Looking for the perfect cocktail to serve at your backyard bash?
We’ve put together a round-up of mojito recipes from around the web just for you, made with everything from mango and berries to the classic standby, flavored with lime and mint.
No one can skip out on one of the ultimate coolers for summer to be found in the form of a cocktail!
Traditional Recipes
Old School, with a Twist
First, imagine a classic mojito, with lime and mint ice cubes that look beautiful in the glass, and that won’t water down your drink. And then, if you want, add a splash of sweet tea to the mix along with your rum.
Sound good? We thought so! Get Kendall Vanderslice’s recipe on Foodal now.
A Classic
When you’ve got a good thing going, why mess with it? This Classic Mojito recipe from London Brazil is a great example of that.
Mint-infused simple syrup made with fresh mint is combined with rum, fresh lime juice, a bit of extra muddled mint, and club soda – it’s a party in a glass, with that traditional flavor that mojito-lovers keep coming back for.
Get the recipe at GF with L.B.
“The Best”
Is it really the best? You’ll have to try it to find out!
After some experimentation with various recipes, Jo-Lynne Shane’s cocktail concoction is a contender for the top spot, boasting a classic flavor backed with sweet homemade mint simple syrup.
Try using any syrup that you have left over to flavor a batch of iced tea.
Homemade
The proportions are easy to navigate in Samantha Angell’s homemade mojito recipe – just remember the ratios are 2:1, with 2 parts rum to 1 part lime juice.
Not sure how many limes to buy? You’ll need to stock up – Samantha says 10 limes will produce enough juice for about six drinks.
Mint Limeade
Super easy and quick to make, this Mint Limeade Mojito recipe from Karen Kelly is the perfect alcoholic beverage to mix up in minutes when unexpected company arrives, or when you reach the bottom of the pitcher of another cocktail that was more complicated to make.
Simply mix Honest Mint Limeade (or a combination of your favorite pre-made mint tea and limeade – maybe even give the frozen variety a try!) and rum, and serve over ice.
A sprig of mint and a lime garnish is a nice added touch, but completely unnecessary if you’re really in a hurry! You’ll find the recipe at Seasonal Cravings.
Wanting some non-alcoholic mocktail ideas, similarly inspired by mint and lime? Try this alcohol-free mint, lime, and ginger splash, or India’s answer to the non-alcoholic mojito: the nimbu pani.
Summertime Berries
Raspberry
These raspberry mojitos from London Brazil of GF with L.B. are the perfect shade of pink, made with fresh fruit, and garnished with a wedge of lime and a raspberry.
A homemade mint-infused simple syrup provides just the right amount of cooling sweetness.
Blueberry
Jessica Segarra, The Novice Chef, is a self-proclaimed mojito lover. And fresh seasonal blueberries are the stars of the show in this fruit-based drink.
Looking for a bluer hue than your berry haul is able to produce on its own? Jessica suggests adding a few drops of blue food coloring.
For tips on how to select seasonal berries at the farmers market and keep them fresh longer, read our post.
Strawberry
Is it time to celebrate? Cassie Johnston of Back to Her Roots recommends stirring together a big pitcher of fresh strawberry mojitos.
The fresh berries macerate in the sugar along with lime juice and mint before adding rum and ice, bringing their fresh, tangy flavor to the forefront.
A Taste of the Tropics
Mango
Though the thought of a mango mojito might bring your favorite fast casual chain restaurant to mind (or perhaps your worst nightmare…) Joelle Nocolette elevates the drink to new heights with her homemade take.
Made with fresh mango, mango nectar, and mango rum, this sweet, fruity recipe can be prepared by the pitcher.
Grilled Pineapple
Any excuse to throw fruit on the barbecue is okay with us, and these grilled pineapple mojitos are just the thing to serve at a summertime cookout.
Made with caramelized grilled pineapple and a touch of honey, you’ll love the sweet, smoky flavor of this tropical treat. You can find the recipe on Healthy Delicious.
Passion Fruit
Described as an ode to Los Angeles, Greg Henry’s passion fruit mojito features fresh passion fruit and white rum, plus mint and lime juice.
A few passion fruit seeds top the cocktail before serving, for a flavorful touch of added crunch. Get the recipe at Sippity Sup.
Blood Orange
With a flash of color from fresh blood orange juice, Alexa Peduzzi of Fooduzzi brings us her recipe for blood orange mojitos.
