Let’s give everyone’s favorite classic Cuban cocktail a kick with this ginger mojito! Made with a fresh ginger simple syrup, this mojito perfectly blends that a touch of spice with bright mint and lime for one refreshing yet complex rum cocktail. Plus, you can serve it as a single drink or easily make a big pitcher for your backyard summer parties. This is one mojito you’ll want to sip on all season long.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
That ginger and mint combination: These two flavors were made for each other. The ginger adds a wonderful depth while the mint makes it pop and keeps this drink ultra refreshing for even the hottest patio days.
Only fresh ingredients: No fake lime juice here. Store-bought simple syrup? Nope. We only use real ingredients, including a blended fresh ginger simple syrup to make a perfectly crafted cocktail. With one sip, you'll impress everyone with your mixology skills.
Batch it for easy entertaining: Mojitos are always a crowd pleaser and great for serving in a pitcher, which means you’re free to enjoy everyone’s company instead of playing bartender all night.
Related: If you adore this drink, make sure you also try my passion fruit mojito and strawberry mojito.
Ingredients
Rum: For a traditional Cuban mojito, we want to use white rum rather than dark rum. White rum is an unaged or lightly aged sugar cane-based liquor with a light, clean flavor profile. I really love how it lets the ginger, mint and lime shine.
Ginger simple syrup: We need water, sugar and fresh ginger to make the syrup. While you can buy ginger syrup, I do not recommend it. What we’re making for this ginger mojito recipe is so much better than anything a store would carry.
Lime wedges: Some recipes call for lime juice, but we’re muddling our lime instead. After enjoying my share of mojitos over the years, I’ve tested mojitos both ways, and the muddled lime is so much better. Muddling helps extract those citrus oils from the peel that you don’t get from juice alone.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Let’s start by making our ginger simple syrup. For this step, we peel the ginger and then bring water, sugar and ginger to a simmer and then boil in a small saucepan, pour the contents into a blender to process, and then strain the mixture to separate the solids from the syrup (photos 1-4).
Step 2: With our syrup prepared, we’re ready to craft our ginger mojito. Traditionally, mojitos are made in the serving glass rather than a cocktail shaker, so we grab a highball glass with a sturdy bottom, add our lime wedges and ginger simple syrup and muddle. Once the limes break down, we add the mint leaves and lightly muddle a few times (photo 5).
Step 3: Now we add in the white rum with some ice and give it a stir to chill and combine (photo 6).
Step 4: From here, we top the mojito with some refreshing club soda (photo 7).
Step 5: For the perfect finishing touch, we take a fresh mint sprig, place it in the palm of our hand and quickly clap over it before using it to garnish the drink (photo 8). This releases the mint’s fragrance for an even more enjoyable drinking experience.
And there you have it – our perfect fresh ginger mojito is ready for sipping! Grab a seat on the patio and enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
Mojitos are traditionally stirred and prepared in the serving glass. That said, some people don’t like the pieces of mint or pulp in their glass, so they will shake and strain. I’ve tried mojitos both stirred in the serving glass and shaken and strained and have found the flavor is stronger and brighter with the stirred preparation, so that’s my recommendation.
Absolutely, mojitos are great for making in a pitcher. Just like a single serving, we muddle the limes, simple syrup and mint but in a pitcher instead of the glass. We then add the rum. If serving right away, we top the pitcher with club soda and start pouring. Otherwise, we can refrigerate the mixture for a few hours and then add the club soda right before serving.
While a muddler is most efficient, you can use a sturdy wooden spoon instead to break down the lime and extract the mint oil and fragrance. It may take a little more arm work, but it will take care of the muddling process.
Expert Tips
Keep the lime wedges cut-side up: The limes will break down much more easily if you muddle against the fruit rather than the peel.
Fruity variations: Ginger is wonderful with all sorts of fruit. Feel free to substitute regular simple syrup for this ginger syrup and add a handful of fruit while muddling the limes. You can check out my raspberry mojito and mango mojito for more instructions and inspiration.
