A classic mojito recipe that takes under five minutes to make and uses exactly what it should: fresh mint, real lime juice, white rum, and cold club soda. No bottled mixers, no shortcuts, no fuss. The balance of citrus, sweetness, and mint is what makes this drink work, and once you get the muddling right, you will not want to order one at a bar again. This recipe works for a single glass on a slow evening or scaled up for a full pitcher when you have people over. Either way, it comes together quickly and tastes exactly the way a good mojito should.
- 10 fresh mint leaves , Plus a sprig for garnish. Use spearmint if possible.
- 1 oz fresh lime juice , About 1 medium lime. Freshly squeezed only, not bottled.
- 2 tsp white granulated sugar , Or 0.75 oz simple syrup if you prefer faster dissolving.
- 2 oz white rum , Use a clean, light white rum. Not aged or dark.
- 2 oz club soda or sparkling water , Chilled. Add up to 3 oz for a taller drink. Plain only, no flavoured varieties.
- 1 cup crushed ice or ice cubes , Crushed ice chills faster. Ice cubes stay cold longer.
- fresh mint sprig
- lime wheel or wedge
- Highball glass or rocks glass
- Muddler
- Bar spoon or long stirring spoon
- Jigger or measuring spoons
- Small strainer (optional, for a cleaner pour)
- Citrus juicer or handheld press
- Muddle mint with sugar and lime juice.
- Add rum and stir briefly.
- Fill glass with ice.
- Top with cold club soda.
- Garnish and serve right away.
- Place the mint leaves and sugar into the bottom of your glass.
- Pour the fresh lime juice directly over the mint and sugar.
- Use a muddler to press and twist the mint gently, about 8 to 10 times. You want to release the oils from the leaves, not shred them. Stop when you can clearly smell the mint.
- Add the white rum to the glass and stir briefly with a bar spoon to help dissolve the sugar.
- Fill the glass with crushed ice, packing it in well.
- Pour the cold club soda slowly over the ice to keep the carbonation intact.
- Stir once or twice from the bottom to bring everything together without losing too much fizz.
- Add a fresh mint sprig and a lime wheel or wedge on the rim.
- Serve immediately while the drink is cold and still carbonated.
- Use fresh mint only. Dried mint does not work here. The flavour is dull and there is nothing to muddle properly.
- Squeeze your lime fresh every time. Bottled lime juice is too sharp and lacks the natural brightness a fresh lime gives you.
- Do not over-muddle. Pressing the mint too hard breaks the leaves, releases the chlorophyll from the stems, and makes the drink bitter. Ten gentle presses is enough.
- Granulated white sugar works fine, but simple syrup dissolves faster and more evenly, especially when you are making several drinks at once.
- Use white rum, not aged or dark. White rum has a clean, light character that lets the mint and lime come through without competing with them.
- Crushed ice chills the drink faster. If you prefer ice cubes, choose large ones so they melt more slowly.
- Add the club soda last and keep it cold before pouring. Warm soda loses its carbonation quickly and flattens the drink.
- For a large batch, muddle the mint with lime juice and sugar in a bowl first. Portion it into glasses and add rum and soda individually at serving time.
- Over-muddling the mint. This is the most common problem. Ten presses is enough. Going further turns the drink bitter and slightly green from the broken stems.
- Using lime cordial instead of fresh lime juice. Cordial is much sweeter and shifts the entire balance of the drink.
- Leaving out the sugar. The sugar is not just for sweetness. It gives the muddler something to grip during the muddling process.
- Adding club soda before the ice. Warm soda loses carbonation before the ice has a chance to chill anything.
- Using flavoured sparkling water. Berry, lemon, or coconut varieties clash with the mint and lime. Plain club soda is the right choice every time.
- Not measuring the rum. Pouring by eye usually results in a drink that is off-balance. A jigger takes five seconds and keeps the drink consistent.
- Letting the mojito sit before drinking. A mojito loses its fizz quickly and the mint starts to turn the drink bitter if it sits more than a few minutes.
