Mojito Cocktail Recipe: How to Make a Mojito

The Mojito Cocktail drink is a customary drink in Cuba made with five primary ingredients to achieve the perfect balance of sweet, sour and minty flavours: light rum, sugar syrup, fresh lime wedges, soda and mint leaves. Some flavours are extracted from the ingredients through muddling which allows them to release their juices and organic properties. The Mojito is a highball drink and is served with ice to achieve that perfect refreshing taste. The mint in a Mojito gives a refreshing herby flavour that brings the entire drink together.

The Mojito cocktail is said to have originated from Havana, Cuba. There is no definite history that can trace how the Mojito was first made, but it was believed to be created as a medicinal drink. The Mojito recipe evolved from a drink in 1586 called El Draque, named after a sea explorer, Sir Francis Drake. The name of the cocktail was later changed into Mojito, and so the Mojito drink was created. Different theories of the origin of the name Mojito then came about, one of which saying it derived from a seasoning in Cuba called mojo. The Mojito cocktail is best recommended for those who enjoy a light liquor beverage with a hint of a sweet and minty taste.

What are the ingredients for a Mojito?

Listed below are the ingredients for a Mojito cocktail.

• Lime wedges: Lime is a green, tangy, citrus fruit that is commonly an add-on to beverages and drinks.
• 20ml sugar syrup: A sugar syrup is a liquid form of sugar that is frequently added to drinks as a sweetener. In its liquid form, it is easier to incorporate than regular sugar into cold beverages.
• Mint leaves: Mint is a tender herb that has a cool and distinct minty taste.
• 60ml light rum: Light rum, otherwise known as white or silver rum, is colourless and light in flavour. It is filtered numerous times to remove contaminants and is usually aged for its specific taste.
• Soda: Soda is carbonated water that has been created and is widely used as a drink mixer. Soda is a quench-thirsting beverage in itself.

1. 4 lime wedges

Four lime wedges are muddled to extract their juices to be incorporated into the drink. Lime wedges have that sour and citrus taste that cuts the sweetness of soda and sugar in a Mojito. It provides a refreshing and contrasting flavour to a Mojito drink. A single lime fruit with an average weight of 67g contains 20 calories.

2. 20ml sugar syrup

A Mojito drink is not possible to make without sugar syrup. Sugar syrup is a necessary ingredient since it ensures that the proper sweetness is fully incorporated into the drink. A liquid sweetener prevents undissolved sugar to settle at the bottom of the glass. Sugar syrup has 62 calories.

3. 8-12 mint leaves

Eight to twelve leaves of mint can be adjusted according to the preferred taste. This is very necessary to add in a Mojito cocktail drink to add depth of flavour and aroma. Mint leaves contain a low number of calories, with just 4 calories in a fourth cup.

4. 60ml light rum

A recommended 2 ounces (60ml) of light rum is an essential ingredient in the Mojito cocktail. Light rum will add depth to the cocktail, but a lighter flavour than gold and dark rum. It contains approximately 36-65% of alcohol by volume with 130 calories.

5. Fill with soda

Soda neutralises the heavier and more concentrated ingredients in Mojito that balances out the overall drink. The soda drink adds to the freshness of a Mojito drink to quench one’s thirst. 100ml of soda water is equivalent to 41 calories.

How to make a Mojito?

Preparing a Mojito has never been easier thanks to this recipe, so don't miss it and make the most out of your cocktail!

1. Muddle the 4 lime wedges in a highball glass with sugar syrup.

Pour in the 20ml sugar syrup inside the highball glass, then muddle 4 lime wedges to extract their juices. The sweetness of the sugar evens out the tangy taste exuded by the lime. Putting the lime wedges first before the liquid ingredients makes it easier to crush and squeeze out the lime extract.

2. Bash the mint leaves and add them to the glass along with the rum.

Bash the mint leaves and then add them inside the highball glass along with the muddled lime and sugar syrup. Doing so will bring out the natural oils of the mint and intensify their flavour. The mint has a cooling effect that will add to the tropical freshness of the Mojito drink. The 60ml of rum is then poured over after the mint has been added.

3. Fill 3/4 of the way with crushed ice.

Crushed ice is then added into the mix to chill the drink. Make sure to fill the glass with ice all the way until it is three-fourths filled. The space in between the ice and the brim of the glass allows for mixing.  

4. Churn and cap with more crushed ice.

Carefully churn the ice along with the other ingredients for them to incorporate and blend well with each other. This will slightly liquefy the ice and mildly dilute the other ingredients. Add on some more crushed ice to maintain the cold temperature of the drink. A small increment of space should be saved for the soda water.

5. Top with soda water.

A splash of soda water is placed last on top of the Mojito drink. The soda gives a fizzy texture and sweet flavour to the Mojito. It further balances the acidity from the lime, alcohol from the rum and the herb flavour from the mint.

6. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Sprigs of mint are placed on top or along the sides of the glass. The mint sprig, while adding to the aesthetic of the drink, are also a visual representation of the Mojito drink. A Mojito drink is usually identified by its minty flavour.

What nutritional benefit can you get from drinking a Mojito?

There are little to no nutritional benefits from drinking a Mojito. 67g of lime fruit amounts to 19.5 mg of vitamin C. A traditional Mojito cocktail contains around 240 calories and can yield a 13% alcohol by volume.

What are the different variations of Mojito?

There are multiple variations of the Mojito cocktail, including the Patron Mojito, Pineapple Mojito, Watermelon Mojito, Yerba Buena, and Pineapple Vanilla Mojito. To variate a Mojito Cocktail drink, the bartender should alter or add some ingredients to change its dominant flavour. The procedure of making other variations of the Mojito cocktail is just the same as making the classic one. A bartender can switch the rum for gin, or scotch to change the mood of the Mojito drink. One can add in some other fruity flavour alongside the mint, like pineapple or watermelon. Sugar syrup can be replaced with agave nectar or honey. Some similar cocktails to classic Mojito cocktails are Ramos Fizz, White Witch, Old Fashioned, Southside, and The Derby.