Strawberry Mojitos! Sweet and refreshing, these cocktails are a great addition to summer menus! The flavors of fresh strawberries, lime and mint come together to create a berry-infused version of a delicious classic.
Strawberry Mojitos
Mojitos are quite possibly one of the most refreshing cocktails around. I can't remember the first time I ever had one, but I know that once I had a good one, I was hooked. Tart but invigorating lime, cooling fresh mint, and white rum with a touch of sparkle from seltzer... it's like a breath of fresh air in a glass. {Literally, the mint is a nice way to freshen your breath!}
Though, admittedly, I've never been much of a mixologist, I recently started playing around with cocktails at home and mojitos are one of the classics that never seem like a bad idea. Now that I have a whole planter box of mint growing in my "garden", it just seems like a natural decision on balmy summer evenings.
To keep things interesting, I've started adding in other fruits {or spirits} to make different versions of the cocktail, and that's how this Strawberry Mojito came about. To be honest, the berries I had in the fridge weren't in the best shape, which is why I figured it wasn't a terrible loss to give them a muddle in the bottom of the glass. The result was a sweet, berry-licious version of a drink I already love with a gorgeous, vibrant color.
Strawberry Mojitos
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced strawberries
- 2 lime wedges
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- ¼ light agave nectar or simple syrup { or more depending on how sweet you prefer your drinks}
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ½ ounces silver {white} rum
- Splash of club soda or lime seltzer water
Instructions
- In the bottom of a glass, add diced strawberries, lime wedges, mint leaves and agave or simple syrup. Lightly muddle until the strawberries are broken down a bit and the limes have released some of their juices.
- Add lime juice and rum. Fill the glass with ice.
- Top with club soda or lime seltzer and garnish if desired.
What is muddling?
Muddling is just a fancy word for mashing a few ingredients together in the bottom of a glass when you're making a cocktail. This releases the natural oils of herbs and citrus peels or break downs fruit and allows it to draw out the juices. It's important to note, however, that over-muddling will leave you with shredded or over-mashed herbs that can actually make your drink taste bitter, so don't get too aggressive!
When muddling mint and limes for a mojito, simply toss a few mint leaves and lime wedges into the bottom of your glass {some people add a sprinkle of sugar as well, although I didn't in this particular recipe since I used light agave to sweeten instead} and use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon to gently press everything together and extract the flavors from the ingredients. Easy as that! Follow it up by filling your glass with ice, then pour the rum and lime juice over top, then finish it off with a splash of seltzer water.
Of course, some experts say that mojitos are better without muddling at all, but I prefer to give my mint a little squeeze when I make mine. The decision is all yours!
How to Make Flavored Mojitos
While the classic mint and lime mojito is quite delightful, you might want to experiment with a variety of flavors, which you can achieve by adding different fruits, herbs and even spirits.
Just as I added the strawberries to this version, you can add just about any juicy, mashable fruit you like such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapples, mangoes, or even watermelon. Some fruits are pulpier than others, so if you're not a fan of having small chunks of fruit at the bottom of your drink, you can always make the mash in one glass and then strain into another when you're ready to enjoy you cocktail. Alternatively, you can also use a cocktail shaker to let all the flavors meld together, and then strain into a glass.
Choosing the Right Rum for a Mojito
Another way to add variety to mojitos is by using flavored spirits instead of plain rum. There's a plethora of flavored rum on the market -- everything from tropical coconut to root beer-flavored -- so pick a flavor, any flavor and use it in place of traditional white or silver rum in this recipe. For an added kick, you can try mixing in a liqueur such as Chambord or Cointreau.
As far as choosing a more traditional rum, there are tons of options, but they don't have to be expensive or fancy. This article has five great, easy-access choices for classic mojitos.
I think that's everything you need to know about creating your very own mojitos at home, so there's only one thing left to do: Get muddling! Let me know in the comments what your favorite mojito flavor is and how your mojito-making experience goes for you!
