Traditional Lime Mojito Recipe With Honey

By Verywell Editor
Updated September 05, 2019
Mojito cocktail on bar counter
Dana Hoff/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images
Total Time: 5 min
Prep Time: 5 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Servings: 1

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

169 calories
0g fat
20g carbs
0g protein
Show Nutrition Label Hide Nutrition Label
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving  
Calories 169
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 18g  
Includes 16g Added Sugars 32%
Protein 0g  
Vitamin D 0mcg 0%
Calcium 6mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 48mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Mojito cocktails are very refreshing any time of year but especially when the temperatures rise because their minty, yet tart flavor adds a cooling effect with the kick of the alcohol. You really want to crush those mint leaves in a mortar and pestle or any muddling device to extract their essential oils and maximize the flavor. White rum is traditionally used in a classic mojito so the beautiful green color from the mint will shine through a clear glass.

This recipe makes 1 mojito, but the recipe can easily be doubled or tripled by muddling the mint in a larger container and dividing it among the glasses. 

Ingredients

  • 8 mint leaves (fresh)
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 ounce/2 tablespoons lime juice (or lime wedges from about a third of a lime)
  • 1 jigger/1 1/2 ounces 80-proof white rum
  • Club soda
  • Garnish: fresh mint sprig

Preparation

  1. Put mint, a splash of club soda, and the honey into the bottom of a highball glass or Tom Collins glass (if you like lots of ice and club soda). Muddle by mashing the ingredients together. Traditionally, a muddler, which looks like a miniature wooden baseball bat, is used to accomplish this. However, the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula works fine.

  2. Squeeze the juice of the lime into the glass. Add the rum, stirring well.

  3. Fill the glass about 3/4 of the way full with ice. Top off with club soda. Stir and enjoy. If serving in a Collins glass, adding a tall cocktail straw makes a nice and useful touch.

Origins

The mojito was born in Havana, Cuba, and is considered a national drink. There are only five ingredients in this classic cocktail—white rum, club soda, fresh mint, lime juice, and a sweetener.

There is a dispute as to when it appeared on the beverage scene. Some say African slaves who worked the sugar cane fields developed it in the 19th century. Others say it dates to 16th-century pirates and Sir Francis Drake who were aided in their fight against scurvy by a lime drink given to them by natives.

The origin of the word mojito also is in dispute. Probably the most credible theory contends that it comes from the Cuban seasoning known as mojo which is made from lime and used in the many Creole marinades using in Cuban cooking.

Adding Flavor

As you know, you don't have to settle for a "plain" lime mojito. Here are some great additions that will dial up the flavor and impress your guests:

  • Use a flavored rum to give your mojito that extra twist, without extra effort. Try passion fruit, mango, and other fruit-flavored rum varieties.
  • Add fresh ginger, peeled and grated with a box grater. As little as 1/2 teaspoon adds enough spice but you could add more if you'd like.
  • Add a splash of tropical fruit nectar to top off your mojitos. Mango nectar, guava nectar, and even peach works.

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