Though she found blood oranges don’t offer the same kick of flavor as navel or Valencia varieties, the lime and mint flavors of a classic mojito remain the stars of the show in this cocktail. It’s sweetened with honey or maple syrup too, for a little something different.
Blood oranges aren’t really a tropical fruit, but they do hail from warmer climes, and the deep orange hue of this cocktail is sure to transport you to a sunny beach somewhere…
Make Mine Melon
Watermelon
Watermelon is a cornerstone of summertime eating, so we’re in full support of featuring its sweet, juicy flavor in a tasty cocktail!
Since watermelon is so sweet on its own, Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD of Teaspoon of Spice skips the simple syrup in this fresh fruit mojito recipe.
Cantaloupe
Cantaloupe is another seasonal melon that we love, and Krystal Butherus is serving up a fresh cantaloupe mojito that’s perfect for those lazy afternoons.
No need to turn on the hot stove to make this one – just muddle a few chunks of melon with mint, and add your sugar, rum, lime juice, and ice. Top with club soda, and sip away.
You’ll find the recipe at Sunny Sweet Days.
Honeydew
Though originally posted on Enri Lemoine’s blog Savoir Faire: The Pleasures of the Palate as a St. Patrick’s Day cocktail, this mojito is summertime at its finest, tinted green with diced and muddled fresh honeydew.
This highly underrated melon, often relegated to the shadows in favor of its brethren the cantaloupe and watermelon, is nothing to scoff at. It has a light, floral, and sweet flavor when ripe, and its juicy deliciousness lends itself well to a refreshing alcoholic beverage.
Rather than the usual muddling and stirring method, try blending up a batch of these instead, for something a little different.
This cocktail is excellent with yellow watermelon or canary melon as well, if you’re looking for a sweet beverage that features seasonal fruit with more of a yellow hue.
Fresh Herbs & Flowers
Basil
Not in the mood for mint? Bring a different fresh garden herb to the party with this Basil Mojito from Sam Linsell of Drizzle & Dip.
A traditional mojito in every other way, simply substitute fresh basil for mint, and you’ll be surprised by the delicious new taste sensation that you’re able to create.
Chocolate Mint
Fresh from Kendall Vanderslice of Foodal’s test kitchen, this mojito features a chocolate version of the quintessential herb – but that’s not all! Cocoa simple syrup is featured prominently as well, creating a new flavor sensation that we’re pretty confident you haven’t tried before.
Don’t have any chocolate mint? Don’t worry. The regular variety will work in this drink too.
Lavender
Another herbal cocktail with a bit of added wow, this lavender mojito from Eden Passante of Sugar and Charm is made with homemade lavender simple syrup.
It’s easy to whip up a batch using a few tablespoons of dried lavender. Check out our post for more tips on cooking with this flavorful edible flower.
Kombucha & Hibiscus
Love kombucha? We bet you’ve never tried mixing it into a cocktail! The tang of fermented tea adds a little something extra to Tieghan Gerard’s summertime drink, with two variations.
Try making the classic with your favorite kombucha flavor, or use hibiscus simple syrup (made with dried hibiscus flowers) for an added burst of tanginess. We love the bright red color of this cocktail, too. Check out both versions at Half Baked Harvest.
Veggie Cocktails
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is a seasonal favorite, and its tangy flavor and pink hue is featured in Adrian White of Foodal’s rhubarb mojito recipe, made with homemade rhubarb simple syrup.
If you’re looking for something a little less sweet, try making a homemade rhubarb shrub to flavor this cocktail instead.
Spicy Jalapeño
Matt Bray’s spicy jalapeño mojito is full of flavor, with an added kick.
Muddled jalapeño, mint, and lime mixed with white rum and a bit of sugar, this makes the perfect accompaniment to serve with tacos or a meal prepared on the grill. Get the recipe on PepperScale.
Tomatillo
Not to be missed, you’ve really got to try Kendall Vanderslice of Foodal’s tomatillo-jito, made with fresh tomatillo juice.
Tomatillos are filled with lots of tiny seeds, and Kendall found juicing the fruit was the best way to feature its vibrant flavor in this oh-so-sippable vegetable-based cocktail.
Alternative Liquors
Champagne Grapefruit
Made with pink or red grapefruit, quality rum, and champagne, this mojito is sure to satisfy your guests.
Sweetened with agave nectar, and garnished with a wedge of grapefruit and a sprig of mint, Paula of Call Me PMc’s recipe makes an excellent cocktail to serve at parties.
