A mojito recipe starts with fresh mint sprigs, fresh lime juice, silver rum, club soda, and sugar to add some sweetness. Instead of muddling sugar in your cocktail shaker, you can use the simple syrup for mojitos instead.
The basic recipe is quite easy. Just water and sugar are all you need. Here, we decided to dig up some really great flavored or infused simple syrups that will taste divine in your next batch of mojitos. Here are nine of our favorites.
Mint Simple Syrups For Mojitos
Easy Mint Simple Syrup
by Feast + West
Why use regular simple syrup when you can take the flavor up a notch and enjoy the best mojitos with this mint syrup instead? The ingredients are simple. You need sugar, mint leaves from a fresh mint sprig, and water. That’s it!
Store this mint syrup in a glass bottle on your home bar, and it will always be handy for your favorite mint julep or mojito recipe.
Mint Lemon Simple Syrup
Lime and mint are the signature flavors of any, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little lemon to the mix. This syrup is made with fresh mint leaves and lemons to complement the mint flavor.
The citrus and mint in this syrup are perfectly balanced, and a small batch will go a long way when making a classic mojito cocktail.
Lavender Mint Syrup
by Amerikanki
A glass of your favorite mojito with the mint leaves all muddled and releasing their aromatic oils is one of the most refreshing cocktails ever, but if you’ve never tried it with a little lavender, we think you might be missing out.
Sugar, water, mint leaves, and dried lavender flowers are all you need. The result is minty and slightly floral. The lavender doesn’t overpower this mojito simple syrup. It just offers a very nice subtle undertone that’s divine.
Flavored Syrups for Mojitos
Pomegranate Syrup for Mojitos
It’s fun to play around with, adding new flavors to standard mojito recipes, and pomegranate is a favorite – especially during the fall and winter seasons.
This recipe is for simple pomegranate syrup, also known as grenadine. Pomegranate juice and sugar are all you need, but we think the addition of some fresh mint sprigs would also be a nice touch.
Lemon Ginger Cocktail Syrup
There are a few flavors that go as well with lime and fresh mint leaves as lemon and ginger. What you need for this are nice, juicy lemons and some fresh ginger.
Those two things combined with sugar and water are going to produce a flavored syrup that’s better than any store-bought simple syrup on the market.
Pink Grapefruit Syrup
Grapefruit and mint are a wonderful combination. Add in some rum, and you have a fantastic flavored mojito. You could really make this with any citrus fruit, such as Cara Cara oranges, blood oranges, or Meyer lemons, but this version with pink grapefruit is fantastic.
Don’t be shy about adding a generous portion of mint leaves to your mojito when you use this syrup.
Strawberry Simple Syrup
A strawberry mojito is a wonderful summertime drink, and what better way to infuse your mojito cocktail with the juiciness of summer than with syrup made with fresh strawberries?
If you haven’t tried strawberry and mint together, you’re not going to be disappointed. Fresh berries, lime, and mint are perfection on their own but add in your favorite Cuban rum, and it’s nothing short of amazing.
Lemongrass Syrup
This recipe is ideal when you’re looking for a way to really perk up your mojito recipe when sharing a few drinks with friends. Lemongrass is so bright and fresh, which lends something really unique to a traditional mojito.
When you make your mojito recipe with simple syrup that’s infused with lemongrass, white rum is a better choice than spiced rum. It’s also a good idea not to skimp on club soda or sparkling water.
Otherwise, your drinks might taste a little too potent. Finally, only use fresh ingredients in this recipe, and store in an airtight container to retain that wonderful lemongrass flavor.
Basil Simple Syrup
by Gastronom
Mint may be the defining herb in mojito cocktails, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only herb you can use. The crispness of basil uplifts what would otherwise be a plain simple syrup and compliments both the mint leaves and the lime juice in a mojito.
Make sure you pick the freshest basil for this – bonus points if they come from your own garden. Either way, fresh is the way to go since dried basil just won’t produce the same bright flavor.
Simple Syrup Substitute For Mojitos
Some argue that the best mojito recipe uses not simple syrup but simple sugar instead. Really, any way you can find to sweeten your mojito that will also taste well with a white rum drink will work. Here are a few alternatives to simple syrup for your mojito or other classic cocktails.
- Granulated sugar
- Superfine Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Powdered Sugar
- Maple Syrup
- Honey
- Flavored or sweetened club soda
Classic Mojito Recipe with Simple Syrup
Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and make a mojito? It’s actually really easy.
Start by combining lime wedges or fresh lime juice, fresh mint, and sugar or simple syrup in a cocktail glass or shaker.
Next, gently mash or muddle mint, lime, and sugar with the back of a wooden spoon or cocktail muddler. This releases the natural mint oils and also oils from the lime if you use a lime wedge instead of just lime juice.
The next step is to add ice cubes and the best rum you can find ( white rum is preferred). Stir gently. At this point, you should really be able to smell the mint oil!
Next, add sparkling water or club soda. Pour into your favorite cocktail glass, and garnish with a dash of freshly squeezed lime juice and a lime wedge.
The amount of ingredients really depends on how many cups or portions of the drink you want to make. You really can make this recipe with a simple syrup of sugar. It will taste great in your glass either way.
Bottom Line
Rumor has it that the perfect mojito was the favorite drink of Ernest Hemingway, especially on a hot summer day. Treat yourself to the same drinks during the summer months or any time of the year. Check back with us often for more cocktail recipes and tips for your next cocktail hour.
