This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our affiliate policy.
This refreshing minty Virgin Mojito mocktail has all the flavor and none of the booze! Just muddle fresh mint, lime, and sugar together and top with ice and club soda. You’ll never even miss the rum.
There are so many seasons of life when someone (maybe you! maybe me!) might not be drinking, but you still deserve a refreshing citrus drink on a hot summer day. Baby showers and pregnancy, wedding showers, family-friendly parties and holidays: this Virgin Mojito recipe has all the same flavors of the classic cocktail without any of the alcohol, so you can drink up without worrying about the effects of alcohol.
Made with fresh lime juice, spearmint leaves, your sweetener of choice, and soda water, this minty, limey non-alcoholic version will transport you to sandy beaches and tropical suns even in the dead of winter.
Table of Contents
Ingredient notes
- Mint: Mojitos are typically made with spearmint, not peppermint.
- Sugar: Or substitute agave, honey, or simple syrup and add it to taste. However, the grittiness of granulated sugar adds texture and is part of the charm of a mojito.
- Club soda: Top your mocktail with the beverage of your choice such as sparkling water, ginger ale, or a clear lemon-lime soda such as Sprite or 7Up.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a medium sturdy glass, add mint leaves and 1 lime wedge. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime, releasing the mint oils and lime juice.
- Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.
- Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Add club soda and more sugar to taste if desired. Garnish with mint leaves and remaining lime wedge.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 mojito mocktail.
- Big Batch: To make a pitcher or punch bowl of 8 Virgin Mojitos, muddle 80 mint leaves (about 4 ounces or 2-3 bunches) with the juice of 4 limes and ½ cup sugar (or more to taste). Add ice and top with club soda.
- No muddler: If you don’t have a cocktail muddler, use the handle of wooden spoon or just shake everything together in a cocktail shaker.
- Havana additions: Many hotels in Havana, Cuba add Angostura bitters or use lemon juice instead of lime juice.
- Fresh herbs: Mix up your mocktail with different herbs. Swap the mint for fresh basil or cilantro (but keep the lime slices either way!).
- Cojito: Substitute coconut-flavored rum for even more tropical flavor.
- Mojito Blanco: This Mexican variation uses tequila instead of rum.
- Strawberry mojito: Make a classic Mojito as directed except also muddle one more strawberries in the bottom of the glass with the sugar, lime juice, and mint. Stir in club soda and garnish the cocktail with a fresh strawberry.
- Mojito variations: Add fruit juice or puree such as blackberries, grapefruit, pears, oranges, mango, berries, peaches, watermelon, cucumber, or pineapple juice.
- South Side: Substitute gin for the rum (add seltzer for a South Side Fizz).
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to serve my Mojito Mocktails in these Paksh Novelty Italian Highball Glasses! They’re tall enough to make muddling easy, they’re super sturdy, and they elevate a non-alcoholic drink. You can get them for about $20 on Amazon, and you can check out my other favorite cocktail glasses for all your entertaining needs.
Mojitos are thought to have been created in Havana, Cuba.
A classic mojito is made of rum, lime, mint, and sugar.
More mocktails to sip
Drink Recipes
New Mother Mocktail (Juice Blend)
Drink Recipes
Shirley Temple
Drink Recipes
Raspberry Lemonade Fizz
Join Us
Virgin Mojito
Equipment
- Lowball Glasses (These square ones are so pretty!)
Ingredients
- 10 fresh mint leaves plus more for garnish (see note 1)
- 1/2 lime cut into 4 wedges, divided
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or to taste (see note 2)
- 1 cup ice cubes
- 1/2 cup club soda (see note 3)
Instructions
- In a medium sturdy glass, add mint leaves and 1 lime wedge. Use a muddler to crush the mint and lime, releasing the mint oils and lime juice.
- Add 2 more lime wedges and the sugar, and muddle again to release the lime juice. Do not strain the mixture.
- Fill the glass almost to the top with ice. Add club soda and more sugar to taste if desired. Garnish with mint leaves and remaining lime wedge.
Notes
- Mint: Mojitos are typically made with spearmint, not peppermint.
- Sugar: Or substitute agave, honey, or simple syrup and add it to taste. However, the grittiness of granulated sugar adds texture and is part of the charm of a mojito.
- Club soda: Or choose sparkling water or a clear soda such as Sprite of 7Up.
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 mojito mocktail.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Love it
Thank you for your comment, Eva! So glad you loved it! – Meggan
So ,Nice & tastier drinks ,i Like it so much.
Thanks Sudarshan! – Meggan
I really love your recipes…they just simple and easy even for someone who has never been in a culinary class.thank you
From kenya
Love this recipe. It’s the one I always use. I cut the sugar in half.
O.M.G
I’m Can’t live Without This mine Favorite drink
Thank You Meggan
God Love You