Name: Best Mojito
Yield: Serves 1
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice; 2 heaping teaspoons superfine sugar; 1 cup crushed ice; 12 fresh mint leaves, plus 5 small sprigs for garnish; ¼ cup (2 ounces) white rum; 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda

Put down the muddler. For this mojito recipe, you won’t need it. Instead, bartender Eben Freeman relies on the technique of gently tearing mint leaves and stirring them into a highball glass that’s been filled with crushed ice. Instead of bruising the mint with a muddler, which can lead to acrid flavors, this method gently coaxes the aroma from the leaves and disperses it into the lime-and-sugar syrup at the bottom of the glass. Continue building the drink in the glass with a pour of white rum—this is no place for anything dark or robust, you want something crisp. A Cuban rum would be appropriate for a classic mojito cocktail; the majority of mojitos you’ve had at bars or restaurants were likely made with Bacardi. We like Banks 5 Island, a blended rum that has a little more depth. Finish with a splash of club soda and gently stir (with a bar spoon if you have one, or a chopstick if you don’t) to combine.

To garnish this easy drink, you don’t need a lime wedge or a hunk of sugar cane. Just take a fresh sprig of mint, tap it in the palm of your hand to encourage its fragrance, then tuck it into the glass so that you get a big whiff of mint with every sip of this refreshing cocktail.

Editor's note: This recipe was originally published May 2008.

Ingredients

Serves 1

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lime juice

2 heaping teaspoons superfine sugar

1 cup crushed ice

12 fresh mint leaves, plus 5 small sprigs for garnish

¼ cup (2 ounces) white rum

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) club soda

Preparation

In 10-ounce glass (such as Collins or highball), stir together lime juice and sugar until sugar dissolves. Add ¼ cup crushed ice. Rub mint leaves over rim of glass, then tear leaves in half and add to glass. Gently stir for 15 seconds, then add rum, remaining crushed ice, and club soda. Gently stir for 5 seconds, then tuck mint sprigs into top of glass and insert tall straw.
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Leave a Review

Reviews (35)

Excellent. I boiled the shrimp shells and drained for the 2 cups of water. I also will add a tsp of salt. I served over Fettuccini and warm crusty french bread. Yum!
- barblmoon
- Peachtree Corners, GA
- 7/3/2016
Nice and simple, great for summer, but way too sweet. Next time: reduce the sugar by 25%, increase the rum, adjust club soda to taste.
- OneMist8k
- Pennsylvania
- 7/2/2016
Use FRESH lime juice, and HEAPING teaspoons of sugar to cut the acidity, or else it will be too acidic. Also, use a good quality light rum.
- BoneDoctorsBBQ
- NC
- 7/19/2014
Great Drink, if you don't have superfine sugar just put regular sugar in the food processor and pulse for a minute.
- riveroaks
- Raleigh,NC
- 6/7/2014
This mojito recipe is fantastic! I have made this on multiple occasions for different crowds, and all have asked me for the recipe, that's not the say the recipe couldn't be improved... I have used unrefined cane sugar, although it takes longer to dissolve and the drink appears more amber-colored, and I've also used regular, granulated sugar when I couldn't get my hands on the superfine. I've also varied the amount of rum used. My conclusion: The drink is a bit sweet as is, so I prefer not to use "heaping" teaspoons, also the 1/4 cup rum is a good starting point to add more to taste if one wishes to do so.
- efresh
- Madison, WI
- 11/13/2013
This mojito recipe was good--but not the stellar recipe I was looking for. As other reviewers said, it was a bit too sweet. And this sweetness was the case even though I used regular granulated sugar and not all of it dissolved. I'll still have to search for the perfect mojito recipe...
- tastysausagerecipe
- Brooklyn, NY
- 7/22/2012
Made this with coconut rum and extra Club Soda. Delish!
- sharpt2
- 8/24/2011
I am a huge fan of mojitos but have never made them at home. I tried this recipe last night but substituted agave nectar for the sugar and doubled the amount of club soda because after tasting it with only 1 oz. decided i like a little more pop and fizz in mine. Definitely a keeper that I will be making again and again.
- LadyintheKitchen
- Atlanta, GA
- 7/7/2011
Try a heavy splash of POM juice. Trust me...it's divine!
- maryscottp
- utah
- 6/18/2011
Instead of club soda, I used lime Perrier...nice touch!
- Brenda1958
- ON, Canada
- 6/3/2011
I can never remember the correct proportions (a result of the mojitos? hee hee!), so this is my go-to recipe. I've started - and the Mr & I prefer - agave nectar to sugar or simple syrup, tho. Slightly less, or to taste. Adds a subtle lil somethin somethin and it mixes instantly into the lime juice & booze.
- EricaMmm
- Ess Eff
- 6/2/2011
Nice! I had only regular granulated sugar, which didn't dissolve entirely, but it's plenty sweet (which tells me you could get away using less overall). I also added more club soda (probably another ounce). My first homemade cocktail (as part of a new year's resolution to drink more!)...very pleased!
- pfcoulter
- Texas
- 5/6/2010
So good. I multiplied the recipe, by a lot :), they came out great. I will definitely make these again..hmm, maybe tonight.
- Suzmcil
- Camp Hill, PA
- 7/12/2009
fabulous recipe. be sure to stir the sugar until it is dissolved! This makes a world of difference. We found that we liked about 2 oz. of club soda per glass, instead of just 1...more bubbles!
- Anonymous
- Durham, nc
- 7/10/2009
Great mojito recipe! Instead of club soda I used proseco...amazing. Definitely recommend.
- nchorney125
- 5/26/2009