This Strawberry Basil Mojito is a fun strawberry twist on the classic cocktail and a hit at every party! It's really easy to make for a crowd or into a mocktail.
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Why This Recipe Works
- A fun twist on the classic - Everyone knows and loves the classic mojito. This drink though skips the mint, adds basil, and a few strawberries to change up the flavors. I promise you, this mojito will be your new favorite drink for the summer!
- Strawberries and basil - These two go really well together and shine in this cocktail. Basil has a very distinct flavor that instantly makes you think of summer and the strawberries give the cocktail a beautiful red color. Make it whenever you want or, ideally, when strawberries are in season for the best flavor!
- You don't need a cocktail shaker - This strawberry mojito is made right in the glass you're serving it in so you don't have to have a cocktail shaker or worry about any extra dishes to clean!
- Easy to make for a crowd - You can easily chop up all the limes and strawberries, prep the basil, and just divide everything into however many glasses you need. Then you just add the sugar, mash everything down, add rum, ice, and sparkling water, and your cocktails are done!
Ingredients
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries are ideal for this cocktail. You could use defrosted strawberries but I find fresh ones have a lot more flavor and are sweeter, especially when they're in season.
- Basil - This mojito uses fresh basil leaves instead of mint and it works really well with the strawberries. If you're hesitant, just trust me and give it a try, you'll be surprised how delicious it is!
- Lime - You'll need fresh lime for this drink because you're chopping it up and adding to the cocktail along with the strawberries and basil. If you're in a pinch, you can use bottled lime juice but I highly recommend going with the real stuff whenever possible, it's so much tastier!
- White rum - Mojito most often uses non-aged white rum which is what I recommend using in this drink too. White rum is made from molasses or sugarcane juice, depending on its origin. The difference between white and dark rum is mainly the color because even white rum can be aged but stripped of its color. Aged rum will have a different taste (wood, vanilla, oak) and would be too strong for this mojito.
- Sweetener - Cane sugar is what I usually go for in this cocktail but maple syrup or agave are also great options if you want to avoid regular sugar. I don't recommend honey because it hardens in cold drinks and the flavor doesn't go very well with the basil.
- Sparkling water - You can use club soda, sparkling water, or flavored soda water. I usually go for regular plain unsweetened sparkling water but a sugar-free lime or lemon-flavored soda (like LaCroix) would work great here.
Non-Alcoholic Version
With every cocktail I share, I always add a mocktail version so that everyone can enjoy it and this one is actually incredibly easy to make virgin!
All you need to do is skip the rum or add a non-alcoholic spirit. Keep everything else the same. You can add a few more strawberries to the drink or a flavored soda but it will be just as delicious as is.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep all your ingredients first. You can multiply this cocktail by however many servings you need and just divide all your ingredients between glasses before using a muddler to mash everything.
- Cut the limes into slices and into quarters and save one slice for garnish for every glass. Roughly chop your strawberries (this doesn't have to be perfect since you're mashing them up). And prep the fresh basil.
- Into a tall glass, add chopped strawberries, lime, basil leaves, and cane sugar (or another sweetener). Using a muddler, mash everything together to release the juices and flavors.
- Add white rum, fill up the glass with regular or crushed ice, and top up with sparkling water or club soda.
- Garnish the cocktail with your reserved slice of lime and a string of basil if desired. Serve with a straw to be able to mix everything up as you sip.
FAQs
This drink tastes the best with fresh strawberries but you can use frozen strawberries too if needed. You do have to let them defrost before making the cocktail though so that you can mash them up with the basil and lime.
Yes! All the steps will be the same except you will leave out the rum. You can use a non-alcoholic spirit if you have any you like or just add a splash more of soda or sparkling water.
Unfortunately no, it wouldn't taste the same. I don't recommend it.
Yes, this cocktail will be just as tasty with fresh mint and strawberries.
More Summer Cocktails With Rum
Below are three of my favorite rum cocktails for the summer (especially the kiwi one!) but if you'd like to see all the latest cocktails, definitely head to the Cocktails category to see them all in one place!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Basil Mojito
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Strawberry Basil Mojito is a fun twist on the classic mojito and always a hit!
Ingredients
- 8-10 basil leaves
- ½ lime, sliced and cut into quarters
- 2-3 strawberries, chopped
- 1 tbsp cane sugar or other sweetener
- 2 oz white rum
- Ice
- Sparkling water
Instructions
- Add the basil leaves, lime, strawberries, and cane sugar to a tall glass.
- Use a muddler to mash everything together to release all the flavors.
- Add the white rum.
- Fill the glass with ice and top it up with sparkling water.
- Garnish with a slice of lime, a strawberry, and some basil leaves if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
Non-alcoholic version: Follow all the directions and just omit the white rum and add an extra splash of the sparkling water. You can also substitute the rum with a non-alcoholic spirit you like. I haven't found one for rum yet so I usually just skip it.
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Allyssa says
Loved the taste of this! So refreshing and perfect for gatherings! Will have this again for sure! Highly recommended!