocktail on a wood board.


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What is a Mojito?

When it comes to Caribbean cocktails, skip the cloying sweet drinks with umbrellas and multiple straws. Instead, mix yourself one of the classiest cocktails around: The Mojito.

With a history stretching back hundreds of years to the age of the legendary explorer Francis Drake, the modern Mojito recipe is a combination of tart fresh juice and sweet simple syrup and brightened with fragrant mint leaves.

A good slug of white rum gives the drink its alcoholic punch.

A Brief History of the Mojito

As is often the case with cocktails, there are various ideas of where and how the cocktail came about, including:
Slaves who worked in the Cuban sugar cane fields made the drink from a simple sugar cane alcohol named Aguardiente de cana which translates as firewater of the sugar cane They gave the drink the name mojito which means to place a little spell.

In the 1500s, Sir Francis Drake arrived in Havana looking for gold. His crew members were debilitated by scurvy and dysentery. Local natives supplied ingredients for an effective tonic; aguardiente de cana, mint leaves, and the juices from sugar cane and limes.

La Bodeguita del Medio in Havana, Cuba claims to be the birthplace of the mojito and still enjoys the fame that comes from the likely myth that the mojito was Ernest Hemmingway’s favorite cocktail.

What Makes a Mojito So Good 

It isn’t easy to imagine a beverage that is better for sipping poolside in the heat of the summer than a refreshing Mojito.

While mixing a Mojito is only a bit more complex than making a Cuba Libre or a Dark ‘n Stormy, it is much more sophisticated and tasty. 

Mojito Ingredients

If you wonder what is in a mojito, here’s a handy list for this mojito recipe with simple syrup:

To make the simple syrup, you will need:

  • Superfine sugar or granulated sugar
  • Water

Superfine sugar is ground finer than granulated sugar and speeds up the process of making simple syrup. However, if you can’t find superfine sugar, it is okay to use granulated sugar instead. Don’t use powdered sugar as it contains cornstarch. 

To make a Mojito cocktail, you will need:

  • Simple syrup
  • Club soda
  • White rum
  • Mint leaves
  • Fresh lime slices
mojito ingredients.

What kind of rum for Mojito? 

Inexpensive white rum is the perfect choice for adding to a Mojito cocktail recipe. Save your premium brands for another day.

You can undoubtedly use what you have on hand, but if you are buying a new bottle specifically for this best Mojito recipe, you won’t go wrong by picking up one of the following brands:

  • Bacardi Superior. It’s cheap, and it’s good. There is absolutely no shame in mixing up a Mojito drink with this old standby. In fact, the rum’s mild sweetness and almost floral flavor go incredibly well with lime juice. 
  • The Real McCoy 3-Year Old. This aged rum has a bit more going on than Bacardi Superior with its slight buttery caramel flavor and citrus undertones. It is 100 percent sugar-free, and you can find it for just a few dollars more than Bacardi Superior.
  • Don Q Rum Cristal. If you are looking for a smooth rum without any bite, Don Q Rum Cristal might be your rum of choice. The manufacturer prides itself on creating a rum with strong vodka vibes and neutral flavors. If you are a vodka drinker, you’ll appreciate this rum. 

Equipment Needed

You will need a few bartending tools to make this mojito recipe:

In a matter of minutes, you’ll have one of the freshest cocktail drinks imaginable. If you don’t have a muddler or know what one is, you can learn about muddlers.

How to Make a Mojito

There are two parts to making an awesome mojito. The first part is to make a thick simple syrup for sweetening the drink. The second part is to make the cocktail by perfectly layering in the flavors for the ultimate mojito.

To make this version of simple syrup:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine two cups of sugar and one cup of water. 
  2. Bring the water to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Stir continuously.
  3. Dissolve the sugar and allow the syrup to thicken slightly.
  4. Remove from the heat and cool entirely before storing in an airtight container in the fridge. The simple syrup should last in the refrigerator for up to six months. 
thick simple syrup in a saucepan.

To make the mint mojito drink:

  1. Place the mint leaves on the bottom of a mixing glass. Squeeze the juice of one lime wedge into the glass.
  2. Crush the mint leaves using a muddler but don’t overdo it.
  3. Place the squeezed lime pieces into a separate serving (drinking) glass.
  4. Pour the club soda into a measuring glass.
collage of mojito recipe steps 1 to 4.
  1. Add the rum and simple syrup to the measuring glass.
  2. Pour the rum mixture into the mixing glass and stir all the ingredients together.
  3. Pour the contents of the mixing glass into the serving glass filled with lime wedges and ice and give it a light stir.
  4. Garnish the Mojito with a sprig of mint and serve immediately.
collage of mojito recipe steps 5 to 8.
mojito drink garnished with fresh mint.

