The Classic Cuban Mojito

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/28/22
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
The Classic Cuban Mojito in a glass with a straw and a mint garnish

The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
181 Calories
0g Fat
14g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 181
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g 5%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 19mg 96%
Calcium 46mg 4%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 128mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

The mojito is one of the world's most popular cocktails. It's a simple mixed drink of rum, mint, lime, sugar, and club soda, and a muddler and stirring spoon are the only tools required. While some bartenders dislike making mojitos because they require a bit more work than other cocktails, it's easy to make from scratch and comes together in just a few minutes.

A classic cocktail that originated in Cuba, the mojito is a favorite summertime beverage worldwide. The mint and lime give it a cool, refreshing flavor, and the soda lightens it up with a fizzy crispness. There are many ways that you can switch up the flavor of the basic recipe, which makes it a fun cocktail to share with friends.

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Click Play to See This Refreshing Mint Mojito Recipe Come Together

"The mojito has many variations, and this is a good recipe to begin with and adjust to your taste. With all cocktails using fresh ingredients, the better your ingredients, the better the cocktail. Applying this recipe with fresh lime, fragrant mint, and a solid rum makes an excellent mojito." —Sean Johnson

The Classic Cuban Mojito in a glass with a straw and a mint and lime garnish
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    The Classic Cuban Mojito ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  2. In a highball glass, add the sugar, mint leaves, and a splash of the club soda.

    Sugar, mint leaves, and a splash of the club soda in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  3. Muddle just enough to dissolve the sugar and release the flavor of the mint.

    Sugar muddled with mint in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  4. Squeeze the juice from the 2 halves of lime into the glass. Drop 1 squeezed half into the glass if you like.

    Lime juice being squeezed into the glass with the mint

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  5. Add the rum and stir well.

    Rum added to the mint mixture in the glass

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  6. Fill the glass with ice cubes and top with club soda.

    Ice and club soda added to mojito ingredients in a glass

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

  7. Garnish with a mint sprig. Serve and enjoy.

    The classic Cuban mojito garnished with a spring of mint

    The Spruce Eats / Mateja Kobescak

Tips

  • Spearmint is a favorite mint variety for mojitos and the type you'll likely get from generically labeled "mint" at produce markets. Yerba buena is considered the mint of choice for an authentic Cuban mojito.
  • Superfine sugar is recommended because the finer crystals dissolve better in cold cocktails. With the help of your food processor or blender, it's easy to make superfine sugar from standard sugar.
  • If you don't have a muddler, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the ingredients.
  • Although any club soda will suffice, try a boutique soda instead. There are many great options available today, and some brands formulate sodas specifically for cocktails.

Variations and Substitutions

  • Use a different sweetener, such as raw sugar or palm (coconut) sugar; for best results, process them into finer grains. A splash of simple syrup, honey syrup, or agave nectar works well, too.
  • Add a soft layer of flavor with lightly sweetened or flavored sodas. Many hard seltzers are good alternatives to club soda, and tonic water gives it a drier profile.
  • For a fruity twist, muddle in extra fruits. Pineapple, watermelon, and raspberry mojitos are favorites. Use a combination of pomegranate seeds and juice for a delicious pomegranate mojito.
  • Try a mojito sangria, a simple pitcher drink with white wine.
  • Make a virgin mojito by skipping the rum and filling the glass with soda.

How Strong Is the Mojito?

The mojito is not a terribly strong cocktail. When made with 80-proof rum, the alcohol content falls in the 13 percent ABV (26 proof) range. That makes it equivalent to a glass of wine, only far more refreshing.

Where Was the Mojito Invented?

The mojito originated in Cuba, possibly derived from a 16th-century medicinal tonic known as El Draque (named after Sir Francis Drake). It's said that in the 1800s, Africans who had been enslaved and working in Cuba's sugarcane fields commonly took a similar elixir. As it advanced from tonic to beverage, the mint, lime, and sugar masked the taste of cheap rum. Havana lays claim to inventing the cocktail as it's known today with the introduction of ice and soda. The mojito grabbed international attention when Americans flocked to Cuba during Prohibition. It was supposedly second to the daiquiri on Ernest Hemmingway's list of favorite cocktails. Over the years, the rum improved, and the mojito's fame spread immensely.

What Is the Best Rum for a Mojito?

White rums are typically preferred for a mojito; it's good to choose a mid-range brand. Alternatively, add extra depth to the drink's flavor with a high-end aged rum. Avoid spiced rums because the spices detract from the freshness of the mint and lime.