Mojito Recipe Dan Murphy Shoppers Can Make at Home

A mojito is a Cuban-style cocktail made with white rum, fresh lime, mint, sugar and sparkling water, served cold over ice. This balanced version keeps the mint fresh and aromatic, while lime and soda make each sip bright and refreshing. This recipe is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Ingredients

8–10 fresh mint leaves (about 2 g), plus 1 small sprig (about 0.5 g) for garnish. Spearmint is a good choice for its cool, sweet aroma; use leaves that are fresh and unbruised.
2 teaspoons superfine or caster sugar (8 g). Fine crystals dissolve more readily than regular granulated sugar. If you only have granulated sugar, use it, but stir carefully until dissolved, or substitute 2 teaspoons simple syrup (10 ml).
1 fl oz fresh lime juice (2 tablespoons / 30 ml), usually the juice of about 1 small lime. The amount varies with the fruit, so measure the juice rather than relying on the number of limes.
2 fl oz white rum (¼ cup / 60 ml). A clean, unaged white rum keeps the lime and mint in the foreground. A lightly aged rum works too, though it brings a rounder, more caramel-like flavor.
2 fl oz chilled soda water (¼ cup / 60 ml), plus a little more if needed to fill your glass. Choose plain, unsweetened sparkling water rather than tonic, which adds bitterness and sweetness.
1 cup ice (about 140 g), preferably small cubes or cracked ice, for chilling and diluting the drink.
1 lime wheel or wedge (about 5 g), optional, for garnish. A small mint sprig is also included above; use it to add aroma as you sip.

Fresh lime is the defining citrus here, so bottled juice is a last-resort substitute: it tends to taste flatter and sometimes sharper. If using it, start with ¾ fl oz (22 ml), taste, and add more only if the drink needs it. For a non-alcoholic version, omit the rum and add an extra 2 fl oz (60 ml) soda water; it will be lighter and less complex, but still minty and lime-forward.

Instructions

Prepare the glass and ingredients (1 minute). Choose a sturdy highball glass that holds about 10–12 fl oz (300–350 ml). Rinse the mint, pat it dry, squeeze and measure the lime, and set out the rum, sugar, soda water and ice. Dry mint is easier to handle and less likely to slide around while muddling.
Start the mint and lime base (2 minutes). Put the mint leaves, sugar and measured lime juice in the glass. Press the leaves gently with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon, using a few light twists. The aim is to release the mint’s fragrant oils, not to pulverize it. Stop when the leaves smell aromatic and the sugar is beginning to dissolve. Hard, prolonged muddling can tear the leaves and bring out bitter, grassy flavors.
Add the rum and dissolve the sugar (1 minute). Pour in the white rum and stir for about 20–30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the glass so the sugar does not sit in a gritty layer. If you used simple syrup instead, stir just long enough to combine it with the lime and rum.
Fill with ice and soda (2 minutes). Add the ice to the glass, then pour in 2 fl oz (60 ml) chilled soda water. Stir gently from the bottom upward two or three times to lift the lime, mint and rum through the ice without knocking all the fizz out of the soda. Add a splash more soda if the glass has room or you prefer a lighter drink.
Garnish and serve (2 minutes). Taste a small sip before garnishing. If it is too tart, add ½ teaspoon sugar or syrup and stir; if it is too sweet, add a small squeeze of lime. Clap the mint sprig once between your palms to release its aroma, then tuck it into the glass with the lime wheel or wedge. Serve immediately while cold and sparkling.

Tips

Muddle gently. Press and turn the mint a few times rather than crushing it into shreds. The aromatic oils are in the leaves; bruising them lightly releases fragrance, while aggressive muddling can make the drink taste vegetal and leave small pieces caught in a straw. If you do not have a muddler, the rounded handle of a clean wooden spoon works well.
Adjust sweetness to the lime. Limes vary in acidity, and personal preferences differ. Begin with the listed sugar, then adjust in small increments after mixing. Simple syrup is an easy alternative when you want sugar to dissolve instantly; use the same volume, then taste before adding more. Avoid adding a large amount all at once, since it is harder to correct an overly sweet drink.
Keep the soda cold and add it last. Chilled soda stays lively longer. Pour it over the ice just before serving and stir only a little. Do not shake the soda with the other ingredients: carbonation builds pressure in a shaker and escapes quickly, leaving the cocktail flat.
Choose good ice and fresh mint. Large, hard cubes melt more slowly, while cracked ice chills the drink quickly and dilutes it a little faster. Either is fine; just account for that difference if sipping slowly. If mint looks limp, dark or slimy, replace it rather than trying to hide its stale flavor with extra sugar.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the mojito in a tall highball glass as soon as it is mixed, with a straw if desired. A straw makes it easier to sip through the ice and mint, but it is optional; the drink should be stirred gently before serving either way. Position the mint sprig near the rim, where its aroma reaches the nose, and avoid burying the garnish beneath the ice.

