Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

How to make a mojito: The ultimate cocktail recipe

Let us show you how to make the perfect version of this well-known cocktail

By
Mojito on a bar ready to serve
Tatyana Vega / Unsplash

The mojito is a staple summer drink around the world thanks in part to its simplicity (also thanks in part to just how damn tasty it is when made properly). Rum, lime, mint, soda, and sugar is how to make a mojito. You’ve got some tropical power in the rum, a burst of crisp freshness in the mint, a zesty pick-me-up from the lime and the bubbles, and just enough extra sweetness thanks to the sugar — all of which, when put together, make a pretty perfect drink that can be enjoyed at just about any time of the day (especially in tropical climates). What we’re saying is we’re not going to stop you if you decide to make a breakfast mojito while you’re on vacation.

Created in Havana, Cuba, the mojito has gone through waves of popularity in the decades since it first made its appearance (the year is debated, but written sources show its existence as early as the late 1920s). The drink saw a resurgence in popularity in the early 2000s thanks to a certain super spy, Bond, James Bond. Even though Bond is known for his Vespers and martinis, he does drink this potent potable in Die Another Day while on a beach in Cuba.

Recommended Videos

We did say making a mojito was simple, but you still have to do it right. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, keep reading for a great mojito cocktail recipe.

Related

How to make a mojito

Making a mojito
Dan Baker / The Manual

The best glass for a mojito is a tall Collins glass, it gives plenty of room for ice, which is vital for a cooling summer cocktail like a mojito. You do need a muddler, a bartender’s tool that is used like a pestle to mash ingredients like fruit in the bottom of a cocktail, it’s a vital tool for mojito making.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • 5-7 mint leaves, and 1 sprig for garnish
  • Soda water, to fill

Method

  1. Add mint leaves, lime juice, and sugar to the glass and muddle together.
  2. Add rum and ice.
  3. Top with soda water and use a straw to mix.
  4. Garnish with a sprig of mint and serve.

Want to get fancy? Try a royal mojito

Mojito from a top view
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Sometimes, you just want to feel like royalty, and what is a more royal drink than Champagne? But how does Champagne fit in with a mojito, you may ask? Very nicely, as it turns out. Another bonus to this recipe from Difford’s Guide is that it skips the muddling step, instead using fresh lime juice. So,if you want to feel fancy at your next party, whip up a batch of these and pretend you’re wearing a crown.

Ingredients

  • 14 fresh mint leaves
  • 2 ounces light gold rum
  • 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/3 ounce simple syrup
  • Brut Champagne or sparkling wine

Method

  1. Add the mint, rum, lime juice and simple syrup to a Collins glass two-thirds full of crushed ice.
  2. Stir well with a bar spoon.
  3. Fill the glass with more crushed ice.
  4. Top with champagne or sparkling wine and serve.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Make Dry January a Tiki-filled celebration with the Nombie cocktail
A truly spectaclar mocktail means you won't even miss the alcohol
The Watermelon Nombie, another Three Dots and Dash mocktails

With lots of people embracing Dry January, this is the perfect time to let those non-alcoholic cocktails shine. And a Chicago's Tiki-themed bar Three Dots and a Dash, they've taken up the challenge of creating complex, interesting Tiki-style drinks without the usual signature rum or other spirits.

This summer, the bar debuted its non-alcoholic riff on the classic Zombie, called the Watermelon Nombie. And now the bar has a new version for the winter, called the Honeycrisp Nombie. It uses honeycrisp apple juice plus spices like cinnamon and alcohol-free amaro Lucano Amaro Zero along with all the fun garnishes and elaborate presentation you'd hope for from a Tiki drink. So if you're looking to up your mocktail game to something truly impressive and fun this season, then the bar has also shared the recipe for its newest creation below -- and don't forget to use your best Tiki mugs!
Honeycrisp Nombie recipe
The Watermelon Nombie, another Three Dots and Dash mocktails Three Dots and a Dash

Read more
10 great reasons you should do Dry January this year
Dry January can be tough, but with these tips and tricks, getting through the month alcohol free should be a breeze
Day drinking

When the New Year rolls around, many people see it as a perfect time to reset and refresh. Particularly after the rich and festive meals during the holidays, many people make New Year’s resolutions to start eating healthier and exercising regularly, for example. And if you're like me, you might have some trouble keeping those resolutions throughout the entire year.
The holidays are also a time when many people, myself included, consume (more than) our fair share of alcoholic beverages. Between holiday parties, happy hours, spiked eggnog drinks, all those festive cocktails, and countless bottles of Christmas wine, you may feel like your liver needs a bit of a break. Dry January was designed for precisely this purpose -- to encourage people to abstain from alcohol for the entire month, to restore their physical health and their healthy relationship with alcohol.
If you’ve never participated in Dry January before, you may think it downright daunting or completely unnecessary. But you may be surprised at how beneficial and easy it can be with discipline, flexibility, and planning. So, if you’re looking for a fresh way to boost your health in 2025, keep reading for our Dry January tips.

What is Dry January?

Read more
Mocktails don’t need to be dull: Celebrate NYE with spectacular non-alcoholic cocktail recipes
Your drinks don't need alcohol to be celebratory
nye mocktails nomad london peter piper soft cocktail

With increasing numbers of people choosing to forgo or cut down on alcohol, there's a great opportunity to explore the world of mocktails. While non-alcoholic options used to be an afterthought at best at many places, now they are being crafted with love and care to show the complex flavors and interesting textures that can be achieved without alcohol.

If you're looking for a celebratory but sober way to ring in the new year, then try out some of these spectacular mocktails, using recipes from some of the trendiest bars that incorporate luxury ingredients, carefully prepared syrups, and interesting flavor pairings.
Island Time

Read more