How to Make Mojitos Ahead of Time 

You can make the simple syrup ahead of time, but bruised mint leaves turn black quickly, so it is not a good idea to prepare individual servings ahead of time.

Are you serving a crowd? Read below to find out how to make multiple servings of the best Mojito recipe at once. 

Mojito Variations

The sky is the limit when it comes to riffing on the classic mint Mojito. Here are three simple variations you can try:

  • Strawberry Mojito. Follow the general recipe above, but muddle four strawberries and a splash of Creme de Fraise des Bois along with the mint leaves. 
  • Darkside Mojito. Use dark rum instead of white rum in the recipe, but don’t use spiced rum. Make the simple syrup with dark brown sugar.
  • South-of-the-Border Mojito. Replace the rum with light tequila and use agave syrup instead of simple syrup. 

How to Muddle Fresh Mint 

Muddling is a fancy word for lightly bruising the mint leaves to help release some of the oils into the cocktail. Most people use a muddler, like an OXO SteeL Muddler, but if you don’t have one, you can use the end of the handle-side of a wooden spoon or even the outside bowl of a spoon.

The key is to use light pressure to break up the outer layers of leaves. You don’t want to tear the mint leaves into shreds. 

Tips to Make the Perfect Mojito

  • Use a build glass. When you pour alcohol and mixers directly into a glass, you’re building a cocktail.
  • Pour the lime juice over the mint when you muddle the lime.
  • Don’t muddle the mint too much.
  • Use a simple syrup.
  • Instead of adding the club soda as a float, put it in the bottom of the mixing glass and pour the other ingredients on top.
  • Always slap the mint before adding as a garnish. This releases the mint oils.

How to Make a Whole Pitcher of Mojitos 

You can scale this recipe up to make an entire pitcher of Mojitos:

  1. Combine 50 mint leaves and the juice of one lime in a pitcher.
  2. Muddle the mint leaves.
  3. Add 16 ounces of simple syrup and 16 ounces to the pitcher. Stir to combine.
  4. Pour in 16 ounces of club water and stir gently.
  5. Prepare each serving glass as above. 
classic mojito cocktail garnished with mint.

What to Serve with Mojitos

Here are some great snacks to enjoy while sipping on a refreshing Cuban mojito:

Enjoy summer cocktails? Try these!

Check out more of my easy cocktail recipes and the best summer recipes here on CopyKat!

classic mojito cocktail on a wood board.

Classic Mojito Cocktail

Make the best mojito drink ever with this easy recipe. This mojito recipe with simple syrup, Bacardi rum, and fresh mint makes a classic cocktail to enjoy anytime.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Cocktail, Mojito, Mojito recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 283kcal

Ingredients

Simple Syrup

  • 2 cups sugar superfine sugar is ideal
  • 1 cup water

Mojito

  • 6 fresh mint leaves plus a few sprigs to garnish
  • 2 wedges fresh lime
  • 2 ounces white rum
  • 2 ounces simple syrup
  • 2 ounces club soda

Instructions

Simple Syrup

  • Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and cool to room temperature.
  • Pour the simple syrup into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator.

Mojito

  • Place the mint in a mixing glass along with the juice from the lime wedges. Muddle the mint but don’t overdo it. Reserve the juiced lime wedges.
  • Add the rum, simple syrup, and club soda to the mixing glass and stir.
  • Place the juiced lime wedges into a separate drinking glass. Pour the contents of the mixing glass over the lime wedges.
  • Add ice and garnish with a sprig or two of mint. Before placing the mint into the glass, slap it between your hands to release the mint oils.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 35mg | Sugar: 41g | Iron: 2mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Plau_12

    Thanx for the post!! My way isThe Cuban stile is with brown
    Sugar and plain soda and leave it to settle few mins and mint,
    Crushed ice and dark rum 😉 Laura gg

  2. NeeNee

    Love Mojitos! We’ve made it even simpler…around our area we have a soda called Tom Tucker’s Mint Ginger Ale…we use this with the white rum, crushed fresh mint and fresh lime…very refreshing!

5 from 5 votes

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