Mojitos are one of the best-known cocktails that require muddling, and while it's most often created using superfine sugar, it can be made with homemade or store-bought simple syrup. Check out this mojito recipe that incorporates simple syrup and give it a try using your own homemade batch of the sweetener.
Mojito With Simple Syrup
Making a mojito with simple syrup instead of with superfine sugar is as simple as substituting the sugar for about ¾ ounce of simple syrup. Make sure not to over-muddle your mixture, and you should be all set to make a delicious mojito at home.
Ingredients
- 10 mint leaves
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- 1½ ounces white rum
- Ice
- Club soda
- Mint sprig (without the stem) for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Add the rum and ice and shake to chill.
- Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Top with club soda and garnish with a mint sprig.
Mojito Pitcher
If you're planning on serving a small crowd, it's much easier to prep a cocktail pitcher than it is to stop and make individual drinks one at a time. This Mojito pitcher recipe takes the basic structure of a mojito with simple syrup and adjusts it to produce about six single-servings in one-go.
Ingredients
- 36 mint leaves
- 6 ounces simple syrup
- 3 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ lemon, sliced (optional)
- 1 cup white rum
- Ice
- 1 liter club soda
Instructions
- In a pitcher, muddle the mint leaves, simple syrup, and lime juice.
- Stir the rum and optional lemon slices into the mixture and add ice.
- Pour the club soda in and stir before serving.
The Easiest Way to Make Simple Syrup
Making simple syrup is just as easy as its title implies, but if you aren't someone who keeps a lot of it on-hand, then it's best for you to make a very small batch so that none of it goes to waste. This tiny batch of simple syrup will work perfectly for these Mojito recipes, and if you're feeling adventurous and want to try flavoring your simple syrup, you can follow this helpful guide.
Ingredients
- ½ cup hot water
- ½ cup sugar
Instructions
- Mix the hot water and sugar together in a sealable container until the sugar is dissolved.
- Refrigerate until it's chilled and then use.
Classic Mojito Garnishes
Mojitos are such a visually compelling cocktail because of the mixture of ingredients that you can see floating in the glass that oftentimes, people don't use complicated garnishes to accent these drinks. However, if you really want to create a cocktail presentation worthy of the Food Network, then you can use one of these go-to garnishes.
- Drop a few mint sprigs on top of your mixture.
- Stick a lime wedge or peel on the rim for a pop of color.
- Coat the glass's rim with salt.
- Add a few pieces of chopped up ginger on top for a bit of color and a kick.
Ways to Personalize a Mojito
Given that the classic Mojito is a mixture of a lime, mint, and rum flavor profile, there're occasions where you'd prefer a drink with a bit of a different taste. For when you're having those days, you can use these helpful tips to customize a flavored Mojito to fit your personal taste:
- Make it in the glass - If you want the maximum visual effect, you can muddle your ingredients inside the glass you're going to drink it in so that they'll be swirling around for everyone to see.
- Add herbs - A quick way to switch up the classic Mojito recipe is to incorporate a few extra herbs into the original mixture. Muddling thyme, rosemary, basil, and so on can add a hint of something different to a drink without overpowering it.
- Add fruit - Muddle in some soft fruit or berries with the mint to make a delicious berry flavored mojito.
- Use a flavored syrup - Instead of using a plain simple syrup, you can infuse all sorts of fruits and herbal flavors into the simple syrup to make a unique sweetener for your personalized mojito.
- Switch up the liquor - Changing the liquor from white rum to something like gin or moonshine can create an excitingly new take on the classic drink.
- Put a dash of bitters in - Add a bit of Angostura bitters or another flavored cocktail bitters to your finished drink to reduce some of the cocktail's sweetness.
Keep Things Simple
With these mojito recipes, it's all about keeping things simple; adding simple syrup instead of superfine sugar might be easier for people who don't already have the specialized ingredient on-hand or who're still getting the hang of mixing cocktails. Either way, it'll do a perfect job of making you a mouth-watering mojito in no time at all.
