The Best Mojito Recipe

This easy mojito recipe is made with a quick homemade simple syrup to intensify all the flavors and make a showstopping cocktail! Learn how to make a mojito for one, or a pitcher of mojitos for a crowd!

Table of Contents

• Easy Homemade Mojito Recipe
• What Makes this the Best Recipe?
• What is a Mojito?
• What’s in a Mojito?
• How to Make Simple Syrup for Mojitos
• How to Make a Mojito
• Want to Make Mojitos for a Crowd?
• How Do You Muddle Mint for a Cocktail?
• Tips for the Best Homemade Mojitos
• Want to Make Mojitos to Go?
• More Easy Cocktail Recipes
• Get the Recipe

Easy Homemade Mojito Recipe

Mojito cocktails are one of the best drinks, ever. The refreshing lime flavor, mixed with rum, pairs perfectly with fresh mint. It’s an easy cocktail you can make right at home and that’s a real treat to your tastebuds. Mojitos are great as a slow sipper at the end of the day or a casual gathering with friends. It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, right?

What Makes this the Best Recipe?

My easy technique comes from a bartender I met when we were on vacation in the Caribbean. He showed me that they prep a mojito with simple syrup with mint and lime, which ups the flavor. You still muddle together some fresh mint and lime the old-fashioned way, but adding in that mojito simple syrup elevates the flavor to a new level!

So in other words, when you make this recipe you’re making mojitos the way a Caribbean bartender would make them for you. It doesn’t get much better than that.

What is a Mojito?

Mojitos are a cocktail from Havana, Cuba. At the time, Cuban rum was not what it is today. It was not smooth and was hard to enjoy on its own. Thus, the Mojito was created! With a little sugar, mint and lime juice, Cubans were able to transform the unpalatable rum into something absolutely delicious! 

As Americans were permitted to visit Cuba, the love for Mojitos began to spread and now it’s one of the most well-known cocktails in the world! A few fresh ingredients, ice, and a good white rum are all you need to enjoy this Cuban classic! 

What’s in a Mojito?

This cocktail really doesn’t have too many ingredients and that means that it takes even less time to make!

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for specific amounts. You’ll find info on how to make a single mojito, as well as make a pitcher of mojitos for a larger group of people.

• Granulated sugar – This has to be made into a simple syrup first, see how to do that below.
• Water
• Fresh mint leaves
• Fresh lime – Don’t use bottled lime juice, the flavor won’t be the same.
• Ice cubes
• White rum
• Club soda – In place of club soda, you can also use sparkling water (if you like your Mojito less sweet) or some people choose to use sprite. I prefer club soda, as it doesn’t change the overall flavor of the cocktail and keeps it true to the original.

How to Make Simple Syrup for Mojitos

They key to making the BEST Mojito is the Mojito Simple Syrup! It’s incredibly easy and can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for easy Mojitos later! 

1. Add all ingredients to a medium-sized pot.
2. Bring to a simmer. Place lid on the pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes. 
3. Cool. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Strain the simple syrup. Use a sieve to remove the mint leaves and lime wedges.
5. Store in fridge. It will keep in an airtight container for up to a week!

How to Make a Mojito

Now that you’ve got your handy simple syrup all ready to go, it’s time to make your mojito. Here’s how to do it:

1. Add mint and lime to glass: Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a sturdy glass (or a cocktail shaker if using a delicate glass to serve).
2. Muddle: Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice.
3. Add more lime and the simple syrup: Add 2 more lime wedges and the simple syrup, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.
4. Pour: Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and then fill the glass with club soda.
5. Stir, taste, and add more simple syrup if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge and a sugar cane stick, if desired.

Want to Make Mojitos for a Crowd?

Excellent idea! Mojitos are an easy cocktail to make in larger quantities and serve to a crowd. Here’s how to do it:

• Combine the ingredients. Add the mint leaves, rum, lime juice and mojito simple syrup to a large pitcher.
• Muddle. Right in the pitcher, you can muddle the mint to release its flavors.
• Add ice. Fill the pitcher most of the way full with ice.
• Top with club soda.
• Serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with extra mint, lime wedges and a sugar cane stick, if desired.