- No alcohol: Replace rum with coconut water or extra club soda. The result is a clean mint limeade that works on its own.
- Sweetener swap: Use honey, agave syrup, or stevia in place of white sugar. Agave dissolves the easiest and pairs well with lime.
- Fruit mojitos: Add a few slices of fresh strawberry, blueberries, or mango chunks before muddling. Muddle the fruit first, then add mint.
- Spicy mojito: Add two thin slices of fresh jalapeno to the muddling step with the mint. It gives a clean, dry heat without overpowering the drink.
- Frozen mojito: Blend all ingredients except soda with a cup of ice. Add a small splash of soda after blending.
- Coconut mojito: Use coconut sparkling water instead of club soda and swap white rum for coconut rum.
- Gin variation: Replace white rum with a dry gin for a more herbal result that pairs well with cucumber.
- Chips and fresh guacamole
- Shrimp tacos or grilled shrimp skewers
- Ceviche
- Light summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce
- Bruschetta or toasted crostini with tomato and basil
- Fresh fruit skewers with watermelon, pineapple, or mango
- Grilled corn with lime and chili
- Cheese boards with mild, creamy cheeses
- A finished mojito cannot be stored. The carbonation disappears fast and the mint turns bitter as it sits.
- You can prep the mint, lime juice, and sugar base up to 4 hours ahead. Muddle them together, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Add rum, ice, and soda only when ready to serve.
- For a party pitcher, combine rum, lime juice, sugar, and muddled mint in a pitcher and refrigerate for up to 6 hours. Pour over ice and top with club soda per glass at serving time.
- Do not freeze a finished mojito. The carbonation is completely lost on thawing.
- Leftover fresh lime juice keeps in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Use a light white rum with a clean, neutral flavour. Bacardi Silver, Havana Club 3 Anejo, and Mount Gay Eclipse are reliable choices. Aged or dark rums overpower the mint and lime, so avoid them here.
Yes. Use the back of a wooden spoon or the handle of a rolling pin. Press firmly but not aggressively. The goal is to bruise the mint leaves enough to release their oils, not to crush them completely.
One medium lime gives you about 1 oz of juice, which is the right amount for one drink. If your limes are on the small side, use two.
Simple syrup dissolves instantly, so there is no gritty texture at the bottom of the glass. Granulated sugar works too, but you need to stir well and give it a moment to dissolve before adding ice.
You can pre-mix the rum, lime juice, muddled mint, and sugar in a pitcher. Keep it refrigerated for up to 6 hours. Add ice and soda to each glass only when serving so the carbonation stays intact.
Over-muddled mint is almost always the cause. When you press the leaves too hard, the stems break and release chlorophyll into the drink, which tastes bitter and slightly grassy. Press gently and stop when you smell the mint clearly.
- Spearmint is the traditional choice and works best for a mojito. Peppermint has a stronger, sharper flavour and can easily overpower the other ingredients if you use the full amount.
- If your lime is not very juicy, microwave it for 10 seconds before squeezing. This loosens the pulp inside and gives you noticeably more juice.
- Crushed ice melts faster than cubed ice. For a colder drink that stays cold longer, use large ice cubes instead.
- Club soda has a slightly mineral, salty note that works well in cocktails. Plain sparkling water is a fine substitute if that is what you have.
- For a less sweet drink, start with 1 tsp of sugar and taste before adding more.
- Cane sugar dissolves a little faster than regular granulated sugar and is the traditional choice.
- If you are using a tall highball glass, increase the soda to 3 oz to fill the glass properly.
A good mojito is straightforward once you understand the few things that actually matter. Get the mint to lime ratio right, muddle with a light hand, keep everything cold, and add the soda last. That is the whole method. This mojito recipe does not need much beyond fresh ingredients and a little attention. It is the kind of drink that takes five minutes to make and tastes like you put in far more effort than you did. Once you have made it a few times you will find your own preferred balance between sweet, sour, and minty. The base is solid, so adjust from there and make it yours. Whether you are making one glass on a quiet evening or a full pitcher for guests, the results hold up either way.