Delicious Mojito Recipe

This post is going to show you how to make a delicious Mojito recipe!

There’s nothing better than a crisp, refreshing, minty Mojito. The flavors dance on the tongue during every sip!

The combination of rum, fresh limes, mint, demerara syrup, and club soda come together and immediately it’s time to kick your feet up in the sun.

This recipe is an original Sweet Recipe of mine and includes a fun twist! We will be using fresh papaya in this Mojito! Papaya and lime has always been one of my favorite combo’s and I think it works SO well in a Mojito.I know you’ll love how these flavors compliment each other!

Let’s get right into it! I call this:

“Channel Orange” 

What You Will Need

Alcohol:

Since it’s origin in Havana, Cuba, the base spirit of a Mojito has always been rum! My GO TO rum of choice when I’m making Mojito’s is Plantation 3 Stars Artisanal Rum. This rum is so delicious and smells of tropical fruits and sugar. On the palate it carries a warm flavor of spices and vanilla. For this Mojito recipe I find that this rum keeps the drink light, refreshing, and crisp, while still showcasing the complexities of an aged spirit. I highly recommend having this rum on hand in your home bar! It’s not only great to mix with, but it’s delicious on the rocks as well. I got my bottle at Total Wine and More, but you can also find it at Bevmo, Liquor Stores, and some Grocery Stores!

Citrus and Other Ingredients:

For this Mojito recipe we of course will need a Fresh Lime and Fresh Mint! The fresh ingredients used in this cocktail not only stay true to the original creation but enhance the overall quality of the cocktail. There’s something so addicting about the sharp lime juice you get from muddling lime wedges with the skin on. On it’s own it is bitter, but combined with the cocktail ingredients as a whole it elevates the entire experience. The fresh mint leaves give off an aroma that fills your nose before you even take your first sip. You will need 1 small lime cut into 4 wedges per cocktail and 8 mint leaves. You can secure these ingredients at any local Grocery Store!

Next we have the ingredient that separates this cocktail from any other normal Mojito. You will need a Fresh Papaya! Papaya is a tropical fruit native to Central America. It comes with a thin skin and is bright orange on the inside! A papaya is ready to use when it is soft to the touch and its skin is fading from green to a yellow. Once you peel the skin off a papaya you can cut it directly in half like shown in the picture above. Take a spoon and carve out the seeds in the center just like you would with a cantaloupe! Papaya has a delicate flavor and tastes like a combination of a banana and a peach. The texture of a papaya is very smooth and buttery. The delicate flavor of the papaya is enhanced by the sharp lime juice we are using! The combination is delicious and unforgettable! After the seeds are removed from your papaya cut it into 1/2 inch cubes. We will be muddling these into our cocktail! Get yourself a papaya at a local Grocery Store or Fruit Stand!

A secret ingredient I have been using in cocktails recently is a pinch of salt. I love to use the Himalayan Pink Salt! Adding a pinch of salt into a cocktail can help balance it, enhance citrus and other fruit flavors, even out sweetness, and more! I can’t get enough of this little trick and it does wonders for this Mojito recipe. The salt really brings out that papaya flavor.  Trust me on this one! You can get Himalayan Pink Salt at any local Grocery Store near you!

Lastly, we will need a syrup to sweeten this Mojito recipe with. We will be making a Demerara Syrup. This demerara syrup uses a 2:1 ratio. This means that it uses 2 parts turbinado sugar to 1 part hot water. Turbinado sugar has a caramel like flavor, and when boiled down has a brown hue. That caramel flavor plays so well with the vanilla and spice notes in the rum! This syrup will stay good in the fridge for up to a month! If you plan on making lots of cocktails over the month or have a party planned then make a larger batch!

• In a pot on the stove bring desired amount of water to a slight boil
• Once the water is at a slight boil, add in twice as much turbinado sugar as there is water
• Lower the heat, you do not want to boil the sugar
• Gently mix until you have a syrup like consistency
• Turn off the heat and let cool
• Store, label, date, and you’re done!

I love to store my syrups and juices in glass bottles as pictured above! They are easy to store, simple to use, fit pour spouts in perfectly, and add a professional look to your home bar. I found a perfect set on Amazon that includes labels, pour spouts, tops, and more! Check it out RIGHT HERE! Always remember to label, date, and taste your product before using it in your creations. You want to make sure you’re serving yourself and friends the best!

