Mojito Cocktail

What is Mojito?

The mojito is one of the world's most popular cocktails. It's a simple mixed drink of rum, mint, lime, sugar, and club soda, and a muddler and stirring spoon are the only tools required. While some bartenders dislike making mojitos because they require a bit more work than other cocktails, it's easy to make from scratch and comes together in just a few minutes.

A classic cocktail that originated in Cuba, the mojito is a favorite summertime beverage worldwide. The mint and lime give it a cool, refreshing flavor, and the soda lightens it up with a fizzy crispness. There are many ways that you can switch up the flavor of the basic recipe, which makes it a fun cocktail to share with friends.

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Mojito Incredients

Rum

Always use white rum for mojitos. Avoid spiced rums, because these will take away from the freshness of the mint and lime.

Mint

Spearmint is most commonly used for mojitos and is what you'll likely find at the grocery store labeled generically as "mint." For an authentic Cuban mojito, use mojito mint, or Mentha x villosa, a type of mint native to Cuba with a more understated flavor than that of spearmint.

Lime

Use freshly squeezed limes for best flavor. When shopping for limes, look for fruits with smooth skin, as this indicates the fruit is full of juice.

Sugar

Folks often substitute simple syrup for sugar in mojitos because it blends into the drink more smoothly. However, classic mojito recipes call for granulated sugar. Not only does this ensure the drink isn't overly sweet, but the occasional undissolved sugar granule adds texture that's signature to a classic mojito. If you prefer, you can use superfine/caster sugar in place of granulated sugar, as this will dissolve more easily into cold liquid.

Club Soda

Top everything off with club soda to lighten up the drink and balance out the other ingredients.

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What You'll Need to Make a Mojito

As with most cocktails, crafting mojitos requires a few special tools — namely, a muddler. This bartending tool is used to crush fresh herbs and fruits to help release their flavors. If you don't have a muddler, use the end of a wooden spoon instead.

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Ingredients

1. 10 fresh mint leaves

2. ½ medium lime, cut into 3 wedges, divided

3. 2 tablespoons white sugar, or to taste

4. 1 cup ice cubes, or as needed

5. 1 ½ fluid ounces white rum

6. ½ cup club soda, or as needed

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Enjoy!!

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