Mocktail Mojito
Fresh spearmint, raw sugar, lime, and crushed ice - the Cuban highball that translates beautifully without the rum. The trick is muddling the mint just enough to release oils, never enough to bruise it bitter.
The mojito is one of the few classics where the alcohol was always playing a supporting role. Mint, lime, sugar, and bubbles do the heavy lifting; the rum just rounds them out. Pull the rum and you can still build a drink that tastes like itself.
Two non-negotiables: real spearmint and crushed ice. Bottled lime, dried mint, or a glass full of cubes all turn this into mint-flavored water by sip three.
Why this works
Mint, lime, and sugar are the drink. The rum was the extra.
5 ingredients
Mint, sugar, lime, NA rum, soda. All pantry-friendly.
Under 90 cal
85 calories per tall pour with 13g sugar.
Tested 52 times
Tuned across 52 batches to fix the most common home-bar failures.
The Method
-
01
Muddle gently.
Drop 10 spearmint leaves and 2 tsp raw cane sugar into a tall highball glass. Press with a muddler 3-4 times. Past that you bruise the mint and turn the drink bitter.
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02
Build.
Add 1 oz fresh lime juice and 2 oz non-alcoholic white rum. Stir briefly with a long bar spoon to dissolve the sugar.
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03
Pack the ice.
Fill the glass to the rim with crushed ice. If you do not have crushed, wrap cubes in a tea towel and whack with a rolling pin.
-
04
Top and lift.
Top with 3 oz chilled club soda. Stir once from the bottom up. Garnish with a lime wheel and a slapped mint sprig.
Pro Tips From Laura
- Use a wooden muddler to gently bruise mint leaves — don't pulverize them, or they'll turn bitter.
- Always use fresh lime juice. Bottled lime juice will make your mojito taste flat and overly tart.
- Chill your glass in the freezer 10 minutes before serving for a frostier presentation.
- Tap the mint sprig garnish between your palms before placing to release its aromatic oils.
Common Questions
Can I muddle the mint with the lime?
No. Add lime juice after muddling. Citric acid extracts bitter polyphenols from mint at high concentration.
What is the best non-alcoholic rum for a mojito?
Lyre's White Cane Spirit is the most rum-like. Ritual White Rum Alternative has the closest body to a Cuban silver.
Customer Reviews
Reviewed by 40 customers
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