I’ll always have a soft spot for virgin mojitos because this was the very first mocktail recipe on my blog. With the perfect balance of lime and mint, plus the option to make it low sugar, you’ll be sipping these easy mojito mocktails in less than 5 minutes – cheers to that!

this recipe

This deliciously refreshing recipe goes viral on my socials every year and it’s not hard to see why. It’s simple to make, tasty to sip and looks absolutely glorious in the glass, making it the perfect non-alcoholic drink to sip anytime.

Ingredients – what you need

How to make a virgin mojito

1. Place your lime and sweetener in a tall glass. Muddle until the juice is released from the lime – around 30-60 seconds should do it.
2. Clap the mint in your hands a few times. This helps to release the oils and scent, resulting in a mintier virgin mojito. Place it in the glass and press gently with the muddler 2-3 times. Do not twist and ‘squash’ the mint – the goal is to gently bruise only.
3. If you’re using non-alcoholic rum, add it now.
4. Fill your glass with ice to about an inch below the rim – this will give you room to stir. Top with sparkling water (or your choice of mixer) and stir gently. The goal is to lift the lime, mint and sweetener from the bottom of the glass and evenly disperse it throughout the drink. Once you’ve finished stirring, top with a little more soda if you need to.
5. Garnish with slices of lime or some extra mint and serve

Variations

Have fun with the mixer: try using ginger ale, kombucha or lime sparkling water as a the mixer to step the flavor up a notch!

Make it spicy: Jalapeños: want to give your mocktails a little kick? Try some jalapeños muddled with the lime - it's divine!

If you love classic mocktails like this one, be sure to check out my blue lagoon mocktail and virgin cosmopolitan too.

How to make a virgin mojito pitcher

Want to make a mojito mocktail for guests? This is how to do it.

First, adjust the quantities in the recipe card below to how many serves you want to make. This will automatically adjust the ingredient quantities, so you know how much of each ingredient you need.

Place your lime and sweetener/sugar of choice into your pitcher. Muddle well until the juice is released from the lime and the sweetener has dissolved. Clap the mint together in your hands to help release the oils and scent. Place the mint in the pitcher.

If you’re making this in advance, stop here and place the pitcher in the fridge.

Just before serving, add your non-alcoholic rum (if using) and your mixer of choice. To avoid watered down mojito mocktails, just add a cup or two of ice to the pitcher. Stir gently to combine.

Serve in ice filled glasses. I recommend having little bowls of mint and lime so your guests can garnish their drinks. Voila – there are your virgin mojito pitchers!

Expert tips and tricks

• Don’t over muddle – you want to press the mint down with your muddler as opposed to twisting it. Over muddled mint will create a bitter taste in your mojito, instead of the fresh minty flavor we know and love.

• If you’re not using zero-proof rum, try adding a little dash (no more than ½ teaspoon) of apple cider to your mojito mocktails. Apple cider vinegar is a by-product of alcohol and can offer a little ‘bite’, which often goes missing when we remove the alcohol from a drink.

Frequently asked questions

I hope you love my virgin mojito mocktails as much as I do!