For a casual gathering, set out freshly squeezed lime juice, sugar or simple syrup, washed mint, measured rum, soda water and ice so each person can adjust sweetness. Mix each glass individually rather than making a large pitcher well in advance: mint can darken and soda loses its fizz. Pair the drink with salty snacks, grilled vegetables, seafood or citrusy dishes, whose savory flavors complement the lime. Keep non-alcoholic drinks available alongside cocktails.

Variations

Simple-syrup mojito: Replace the 2 teaspoons sugar with 2 teaspoons simple syrup (10 ml). It blends smoothly without a gritty finish. If using a richer syrup, start with less because it may be sweeter; the drink’s texture and sweetness will vary by syrup.
Fruit mojito: Add 2 tablespoons (about 30 g) of ripe, chopped strawberries, raspberries or pineapple to the glass with the mint and sugar. Press the fruit lightly before adding lime and rum. Berries make a softer, fruitier drink; pineapple contributes more sweetness, so reduce the sugar at first and adjust after tasting.
Herbal variation: Replace half the mint with 2–3 fresh basil leaves (about 1 g). Basil gives a sweeter, peppery aroma. Handle it as gently as mint, and keep some mint in the glass if you still want the familiar mojito character.
Zero-proof mojito: Leave out the rum and use 4 fl oz (120 ml) soda water, adding it after the lime, sugar and mint are mixed. Taste and adjust the lime and sweetener. This version is more like a sparkling mint-lime cooler, with less body than the rum cocktail.
Less sweet or more tart: Start with 1 teaspoon sugar (4 g) for a drier drink, or add an extra ½ teaspoon for more sweetness. You can also use ¾ fl oz (22 ml) lime juice for a gentler citrus edge. Change one element at a time so you can tell what has shifted the balance.

Storage and Reheating

A finished mojito is best immediately: ice melts, soda goes flat and mint can turn dark or bitter as it sits. Do not store the assembled cocktail for later or try to reheat it. If it has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours, discard it; otherwise, refrigerate promptly in a covered container and use within 24 hours, understanding that its freshness and fizz will be reduced. Add fresh ice, mint and soda only when serving.

For easier preparation, mix the rum, lime juice and sugar or simple syrup in a covered container and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Keep mint, ice and soda separate, then muddle the mint and assemble the drink just before serving. This short make-ahead window preserves a fresher aroma and avoids storing a diluted cocktail. Do not leave the prepared base out on the counter for an extended period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a mojito without a muddler?

Yes. Use the rounded end of a clean wooden spoon, pressing gently against the mint and turning it a few times. A sturdy spoon should release the mint’s aroma without shredding the leaves. Avoid sharp utensils or forceful grinding, which can damage the leaves and make the drink harder to sip.

What can I use instead of white rum?

Lightly aged rum is the closest alcoholic substitute and gives the mojito a warmer, slightly richer character. Dark rum has a deeper molasses-like flavor that changes the familiar bright profile. For a drink without alcohol, omit the rum and add more soda water; it will be lighter, but lime, mint and sweetness still provide a refreshing balance.

Why does my mojito taste bitter?

The most common reason is over-muddled mint. Press it gently just until fragrant; do not crush it into a paste. Bitter or pithy lime juice can also affect the flavor, as can using the white pith from lime wedges instead of measured juice. Use fresh juice, strain out seeds, and adjust the sweetness gradually.

Can I make mojitos for a group?

Yes, but mix the base and finish each drink close to serving time. For four servings, multiply the rum, lime and sugar by four, and keep that mixture covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Muddle mint gently in each glass, pour in a quarter of the base, then add ice and soda. This keeps the mint fresher and the soda fizzy.

Is soda water the same as tonic water?

No. Soda water is carbonated water without the characteristic bitter quinine flavor of tonic water. Tonic is often sweetened too, so it makes a mojito taste noticeably different and can throw off the sugar balance. Plain soda water or unflavored sparkling water is the better choice.

Can I use bottled lime juice or mint syrup?

You can, but both make a different drink. Bottled lime juice usually lacks the lively aroma of freshly squeezed lime, so add it gradually and taste as you go. Mint syrup replaces both fresh mint’s aroma and some or all of the sugar, so the cocktail will have less herbal freshness. If using syrup, begin with a small amount and still add fresh mint when possible.

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