Don’t overwork the mint: If you muddle the mint too forcefully, it can turn bitter. Just a few light twists is all it takes. This is why I like the muddle the limes first.
Use cubed ice: Crushed ice melts quickly, especially on a hot summer day, which means you’ll be left with a watered-down drink. We don’t want to dilute those delicious ginger and mint flavors. Thanks to the larger surface area of cubed ice, it melts slowly and will keep you perfectly refreshed. Plus, this is the traditional type of ice for the mojito.
Perfect Pairing
With that fresh ginger simple syrup, you can’t go wrong with a meal that’s full of complementary spices, particularly with a Caribbean flair. Try my jerk chicken or jerk pork nachos with a side of coconut-lime rice and bacon macaroni salad, and you won’t be disappointed. That jerk marinade was made for this drink.
For the perfect spice twist on a classic cocktail, you’ll love this ginger mojito. Every sip is refreshing with just the right kick.
Cheers!
Looking for More Mojito Recipes?
📖 Recipe
Ginger Mojito
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Blender
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Muddler
- Jigger or small measuring cup
Ingredients
Ginger Simple Syrup
- 1 cup fresh ginger peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
Ginger Mojito
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1 ounce ginger simple syrup
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces white rum
- Ice
- 4 ounces chilled club soda
- Fresh mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
Ginger Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, add the water, sugar and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
- Once it boils an the sugar dissolves, turn off the heat and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes.
- Pour the entire contents of the saucepan into a blender. Blend until smooth.
- In the sink, place a bowl under a fine-mesh sieve. Pour the contents of the blender into the sieve and allow the liquid to strain from the solids. The liquid is your ginger simple syrup. Allow to cool and then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Shake before using.
Ginger Mojito
- Add the lime wedges and ginger simple syrup to a highball glass with a sturdy bottom. Muddle until the lime breaks down. Add the fresh mint leaves and lightly muddle a few times.
- Pour in the white rum and add a handful of ice. Stir to chill and combine.
- Top with chilled club soda and gently stir to combine. Place the fresh mint sprig in the palm of your hand. Quickly clap over it to release its fragrance and garnish. Enjoy!
Notes
- For the full tutorial, see the post on how to make ginger simple syrup.
- Keep the lime wedges cut-side up. The limes will break down much more easily if you muddle against the fruit rather than the peel.
- If you muddle the mint too forcefully, it can turn bitter. Just a few light twists is all it takes. This is why I like the muddle the limes first.
- Store the ginger simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last for two to four weeks.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Natalie says
My husband adores mojitos! I surprised him last weekend with his favorite cocktail and he loved it, thanks
Kayla DiMaggio says
This ginger mojito was delicious! Total hit at our friends night!
Tammy says
There is nothing more refreshing than ginger and mint, and they worked so well together. This is the perfect summer cocktail — it was great for the warm weather we got this weekend.
Kathryn says
Mojitos are my favorite cocktail and I'm loving this ginger version! It's such a great and refreshing combination that's so perfect for summer and I may need to test the recipe out again today 😉 we always love all of your homemade cocktail creations!
Amy Casey says
I am adding this recipe to my Mother's Day menu. I love, love, love ginger anything and tried it last night. It was so delicious that I'm making it again!
Veronika says
I love mojito but never tried it with ginger until now. It was a hit at our grill cookout party!
Ann says
I’m so happy I made this drink! It will be especially perfect for summer - refreshing! I also loved the color to it - very springish and summers!
Bernice says
Last summer was the summer of margaritas for my husband and I. I think I should make this summer, the summer of mojitos after this! Your ginger mojito was just so refreshing.
Marta says
These ginger mojitos were so refreshing! I made and served them for Sunday brunch and ended up having to make them in a pitcher, they were going so fast.
Amanda Mason says
SO tasty! Loved the fresh ginger and the white rum! Such a great drink recipe!!