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Home » Recipes » Beverages

Published: Apr 18, 2023 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Blackberry Mint Julep

Jump to Recipe
A blackberry mint julep on a silver tray with flowers and berries around it and text overlay on top of the image.
A blackberry mint julep on a silver tray with flowers and berries around it and text overlay on top of the image.

Make your Kentucky Derby party extra memorable with this fresh blackberry mint julep! Mixed with freshly muddled mint leaves and a double dose of blackberries, you'll adore the refreshing and fruity spin on this favorite bourbon cocktail. And, of course, don't feel like you just have to save this drink for Derby Day — this classic cocktail is perfect for sipping on the patio all through the spring and summer months.

A blackberry mint julep in a silver cup on a serving tray with purple cloth and berries surrounding the drink.
Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Variations and Substitutions
  • Expert Tips
  • Perfect Pairing
  • Get More Kentucky Derby Cocktails
  • 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Extra festive for the Kentucky Derby: The mint julep is the cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, but did you know blackberries are the official fruit of Kentucky? That’s right. The blackberries add an extra touch of Kentucky flair to make this drink even more fun.

Perfect for warm weather: We often associate bourbon as a cozy spirit for fall and winter cocktails, but the mint julep is made for patio weather. The mint and blackberries give this drink such a fresh flavor. Save your favorite old fashioned for the cooler months and sip on this fruity mint julep from now through the summer.

Simple and quick to make: You can whip this drink up in just minutes, and it doesn’t require any fancy mixology skills. Any home bartender can master this recipe.

Related: Love fruity bourbon cocktails? Make sure you also try this blackberry bourbon smash, blueberry bourbon smash and peach bourbon smash.

Ingredients

The three ingredients on a cream-colored wooden board with white and black labels.

Bourbon: A proper mint julep calls for Kentucky’s signature elixir, bourbon. Don’t grab just any whiskey. Maker’s Mark, Four Roses and Buffalo Trace all make solid bourbons, and you can check out this list of best bourbons for mint juleps for more inspiration.

Blackberries: You can use frozen or fresh blackberries. If you decide to use frozen blackberries, make sure they’re thawed first for proper muddling.

Blackberry simple syrup: Although blackberry simple syrup is available for purchase, I highly recommend using a homemade blackberry simple syrup. A homemade syrup is much tastier, more economical and only uses fresh ingredients — no fake extracts here. We just need water, white sugar and blackberries.

Mint sprigs: Make sure you have enough mint to muddle and garnish your drink. It’s just not a mint julep without that fancy garnish. And only fresh mint, please.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Blackberry Syrup

Before mixing our drink, we need to first prepare the blackberry cocktail syrup. Let’s review.

Step 1: We add water, sugar and blackberries to a small saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil (photo 1). As the mixture heats, we want to stir it periodically. This helps fully dissolve the sugar.

The blackberries, water and sugar boiling in a small stainless steel saucepan on the stove.

Step 2: Now we turn off the heat and crush the blackberries with a potato masher (photo 2). To infuse even more flavor, we allow the syrup to steep for at least 15 minutes. 

A potato masher crushing the blackberries after boiling in a small stainless steel saucepan on the stove.

Step 3: From here, we strain the blackberry simple syrup over a fine-mesh sieve (photo 3). We discard the solids, and the leftover liquid is our syrup. Easy, huh?

Straining the crushed blackberries from the syrup in a fine-mesh sieve over a kitchen sink.

Make the Mint Julep

With our syrup prepared, let’s grab our classic pewter cup and start mixing. Traditional mint juleps are made right in the serving glass, so you don’t need to bust out the cocktail shaker for this one.

Step 1: We start by muddling the blackberries and simple syrup until the blackberries break down. Once the blackberries turn nice and jammy, we add the leaves from a sprig of mint and lightly muddle them a few times (photo 4).

Mint can turn bitter if it’s overworked, so I like to muddle it separately since the berries require a bit more smashing.

Muddling the blackberries, syrup and fresh mint in a pewter mint julep cup on a cream-colored wooden surface.

Step 2: Now we add the Kentucky bourbon, fill our silver julep cup halfway with crushed ice and stir for about 15-20 seconds (photo 5). You’ll notice condensation build on the outside of the pewter glass. Once the drink is perfectly chilled, we add more crushed ice to fill the cup and use our hands to form a mound of ice on the top. 

A hand stirring a bar spoon into the pewter mint julep cup with crushed ice in the glass.

Step 3: For our final step, we place a mint sprig in the palm of one hand and quickly clap over it with the other hand and place it on the side of our ice mound like so (photo 6). This releases the mint’s fragrance to make for an even more delightful drinking experience. 

