This Classic Mint Mojito recipe is made with fresh squeezed limes, mint leaves, and rum. It’s a refreshing drink for a hot summer night and a great way to use up any mint in your garden.

Love easy summer cocktails? Then try my Blood Orange Mojito and Red Wine Sangria!

classic mint mojito recipe

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    Homemade Mint Mojitos

    The start of summer means sunshine, warm weather and theses Classic Mint Mojitos. They are so light and refreshing and perfect for cooling off on a hot Summer night! I love tripling this recipe to make for a crowd!

    I make my mojito a bit differently than others. Instead of plopping the sugar in the drink, I make a simple syrup. A simple syrup is a mixture of sugar and water that gets simmered. Once the water is hot the sugar will dissolve. Now you won’t have all of the sugar at the bottom of your glass. Your mojito will be sweet throughout!

    I also like to muddle my lime and mint together instead of just squeezing the lime juice into the glass. It extracts as much flavor and juice from the lime as possible. It also helps the mint release it’s natural oils. I like to leave the squeezed lime wedges and muddled mint in the drink for presentation. If you are not a fan of the mint and lime in your drink simply strain out before adding in the seltzer.

    What’s in a Mojito?

    • Simple syrup: Made from sugar dissolved in equal parts hot to boiling water.
    • Fresh mint: I prefer to use spearmint. If your mint is not looking super fresh try reviving it in cold water for a few minutes to help perk it up.
    • Lime wedges: Fresh squeezed is preferred over bottled lime juice!
    • White rum: Clear white rum is best! Make sure to choose a good quality rum.
    • Sparkling water: Is added at the end to top off our glass.
    easy homemade mint mojito recipe

    how to make a mojito

    This simple cocktail is super easy to make!

    • Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until sugar dissolves. Takes about 1-2 minutes to dissolve. Take off of heat and allow to cool.
    • Meanwhile, add mint and lime in a small pitcher or large glass. Muddle together for about a minute until all of the juice is squeezed out of the lime and the oils have released from the mint.
    • Add cooled simple syrup and rum to the mint and lime. Fill each glass with ice. Pour half of the mojito mixture into each glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with extra sprigs of mint leaves and enjoy!

    Variations

    • Try different herbs: Fresh basil would be amazing in place of the mint.
    • Try different citrus: If you don’t have fresh lime, lemon can be used instead. It is hard to tell the difference!
    • Add fruit: Muddle strawberries, cherries, blueberries or blackberries along with the mint and lime wedges for a fruity twist.
    • Make it frozen: Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until icy and smooth.
    • Add cucumber: Cucumber + lime + mint is one of my favorite combinations! Muddle a couple slices of cucumber with the limes and mint and put a couple extra slices for garnish!

    kelley’s tips

    • Choose high quality rum: This makes a huge difference!
    • Don’t over muddle: This will cause the mint to turn bitter and slimy. I only muddle for a couple seconds. Just enough to extract the juice from the limes and release the oils in the mint.
    • Make it your own: One of the best things about making a mojito at home is that you can adjust it to your own taste. If you want it sweeter add more simple syrup. More alcohol add a splash more of rum.
    quick homemade mint mojito recipe

    more cocktail recipes to try!

    Classic Mint Mojito

    4 from 6 votes
    Classic Mint Mojito made with fresh squeezed limes, mint leaves and rum. Refreshing drink for a hot summer night!
    Servings: 2
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 2 tablespoons sugar
    • 2 tablespoons water
    • 20 sprigs fresh mint
    • 1 lime, cut in small wedges
    • 2 ounces white rum
    • ice
    • 2 ounces sparkling water

    Instructions 

    • Add sugar and water to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until sugar dissolves. Takes about 1-2 minutes to dissolve. Take off of heat and allow to cool.
    • Meanwhile, add mint and lime in a small pitcher or large glass. Muddle together for about a minute until all of the juice is squeezed out of the lime and the oils have released from the mint.
    • Add cooled simple syrup and rum to the mint and lime. Fill each glass with ice. Pour half of the mojito mixture into each glass. Top with sparkling water. Garnish with extra sprigs of mint leaves and enjoy!

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 129kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 11mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 425IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg

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