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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Traditional Mojito Recipe

    Published: Jul 9, 2020 · Last modified: Feb 2, 2023 by Leslie Kiszka / This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    5 from 2 votes
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking
    Traditional Mojitos | Stress Baking

    The mojito is a classic summer rum cocktail that only needs 5 ingredients, is easy to make, and is the perfect light and refreshing drink on a hot day! Try my frozen gin and tonics next time.

    Two mojitos with bright green mint and limes

    I have a few go-to drinks in the summer, depending on my mood.

    • If I’m looking for fruity drinks, I reach for a tequila sunrise or sangrias.
    • If I want a frozen drink, I blend up a pineapple cooler or watermelon agua fresca.
    • And if I want something more herbaceous, I lean toward a gin and tonic or mojito.

    What is a mojito made of?

    A mojito is a traditional Cuban highball. It’s served on the rocks, in a highball glass with a straw. The traditional recipe includes only five ingredients:

    • Mint
    • Sugar (superfine or sugar cane, ideally)
    • Fresh lime juice
    • White rum
    • Soda water

    The combination of herbaceous mint, sour lime and sweetness makes it extremely light and refreshing – that’s why it’s a staple for the summer!

    Four photo collage showing the process of making a mojito in a cocktail shaker

    How to make a mojito

    If you’re preparing more than one serving (this recipe is written to serve two), you’ll want to grab a cocktail shaker:

    1. Muddle the mint. I like to add the mint, lime juice and sugar into the cocktail shaker and use a muddler to muddle the mint and release it’s flavors. Then I add my rum – I find that adding the rum with the rest of the ingredients makes it difficult to muddle the mint since it floats around with that much liquid.
    2. Shake shake shake!  Add about a cup of ice cubes to the cocktail shaker, cover, and shake it for about 10 seconds to chill everything. You’ll notice the outside of the cocktail shaker “fog” with condensation and your hands will get cold. Which, frankly, is probably welcome on a hot summer’s day!
    3. Strain into serving glasses.  Strain the mixture evenly into two 12 ounce highball glasses filled with crushed or cubes ice. If they didn’t pour out on their own, spoon out the mint leaves and use a spoon to push them down into each glass. I also like to add a few of the lime wedges I squeezed the juice from into each glass as well.
    4. Top with club soda. Add a splash of club soda to the top of each glass to fill it to the top.
    5. Garnish and serve. Add a spring of fresh mint to the top of each glass, add straws, and serve!
    Four photo collage showing the process of muddling mint and making a mojito

    If you’re making a single serving, you can actually skip the cocktail shaker and just make everything right in your serving glass. You’ll do all the same steps that you see above, just skipping the step of shaking everything together and stir it instead.

    It will still be delicious – don’t worry.

    What does “muddle” mean?

    It’s a weird word, but it just means mashing an herb, fruit or spice in the bottom of a glass to release its flavors.

    A muddler is a bartender’s tool used for the act of muddling. They come in all sorts of different sizes and forms, so shop around for what appeals to you the most.

    We have this one that’s on the end of our bar spoon – it’s small, but gets the job done. You could even use the end of a wooden spoon.

    Tonic water being poured into a glass of mojito

    3 tips for making the best mojitos

    1. Roll the limes to get as much juice as possible. Pressing down firmly with the palm of your hands, roll the lime back and forth as this loosens everything up inside and will help produce the most juice.

    2. Use fresh mint. When I say fresh, I mean fresh. If you happen to have an herb garden, pluck it out just before preparing your mojitos. The more aged the mint, the less flavor it has – and mint is kinda the star in this recipe, so let it shine.

    3. Don’t over-muddle the mint! If you tear it into a million pieces it’s going to get stuck in your straw, and also be bitter. And a bitter mojito sounds… just terrible.

    A freshly made mojito with bright green mint and limes

    What kind of rum should I use?

    You want to use white – or in a pinch, light rum – just not spiced rum.

    White rum is light-bodied and somewhat sweet in taste, and is distilled multiple times. Spiced rum is a blend and usual has notes of flavors like vanilla and caramel, and has a shorter distillation period.

    Plus, white rum doesn’t color the drink so it stays mostly clear in appearance – so it even looks refreshing!

    I always grab Bacardi white rum – it’s reliable, affordable, and pretty much readily available at every liquor store I’ve been to. Since it is a lower price point than some of the more complex-flavored white rums out there, it’s great when you need a lot for a party.

    So… I guess you can consider that my Bacardi white rum review, hah! You’re welcome.

    Can I use simple syrup?

    I don’t recommend it.

    I’ve seen people swap the sugar in the recipe for simple syrup, but I find that using the sugar to muddle the mint is what really releases the mint flavor I’m looking for as the star of the drink.

    A light and bright glass of mojito on a kitchen counter

    After you’ve made this recipe, please consider coming back to share your experience with others by leaving a comment below with a star rating!

    A freshly made mojito with bright green mint and limes

    Classic Mojito Recipe

    5 from 2 votes
    The mojito is a classic summer cocktail that only needs 5 ingredients, is easy to make, and is the perfect light and refreshing drink on a hot day!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 2 drinks
        ✓ Read the recipe from beginning to end
          ✓ Check oven calibration
            ✓ Check expiration dates
              ✓ Properly measure ingredients
                ✓ Check butter temperature

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 14-16 fresh mint leaves
    • 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 medium limes
    • 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • 4 ounces white rum
    • Ice cubes
    • Club soda
    • Mint sprigs, to garnish

    Instructions
     

    • In a cocktail shaker, combine mint leaves, lime juice and sugar. Muddle the mint using a cocktail muddler to release the flavor – but not so much you rip them apart into a bunch of tiny pieces.
      14-16 fresh mint leaves | 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice | 3 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • Add rum and about 1 cup of ice cubes, cover the cocktail shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds.
      4 ounces white rum | Ice cubes
    • Fill two 12 or 16 ounce highball glasses with ice cubes, then strain the mixture evenly into the glasses. If the mint didn’t pour out on it’s own, spoon them out of the shaker and evenly distribute them between the two glasses, pushing them down into the drink with a spoon. If you sliced your limes into wedges, you can add a few of those to each glass as well.
    • Top with a splash of club soda and a fresh mint spring to garnish. Add straws, serve and enjoy!
      Club soda | Mint sprigs

    Nutrition

    Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 312IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
    Course Drink
    Cuisine Cuban
    Author Leslie Kiszka
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating!

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    Leslie Kiszka in a red dress

    About Leslie

    I'm the hot mess behind every recipe you see here! I use baking as an outlet for relieving stress and anxiety to provide you with approachable homemade recipes and a little humor, for good measure.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Julie

      May 26, 2021 at 9:24 am

      5 stars
      I made this a bunch of times last year but forgot to come back and comment. This is really refreshing and just what I have needed after endless homeschooling with three kids and a crazy dog lol

      Reply
      • Leslie Kiszka

        May 26, 2021 at 9:31 am

        Oh man, that sounds like insanity! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and rating!

        Reply

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