A hand placing a fresh mint sprig in the side of the julep cup next to the mound of crushed ice.

Now don your big Derby hat or seersucker suit with this blackberry julep in hand and enjoy the Run of the Roses.

Related: For more festive options, check out this guide to Kentucky Derby cocktails.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the difference between bourbon and whiskey?

You may have heard the old saying: All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. To qualify as bourbon, the spirit must be distilled from a mash of at least 51% corn and then aged in new charred oak barrels. With that majority corn makeup and oak barrel aging, bourbon is sweeter than other whiskeys and shows off vanilla and caramel notes.

Why are mint juleps best served in silver cups?

The metal is great for insulating your drink to keep it icy cold. This allows the crushed ice to melt into your drink for leisurely sipping.

What if you don’t have a silver or pewter cup?

Don’t feel like you can’t enjoy a mint julep if you don’t have one of those iconic silver cups. Instead, you can use a double rocks glass. A highball glass also works.

How long can I store the blackberry syrup?

As long as you keep the syrup in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator, it should last for two to three weeks. When it turns cloudy, it’s time to make a new batch.

What other drink recipes can I use for the blackberry syrup?

In addition to this julep, you can use this syrup to sweeten any blackberry-based drink, such as my blackberry margarita or blackberry-cucumber spritzer. If you love blackberries, you’ll get plenty of use out of this syrup.

Looking straight on to a blackberry mint julep on purple cloth with flowers and berries around it against a white background.

Variations and Substitutions

Use another fruit: This recipe works perfectly as a mint julep base, and then you can customize it with your favorite fruit, such as blueberries or raspberries.

Double the mint flavor: When making the syrup, throw in a couple extra sprigs of fresh mint to create a blackberry-mint syrup. How refreshing does that sound?

Swap regular syrup for blackberry syrup in a pinch: For the most blackberry flavor, I definitely recommend making the syrup, but you can absolutely substitute plain simple syrup in equal parts if you’re short on time.

Trade the white sugar for another syrup sweetener: White sugar is great because it lets the blackberries shine, but you can use other sweeteners for a different flavor profile. For instance, my peach mint julep uses brown sugar for the syrup. Honey would also work nicely with the berries.

Adjust the sweetener to taste: A classic mint julep uses 2 ounces bourbon and ½ ounce simple syrup. This ratio gives it just a touch of sweetness. If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, you can increase the simple syrup to 1 ounce.

Expert Tips

Hold the julep cup by the base or top lip: This keeps our body heat from warming up the cup. After all, we’re using a special glass for that frosty drinking experience, so we don’t want to counter that by holding the cup in the wrong place.

Don’t use cubed ice: Mint juleps are specifically made with crushed ice, not cubed ice. They’re designed for the ice to melt as you drink it. We want that rapid dilution. Ice cubes would melt too slowly.

Get your crushed ice from Sonic for parties: For easy entertaining, you can buy a big bag of Sonic’s famous crushed ice for a reasonable price. And who doesn’t love Sonic ice? 

Serve with a straw: Not only does a silver metal straw look pretty, but it’s difficult to enjoy a proper mint julep without one because of that mound of ice. I much prefer a metal straw to a paper straw, which can disintegrate quickly in all that melting ice.

​Use the handle of a wooden spoon if a cocktail muddler isn't available: While I find a muddler is more efficient, you can certainly mash those berries with a wooden spoon instead. The surface area isn't as large, but it works if need be.

Perfect Pairing

Along with your blackberry julep, you’ll love these smoked pork spare ribs. Pork is a sweeter meat, which makes it great with the bourbon, and you’ll love how the smoked wood flavor complements the oak char. You can serve the ribs with a fruit-based sauce, such as my blueberry BBQ sauce, and you have yourself the ultimate mint julep pairing.

Whether you’re throwing a Kentucky Derby party or just in the mood for a refreshing bourbon cocktail, you’ll love this blackberry mint julep recipe. Grab a seat on the patio and savor every delightful sip.

Cheers!

A close-up of a blackberry mint julep on a silver tray with berries and purple and white flowers around it.

Get More Kentucky Derby Cocktails

  • A Kentucky mule on a straw placemat with a fresh mint sprig and lime wedges to the side.
    The Best Kentucky Mule (Bourbon Mule)
  • The strawberry mint julep on a pink clothe with a cup full of strawberries in the background.
    Strawberry Mint Julep
  • Two brown sugar-peach mint juleps with fresh mint sprigs and peach slices on the side.
    Brown Sugar-Peach Mint Julep
  • Two sweet tea mint julep cocktails with tea bags in front of them and a pitcher of tea in the background.
    Sweet Tea Mint Julep

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

A blackberry mint julep in a silver cup on a serving tray with purple cloth and berries surrounding the drink.

