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 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.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s easy to make: with minimal ingredients and no bartending skills required, this virgin mojito can be ready in minutes.
- It can be made in a pitcher for guests: want to make virgin mojito pitchers for guests? I’ve included easy instructions below.
- It’s a low sugar mocktail: by using a sugar free sweetener and club soda, you can create low calorie mojito mocktail at home.
- There are plenty of easy variations: want to make your mojito extra fancy? I’ve made some simple variations suggestions below. Hint: if you love strawberries, my virgin strawberry mojito is a great place to start! I also get lots of love for my ginger mocktails.
Ingredients – what you need
Lime: fresh limes are best if you can afford and have access to them. If you can't, there are so many amazing bottled lime juices out there now, so opt for those if that suits you better.
Fresh mint: lets face it – you just can’t make a virgin mojito without mint! Tip: be sure not to over muddle your mint, because it can cause the mint to release a bitter flavor. I’ve included some handy tips in the Expert section below.
Something to sweeten: traditional mojitos call for regular sugar, which is muddled with the lime and mint. But if you’re like me and prefer a lower carb option, try using powdered monk fruit sweetener instead. This is a low carb sugar replacement that still tastes great.
Tip: if you love an extra minty flavor, try my easy mint simple syrup for this. You can also make this low-carb by replacing the sugar with monkfruit sweetener.
You could also use Stevia, coconut sugar, honey, or any sweetener of your choice. If you like tangy flavours, you might omit the sweetener altogether.
Soda water: use your sparkling water of choice. If you're unable to get fresh limes, another option is to use limeade or a citrus sparkling water for some extra flavor.
Ice: I love using crushed ice in my virgin mojito as I find this evenly disperses the mint and lime, but regular ice cubes are fine too.
Non-alcoholic rum: if you really want to elevate your mojito mocktails, try an alcohol-free rum. I personally love the Lyre’s white cane spirit.
Equipment
Glasses: high ball glasses are typically used for mojitos, but there’s no need to be fussy with glassware - with the gorgeous combination of the mint, lime and ice, these drinks look great in any glass.
A muddler: if you have a normal muddler that’s perfect. If not, anything that will help to bruise the mint just slightly will work - I find the back end of a wooden spoon to be a great option.
Pitcher or jug: to make virgin mojito pitchers, choose an appropriately sized pitcher – this will depend on how many guests you want to serve. I’ve included some simple instructions below.
How to make a virgin mojito
- 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.
- 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.
- If you’re using non-alcoholic rum, add it now.
- 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.
- 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.
Want to save this?
Enter your email below and we'll send it to your inbox, plus you'll get a new mocktail recipe from me every week.
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 understand limes can be crazy expensive, so if you need to use bottled lime juice that will still work. I recommend choosing a lime juice without added sugar.
I love both the Lyre’s White Cane Spirit and Dark Cane Spirit. The White Cane Spirit is best suited to mojito mocktails.
I hope you love my virgin mojito mocktails as much as I do!
Easy Virgin Mojito Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 small lime quartered
- 10 mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (see note 1)
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 1 oz non-alcoholic rum (optional - see note 2)
Instructions
- Place the lime and your sweetener of choice into your glass.
- Muddle for about 1 minute to release the juice from the lime.
- Clap the mint in your hands a few times to release the scent. Place it in the glass and press gently with the muddler 2-3 times.
- Add non alcoholic rum (if using).
- Top with sparkling water and ice. Stir.
- Garnish with slices of lime or some extra mint and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
NUTRITIONAL VALUES ARE ESTIMATES ONLY AND DO NOT INCLUDE CARBS FROM SUGAR ALCOHOLS.
Cate says
So good! And I have a Kentucky Colonel Mint growing in my garden. Needed a good non-alc. beverage to use it all up! Thank you!
Can you recommend where one can get non-alcohol rum?
Nat says
Hi Cate,
Oooo that sounds absolutely perfect! My mint julep mocktail would also work a treat with your lovely fresh mint.
As for your question, I love the Lyre's non-alcoholic rum, it's delicious.
Cheers
Nat
Ange says
These were just delicious, and so easy too. Thank you for sharing!
The Mindful Mocktail says
It's such a pleasure, I adore virgin mojitos too! Cheers.
Sharni Thomas says
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe! We tried this on the weekends and they were delicious and very refreshing. So yummy, thank you 😊😊
The Mindful Mocktail says
My pleasure, I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
Debra says
How much water do you use? They look so refreshing!
The Mindful Mocktail says
Hi Debra, thanks for your lovely comment and question! If you click on each of the virgin mojito recipes, it breaks down each ingredient and the required quantity. I hope that helps! Cheers Nat.
Liz says
What is the best sparkling water for this drink? Can’t wait to try it😊
The Mindful Mocktail says
Hi Liz, thanks for your question! Any of your preferred soda water brands would work! I used San Pellegrino and it was perfect.
Lucie Palka says
Oh Mohitos, how I love them!l Perfect summer drink. I love mint and lime.
The Mindful Mocktail says
I couldn't agree more Lucie, they are perfect for Summer! And super easy too.
Katarina Van Der Linden says
This is so delicious! I make one quite often. It's easy, fun and delightful. Love it 💙
The Mindful Mocktail says
Thanks so much for the feedback on the virgin mojito Kat! I'm so happy you love the recipe.
Vicki Upward says
Made the Virgin Mohito last for my husband and I . It was so delicious, I made myself another one ! Just the right balance of flavours . Loved it ❤️❤️
The Mindful Mocktail says
Hi Vicki,
I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
Thank you for your lovely review.
xx