Mojito Drink Recipe

Classic Mojito is a beautiful Cuban rum cocktail that is slightly sweet and refreshing. There are only five ingredients in my recipe: mint, simple syrup, lime juice, rum, and seltzer water. I'm also sharing my tips for making the best mojitos.
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tall curvy glass of mojito and limes and mint on the background.

What Is A Mojito Cocktail?

  • This is a summertime classic cocktail everyone loves to enjoy during the scorching hot days. Combination of citrus flavor, sweetness of sugar, and fresh herb flavor of mint is a perfect compliment to light rum. Finish it all with fizzy seltzer water and you will have a slightly sweet, refreshing cocktail
  • History of this summer favorite recipe is a bit fuzzy but we do know what it originated in Cuba a couple of hundred years ago. It became popular around 1930 in Havana and started to become popular worldwide after that. Although the true origin of this cocktail is a little fuzzy, we don’t love it any less.
  • After many years of bartending I’ve picked up many tricks on making your cocktails the best. I made sure to include everything I know about making mojito cocktails the best and never bitter!

Mojito Ingredients Best To Use

ingredients to make classic mojito on the wooden board.
  • Mintspearmint is best in Mojitos because it’s not as strong and powerful as peppermint. If you have to use peppermint, use about half the amount because it’s strong. Some mint packaging don’t specify what type of mint it is, in that case use the normal amount per recipe. 
  • Lime juicefreshly squeezed lime juice is always best.
  • Sweetener – many classic recipes call for white granulated sugar or super-fine sugar. Personally, I find it to be such a pain to muddle mint until sugar is dissolved and there is a chance of over-muddling. So I highly recommend simple syrup. It’s easy to make with 1:1 sugar and hot water and store in a closed jar, in the refrigerator. 
  • White rum – use your favorite white rum because you will taste it clearly. 
  • Seltzer water – use simple carbonated water or carbonated mineral water to finish this cocktail. 

Tools To Make Mojitos

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  • Cocktail shaker – a shaker is actually optional because you can muddle mint right in the glass
  • Muddler – for herbs, choose a flat end muddler and one that is not lacquered. If you don’t have a muddler, use a small wooden spoon or a wooden utensil handle with a flat end. 
  • Jigger – this is my absolute favorite and I have quite a few of them
  • Highball glasses – you will need a glass that can hold 10-12 oz. These are the curved glasses pictured.

How To Muddle Mint So It’s Not Bitter

muddled mint with lime juice and simple syrup in the cocktail shaker and limes and mint around.
  • Yes, there is a wrong and a right way to muddle mint. You want mint to be slightly bruised to release the sweet minty flavor. What you don’t want is to mash it to the pulp. 
  • If you look at the mint leaf, it has veins running all along and those veins are filled with chlorophyll and it is bitter. So when you break up all those veins, the chlorophyll gets mixed into your drink. This will give your Mojitos a bitter taste
  • The key is to gently press the mint leaves only about 3 or 4 times with a flat ended muddler (or wooden spoon) to release the mint flavor. 

How To Make a Mojito

muddling mint in the silver cocktail shaker next to rum and mint on the table.
  1. Take mint leaves off the stem. I like to place them on the palm of my hand and “clap” my hands together to slap the mint and release the mint essential oils. Add the “slapped” mint to the cocktail shaker.
  2. Squeeze lime juice into the shaker as well and add simple syrup. The reason I only use only lime juice is because muddling lime rind can make the mojitos bitter.
  3. Use a flat-head muddler to gently press on mint leaves 3 or 4 times. Don’t over-muddle or that too can cause the mojito to be bitter.
  4. Pour in rum and shake it all together for a few seconds. 
adding rum to the silver cocktail shaker.
  1. Add crushed ice into the highball glass, about half way full, and pour in the rum mixture. Add 3-4 oz of seltzer water, gently stir to combine and serve. 
  2. I recommend at this point to taste the cocktail to see if you’d like to adjust the sweetness. Add another splash of simple syrup if needed.
adding soda water from a green bottle into the cocktail glass.

