This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.
Make drinks for a crowd with this mojito pitcher recipe! This big batch cocktail has the ideal bubbly, minty flavor and festive vibe.
The minty mojito is one of top favorite classic cocktails of all time. But when it comes to entertaining, have you ever tried to shake up more than 2 drinks, one after another? It takes far too long to make them to order. So enter: this mojito pitcher recipe! We created this big batch cocktail for an outdoor dinner party, and it’s infinitely more fun to party with one of these in hand. It’s minty, tangy, bubbly, and gives you that carefree feeling like the last day of school before summer vacation.
What’s in a mojito pitcher?
The Classic Mojito was invented in Havana, Cuba, though the exact origin is unknown. Some say it goes all the way back to the 1500’s with an early combination of lime, sugar and rum. The modern version of it gained steam in the 1930’s, when writer Ernest Hemingway helped to popularize it.
The Mojito made the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, which means it has an official definition. But it’s always defined as a single drink, not a pitcher. The pitcher version uses a homemade mint simple syrup, which is a little different from the standard method. You’ll need the following ingredients:
- Fresh mint
- Lime juice
- Sugar
- White rum
- Soda water
The key: mint simple syrup
The standard mojito is made in a cocktail shaker: first you muddle mint, then add simple syrup, lime juice and rum. But for a pitcher version, you don’t want to have to muddle such a large quantity of the herb. That’s where the mint syrup comes in! Make a quick mint simple syrup, and it infuses minty fresh flavor into each drink. It’s similar to this mint simple syrup, but even quicker. Here are the main steps:
- Place mint leaves in a pan with equal parts sugar and water.
- Bring to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved, then allow to sit at least 5 minutes. Then strain it into a large pitcher.
Otherwise, this mojito pitcher recipe is beyond simple. Mix the syrup with lime juice and rum, then add ice and garnishes to the pitcher. Serve topped off with soda water! Speaking of…
Soda water vs club soda
Speaking of soda water…is it club soda? Is it seltzer? In this mojito pitcher recipe, we use the term “soda water” to mean any type of unflavored sparkling water! Here are some of the differences between club soda vs seltzer:
- Soda water aka seltzer is carbonated water with no additives — straight up bubbles!
- Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty, lightly sweet flavor. It’s great in cocktails, like these top club soda cocktails.
In contrast, tonic water is carbonated water with added quinine and sugar. Don’t use it in a Mojito because of the distinct flavor. But you can use it for a Gin and Tonic, Vodka Tonic, Tequila Tonic or Whiskey Tonic!
Mojito variations
Want a few variations on this Mojito pitcher recipe? Here are a few different Mojito variations to try: you can adapt each of them to work as a pitcher!
- Limoncello Mojito Add this Italian lemon liqueur for a citrusy twist
- Virgin Mojito Mocktail Go virgin and skip the rum! Use the mint syrup, but you can add a hint of orgeat too if you like.
- Strawberry Mojito Muddle 1 pint strawberries for a fruity variation!
- Raspberry Mojito Muddle 1 pint raspberries, and add it to the mix.
- Pineapple Mojito Add 1 cup pineapple juice to the mix.
- Peach Mojito Muddle slices from 8 small or 4 large ripe peaches, and add to the mix.
When to serve this mojito pitcher recipe
This mojito pitcher recipe is perfect for parties! Try it as a:
- Summer drink
- Brunch drink
- Mother’s Day drink
- Afternoon drink
- Dinner party drink
- Before dinner drink (aperitif)
Mojito Pitcher Recipe!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 drinks 1x
Description
Make drinks for a crowd with this mojito pitcher recipe! This big batch cocktail has the ideal bubbly, minty flavor and festive vibe.
Ingredients
- ½ cup loosely packed mint leaves, plus more for the garnish
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 cup lime juice (about 8 limes), plus 1 lime for the garnish
- 2 cups white rum
- 2 cups soda water or club soda
Instructions
- Add the sugar, water and mint to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and stir until all sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit for at least 5 minutes. Then strain it into a large pitcher.
- Add the lime juice and rum to the pitcher. Add the extra mint leaves and the extra lime, cut into rounds. Fill the pitcher with 4 handfuls of ice. Gently stir in soda water just before serving.
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
This recipe was a winner! I made it for a girls night my friend was having. Everyone loved it!
So is it really best to put the fresh mint into the hot simple syrup. Seven or eight years ago I made a recipe like this about but didn’t keep any notes however my recollection was that I made the simple syrup, cooled it down to at least room temperature then added the fresh mint leaves and let it steep at least 24 hours. That way the mint leaves didn’t get “cooked“ and it tasted freshly fantastic but it took longer than your recipe. Have you ever tried putting the French mint leaves into a room temperature syrup and then refrigerating to allow to sleep for 24 hours versus putting the leaves in the hot syrup? Maybe I’m remembering it incorrectly because I make a lot of regular Mojitos, well not regular because I use Equal instead of sugar and that of course uses fresh mint leaves so that the muddling action of the Equal powder plus line juice is what draws out the mint flavor from the leaves. Am curious to hear if you ever tested both methods and which one tasted better regardless of how long it took.
Thanks for the comment! We haven’t tried mint in room temperature syrup but that’s a great idea. We’ll have to try now that we’ve got loads of mint around. Thanks for the idea!
Could you make this a few hours ahead, then add the soda water before serving?
Yes! I would do a couple of hours but not overnight as the lime flavor would start to mellow.
I want to make the coconut mojito for a party. Could I just add cream of coco to this?
I would do 8x this recipe here (also includes coconut rum) https://www.acouplecooks.com/coconut-mojito/
good thinking! Might as well make a big batch while making mojitos, love your pitcher too, thank you!