Blackberry Mint Julep

Make your Kentucky Derby party extra memorable with this fresh blackberry mint julep! Mixed with freshly muddled mint leaves and a double dose of blackberries, you'll adore the refreshing and fruity spin on this favorite bourbon cocktail. And, of course, don't feel like you just have to save this drink for Derby Day — this classic cocktail is perfect for sipping on the patio all through the spring and summer months.
5 from 89 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Beverages
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Steeping Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 184kcal
Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Julep cup
  • Muddler
  • Jigger or small measuring cup
  • Bar spoon
  • Straw

Ingredients

Blackberry Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup blackberries

Blackberry Mint Julep

  • ¼ cup blackberries
  • ½ ounce blackberry simple syrup
  • 8-10 fresh mint leaves
  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • Crushed ice not cubed ice
  • Fresh mint sprig

Instructions

Blackberry Simple Syrup

  • Combine the white sugar, water and blackberries in a small saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring to a simmer and then a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
  • Once the mixture boils and the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat. Use a potato masher or fork to break down the blackberries. Let the mixture steep for at least 15 minutes and up to an hour.
  • Place a bowl or measuring cup under a fine-mesh sieve or strainer. Strain the blackberries from the liquid and discard the solids. The liquid is your simple syrup. Allow to cool and then store in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator.

Blackberry Mint Julep

  • Add the blackberries and blackberry simple syrup to the julep cup. Muddle to break down the berries. Once the berries break down, add the mint leaves and lightly muddle a few times. Don't overwork the mint, or it can turn bitter — just a few twists will do.
  • Pour in the bourbon and add enough crushed ice to fill the glass halfway. Using a bar spoon, stir until the outside of the julep cup builds condensation, about 15-20 seconds. Completely fill the cup with more ice and use your hands to form a mound on top of the cup.
  • Place the mint sprig in the palm of one hand and quickly clap over it with the other hand and place it on the side of the ice mound. This releases the mint’s fragrance to make for an even more delightful drinking experience. Serve with a straw to more easily sip through all the ice. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The syrup will last two to three weeks if stored properly. When it turns cloudy, it's time for a new batch.
  • You can use fresh or frozen blackberries for both the syrup and drink. For the syrup, you don't need to thaw the blackberries, but you'll want to thaw them for the drink.
  • For parties, you can buy a big bag of crushed ice from Sonic.
  • The standard mint julep recipe uses 2 ounces bourbon and ½ ounce simple syrup, but if you prefer a sweet drink, you can increase the simple syrup to 1 ounce.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.04g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 417IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BurrataandBubbles or tag #burratandbubbles!

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Nicole says

    May 03, 2023 at 11:41 am

    5 stars
    I tested this recipe last weekend for my upcoming Derby party and it was SO GOOD! I'm not usually a bourbon drinker but I'll make an exception for a good mint julep. The blackberries are such a nice touch!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      May 08, 2023 at 11:44 am

      Happy to hear that, Nicole! Hope you had a fun time.

      Reply
  2. Shelby says

    May 03, 2023 at 9:55 am

    5 stars
    The blackberry and mint combination makes this such a refreshing drink! The perfect way to kick off warm weather.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      May 08, 2023 at 11:43 am

      Absolutely! Thanks, Shelby.

      Reply
  3. Elizabeth S says

    May 03, 2023 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    I just tested this recipe out for the Kentucky Derby and will NO DOUBT be making and serving it. The flavors were perfectly balanced. Who knew bourbon and blackberry paired so well.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      May 08, 2023 at 11:43 am

      Hope it was a fun party! Thanks, Elizabeth.

      Reply
  4. Rebecca says

    May 03, 2023 at 9:36 am

    5 stars
    These delicious, fruity mint juleps are dangerously delicious! My husband and I love mint juleps but last night I decided to shake things up a bit with this blackberry version and we might like it even more than the original. Thank you for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      May 08, 2023 at 11:43 am

      You're so welcome, Rebecca!

      Reply
  5. Addison says

    May 03, 2023 at 9:29 am

    5 stars
    This was such a hit at my dinner party! It’s stunning and so flavorful.

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      May 03, 2023 at 9:32 am

      Glad to hear that, Addison! Hope it was a fun night.

      Reply

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A headshot of Amanda, the owner of Burrata and Bubbles, holding a beer.

Hi, I'm Amanda, a Denver-based lady who believes life is best spent with comforting meals, tasty beverages and good company. When I'm not playing in the kitchen, I'm probably exploring new breweries with my husband, Matt, or obsessing over my adorable dog, Baylor.

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