Flavor Variations To Try

  • Fruit Mojitos – you can mash your favorite fruit into the cocktail and enjoy the sweet subtle flavor. Try using mango, peaches, kiwi, papaya, apricots, or make my watermelon mojito recipe
  • Berries – just like fruit, berries are great in this cocktail. Try my strawberry mojito recipe, or use blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and blackcurrant. 
  • Coconut Mojitos – this one is our favorite flavor and you can achieve it with a substituting coconut rum and coconut syrup instead of simple syrup.
  • Spicy – give your taste buds a jolt with some spice from jalapeno. Muddle a couple of jalapeno slices along with mint and try to mixed fruity flavors too like strawberry, mango, or pineapple.
  • Basil – this is an interesting variation where you’d use basil instead of mint. Add other flavors like cool and refreshing cucumber or sweet strawberry.
clear mojito cocktail in a curved glass with mint and a paper straw.

Mojito Recipe FAQs

What is the best muddler to use for herbs?

You will need a flat end muddler to muddle mint. When working with herbs, choose a muddler without ridges and one that is not lacquered. If you don’t have a muddler, use a small wooden spoon or a wooden utensil handle with a flat end.

Can I make a virgin mojito?

Absolutely! Mojitos have enough distinct flavors to make them virgin washout compromising much of the taste. To make virgin mojitos, simply omit the rum and follow the rest of ingredients and recipe instructions.

What is the best alcohol for mojitos?

Rum! Rum is the traditional and the best alcohol to use. Of course, if you don’t have or don’t like rum you can always go with vodka. Vodka is flavorless and will be the good substitution for rum.
You can also try a Brazilian version of rum called Cachaça. Cachaça is the main liquor in a Caipirinha recipe.

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tall curvy glass of mojito and limes and mint on the background.

Classic Mojito Recipe

Classic Mojito is a beautiful Cuban rum cocktail that is slightly sweet and refreshing. There are only five ingredients in my recipe: mint, simple syrup, lime juice, rum, and seltzer water. I'm also sharing my tips for making the best mojitos.
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Video Rate
Course: cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Cuban
Diet: Gluten Free
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 5-10 mint leaves amount depends on size of leaves
  • 3/4 oz lime juice about 1/2 lime
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 2 oz white rum
  • 3-4 oz seltzer water

Instructions

  • Take mint leaves off the stem. Place it on the palm of your hand and clap it to slap the mint and release the essential oils. Add mint into the cocktail shaker. Squeeze in lime juice into the shaker as well and add simple syrup.
  • Use a flat-head muddler to gently press on mint leaves 3 or 4 times.
  • Pour in rum and shake it all together for a few seconds.
  • Add crushed ice into the highball glass, about half way full, and pour in the rum mixture.
  • Add 3-4 oz of seltzer water, gently stir to combine and serve. 
    Pro Tip: taste to make sure you like the sweetness and if needed, add another little splash of simple syrup.

Video

Notes

Muddling Mint: The key is to gently press the mint leaves only about 3 or 4 times with a flat ended muddler (or wooden spoon) to release the mint flavor. 
Virgin Mojito: Mojitos have enough distinct flavors to make them virgin washout compromising much of the taste. To make virgin mojitos, simply omit the rum and follow the rest of ingredients and recipe instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 37mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg
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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

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7 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My favorite poolside beverage! Personal fan of the extra mint.

    1. I love that! Thanks so much for sharing, and cheers to many more mojitos this summer! ☀️

  2. Kim Lesko says:

    5 stars
    Best mojito I’ve ever had!

  3. Love a Mojito when it is so muggy this time of year!

  4. 5 stars
    This drink was so refreshing I really loved it!

    1. I find this cocktail very refreshing as well, I am so glad you liked it!

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