Blackberry Vodka
This blackberry vodka mojito from Karen Kelly of Seasonal Cravings brings something a little different to the table, with a deep reddish-purple color, and vodka in place of the usual rum.
The classic flavors are still part of the mix (unless you’d prefer to use lemon instead of lime, as pictured above), and it’s topped off with a sweet sugar rim.
Non-Cocktails & Mocktails
Non-Alcoholic Mojito
For the teetotalers, designated drivers, and children among us (those who act like them and those who actually are underage included), we would be remiss to fail to include a virgin cocktail in our round-up.
Never fear, Elena Szeliga is here with her non-alcoholic version! It’s refreshing, flavorful, and everything you could want in a mocktail.
Find the recipe on Happy Kitchen Rocks.
No-Churn Ice Cream
What’s for dessert? Mojito ice cream, of course!
Perfect on its own or in a boozy float, there’s no ice cream maker required to make this recipe from Charlotte Oates of Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen. Don’t give this one to the kids!
Try making it with a batch of our homemade sweetened condensed milk for something extra special.
Cupcakes
Another dessert option’s on the menu as well: Michelle Lettrich’s mojito cupcakes, made with buttermilk, fresh mint, lime juice and zest, and of course a few shots of rum!
In true cocktail fashion, the Brown Eyed Baker recommends topping these mojito frosting-topped confections with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge.
It’s time to get to sipping! Which of these expertly crafted cocktails (or desserts) are you going to try first? Let us know in the comments!
Photos Credits: All photography in this article is owned and copyrighted by their respective owners as identified. Used with permission by Ask the Experts, LLC. All rights reserved by all parties. Additional link contributions by Nan Schiller and Lori Hendrix.
About Allison Sidhu
Allison M. Sidhu is a culinary enthusiast from southeastern Pennsylvania who has returned to Philly after a seven-year sojourn to sunny LA. She loves exploring the local restaurant and bar scene with her best buds. She holds a BA in English literature from Swarthmore College and an MA in gastronomy from Boston University. When she’s not in the kitchen whipping up something tasty (or listening to the latest food podcasts while she does the dishes!) you’ll probably find Allison tapping away at her keyboard, chilling in the garden, curled up with a good book (or ready to dominate with controller in hand in front of the latest video game) on the couch, or devouring a dollar dog and crab fries at the Phillies game.
Reading this whole post was a delicious torture, they all look extremely good!
I have read the recipe of mint chocolate the other day here and I actually tried it on a little reunion with some friends, we had the ingredients, so why not? And it was one of the best ideas of the night, I’m not kidding, they loved it! Even those who weren’t fans of the chocolate mint combination.
I’m looking forward to trying all the berries mojitos, they all look extremely refreshing.
Glad you liked the chocolate mint! Let us know how the berry versions turn out, too. Enjoy!
Seems like Foodal is on some kind of a mojito run at the moment, haha. I certainly don’t mind it because I’ve drank more mojitos this summer than I would like to admit. Blackberry vodka looks amazing but I like that you’ve added non-alcoholic options as well.
You’re right, we are! All of our posts on the topic led up to National Mojito Day on Monday- stay tuned for more hot dogs, chilled soups, and other refreshing summery items to come!
Well I certainly cannot drink beer in this incredible heat that we are getting, at least not too much of it, so this might be a perfect answer for me. I have always enjoyed a good mojito, and I have been meaning to start making more mixed drinks. I think that I will have to put this one to good use then and whip some up for one of these days coming up. Thanks for sharing.
i think i need to try all of them in the summer haha
i will try one per week
thanks haha
Trying a new one each week throughout the summer sounds like a good plan, raf! 😉 Enjoy!
This article gave me goosebumps! Mojitos are at the top of my favorite drink list. I try to make pitchers of them for all my summer parties. Unfortunately, not everyone shares my passion quite as much. This article definitely gives me a plethora of options to keep it interesting! I’m particularly intrigued by the blood orange and champagne grapefruit varieties. However, I won’t lie, I have Mojito cupcakes in the oven as we speak. How genius!
Awesome, Lisa! I bet those cupcakes were delicious. 🙂
Oh my so many options! I cannot wait until I’m no longer pregnant so I can try a few of these, especially the blueberry one.
Why don’t you try a virgin mocktail in the meantime, Kihluna? It’s not the same, I know, but the combination of soda, fresh fruit, and herbs is still super refreshing. Try a cucumber-flavored sparkling water in place of the club soda- one of my favorite grocery store finds lately!