Fill:

Traditionally a Mojito is topped off with club soda. For this Mojito recipe I have chosen to use Q Mixer’s Club Soda! This is a nice and crisp club soda that is easily available now at most Grocery Stores such as Target and Walmart.

Once your Mojito is strained into a Collins Glass, you will add ice and fill the remainder of the space in the glass with club soda! I usually like to take a Bar Spoon afterwards and give the cocktail a “lift”. This means pushing the bar spoon to the bottom of the glass and lightly lifting upwards. You do this about 4 times. Be sure to be delicate with this process, the goal is to have the soda mixed in with the cocktail and not destroy any carbonation.

Bar Supplies:

For this Mojito recipe you will need a Shaker! I love to use a Boston Shaker. Boston shakers come with two tins. One is larger and the other is smaller. You clasp them together with ice to shake and dilute! I love the range of motion you get with a boston shaker and it has always been what I have used in bars. When you shake a cocktail you are diluting it, as well as building its volume as the ice breaks away and melts. There are many different shaking techniques but for this recipe we will be shaking with cubed ice! If you want to check out a boston shaker identical to mine you can do so RIGHT HERE!

Next up is a major bar essential. You will need a Bar Jigger! A great cocktail is balanced, beautiful, and consistent. You can attain this easily by using a jigger. Jiggers measure out the ingredients that will be going into your creation. My jigger shown above ranges from 1/4 oz to 2oz. There are a range of different sizes out there, but this is one is one of the most standard to have on deck when you are mixing drinks. You can check out a bar jigger for yourself RIGHT HERE!

I do have to say that when I was a beginner and just learning skills, I used a jigger that was much more simplified. It had only one side, a pour spout, and very clear measurement lines. This jigger helped me become more comfortable with my pours and built my overall confidence in creating cocktails. I will link the exact beginner jigger I used RIGHT HERE for anyone just getting started!

Since we are using fresh lime wedges, mint, and papaya in this cocktail we will definitely be needing a Bar Muddler. A muddler is used to press down on ingredients and break them apart. This releases juices, oils, and extra flavor before shaking! In the photo above I am muddling the mint, papaya, and lime wedges along with the demerara syrup. I like to muddle the fresh ingredients with the syrup. I believe the syrup gets an extra chance to get enhanced with all of those flavors resulting in an even tastier end product! I will link the exact same muddler I used to use in bars RIGHT HERE! Add this item to your home bar and start experimenting!

To strain your tasty Mojito you will be needing a Hawthorne Strainer and a Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer! The fine mesh cocktail strainer is optional. I like to use it in this drink to clear away any extra chunks of fruit and mint. Alas, some people love the extra bits in their drink so make it whatever way you prefer! The hawthorne strainer is used to initially strain the cocktail. It stops ice, and any large items from pouring into your final cocktail. A fine mesh cocktail strainer is used to capture any other little bits and tiny shards of ice that may slip through the hawthorne strainer. When you use both strainers in conjunction with each other that is a technique called Double Straining! Like I said, I like to double strain this cocktail, but you can totally just use the hawthorne strainer if that is what you like!

You can check out a hawthorne strainer just like mine RIGHT HERE!

You can check out a fine mesh cocktail strainer just like mine RIGHT HERE!

Lastly you will be needing ice to fill your cocktail with after you strain! I love to use crushed ice for this cocktail as it absorbs the sweetness nicely and gives you that tropical drink vibe.

In the photo above I am using my Lewis Bag and Mallet to create my crushed ice. You put full ice cubes into the bag, crush with the mallet, and scoop out crushed ice using a stainless steel ice scoop. The bag is made of canvas which keeps the ice cool and crisp. I was lucky enough to get a set here in San Diego at a local bartending shop, but you can actually get your own FULL set that comes with all the supplies RIGHT HERE on Amazon. It comes with a scoop and everything! The bag is reusable and holds the crushed ice in a presentable way for your at home bar.

If you would prefer to use an ice mold for your crushed ice I will link one on Amazon for you RIGHT HERE!

I do recommend that if you are starting to create multiple cocktails at home, you should invest in your own personal Bartending Kit. Most come with everything you will need as a beginner while others provide several items for more complex creations. I will put links to both a beginners set, and a more advanced set on Amazon below!

Beginners Kit : HERE

Advanced Kit : HERE.

Let’s Build!