How Do You Muddle Mint for a Cocktail?

Muddling is a technique used in drinks to gently mash herbs or fruit to release their juices. You can do this with the bottom of a wooden spoon or with a proper muddler. Either way will work! 

• Place the mint leaves in the bottom of a sturdy cup or cocktail shaker.
• Gently mash the mint a few times with a muddler (or the bottom of the wooden spoon) to release the oils from the mint.

You do not want to pulverize the mint, just press firmly to release the oils!

Tips for the Best Homemade Mojitos

Here are a couple tips that I’ve learned throughout the years of making my own mojitos at home.

• The key to this recipe is the added Mojito Simple Syrup. Do not skip it! It elevates the flavor to a whole new level!
• Serve it chilled. Mojitos that are served extra chilled and cold go down so much smoother. Just make sure you chill the simple syrup fully! 
• Use a good quality rum! It makes all the difference to your final cocktail if you use a good quality white rum. There are so few ingredients in a mojito, make sure to use quality ones.
• Drinks always taste better with friends. Okay, so maybe this isn’t really a tip but just one of those things that I think is true!

Want to Make Mojitos to Go?

If you want to make this mojito to take on the go to a party, I would recommend following all steps for making a pitcher of mojitos except adding the ice and club soda.

That way it’s all ready, but just need to add those two ingredients. If you add the ice too early, it will obviously melt and the club soda will go flat. So it is best to add it early. Prepare the rest at home, then add the club soda and ice right before serving!

The classic Mojito really is one of the easiest and most delicious cocktails you can make. The added Mojito Simple Syrup (shh…it’s our secret!) is going to take this drink over the top and there’s a good chance that you’re going to earn “cocktail king or queen” status once your family and friends try it!

More Easy Cocktail Recipes

Try a few of my favorites:

• Pineapple Coconut Mojito
• The Best Frozen Peach Bellini
• Puerto Rican Coquito
• Blackberry Smash Cocktail
• Loaded Bloody Mary

Continue to Content

Yield: 1

Mojito

Print

This is the Best Mojito Recipe, with a quick homemade mojito simple syrup to intensify all the flavors to make a showstopper of a Mojito! This recipe shows how to make a single mojito for one or a pitch of mojitos for a crowd!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

Mojito Simple Syrup:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 10 mint leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Single Mojito

• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons Mojito Simple Syrup
• 1/2 a lime, cut into 4 wedges
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 2 fluid ounces white rum
• club soda (for serving)

Pitcher of Mojitos

• 60 mint leaves, plus more for garnish
• 2 cups white rum
• 5 limes
• 1/2 cup mojito simple syrup
• ice
• club soda

Instructions

Mojito Simple Syrup: Add all ingredients to a medium sized pot and bring to a simmer. Place lid on the pot and let simmer for about 10 minutes. (It’s important to keep the lid on or too much of the water will dissolve.)

Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Strain the simple syrup through a sieve to remove the mint leaves and lime wedges. Chill in fridge until cold. Store in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 7 days.

Single Mojito: Place mint leaves and 1 lime wedge into a sturdy glass. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime to release the mint oils and lime juice. Add 2 more lime wedges and the simple syrup, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.

Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Pour the rum over the ice, and then fill the glass with club soda. Stir, taste, and add more simple syrup if desired. Garnish with the remaining lime wedge and a sugar cane stick, if desired.

Pitcher of Mojitos: Add the mint leaves, rum, lime juice and mojito simple syrup to a large pitcher. Muddle the mint to release its flavors. Fill the pitcher most of the way full with ice. Top with club soda. Serve in tall glasses filled with ice, then garnish with extra mint, lime wedges and a sugar cane stick, if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1 mojito
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 296Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 46mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 10gSugar: 26gProtein: 4g

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.