Pomegranate Basil Mojito

This pomegranate basil mojito recipe can be made with or without alcohol to create a refreshing twist on the traditional mojito.

I am totally in love with mojitos! In fact, I love them so much that I like to drink them even without alcohol, which is why I came up with my original virgin mojito recipe. However, sometimes I like to change things up a bit and that’s where these pomegranate basil Mojitos come into play. Whether you make them as a virgin cocktail or with rum, they’re a tasty twist on the original recipe.

This pomegranate basil mojito is a twist on the traditional Cuban mojito recipe.

By using basil instead of mint, some pomegranate juice and maple syrup instead of sugar syrup, it’s a very refreshing drink that isn’t too sweet and tastes delicious…an excellent choice for a hot summer day or a Christmas holiday party.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it is equally good with or without rum. Which makes it a great signature cocktail for a party. You can serve the virgin version for those who aren’t drinking alcohol and the rum version for those who are.

How To Put It Together

The trick to great tasting mojitos is in the muddling.  Muddling is the process of gently crushing the herb leaves so they release more of their flavors. You don’t want to press so hard that the leaves break apart. Just enough for them to get bruised.

To do this, add the maple syrup and lime juice to the glass first and stir until they are combined. You can substitute simple syrup for the maple syrup if you prefer (although I like the extra flavor that the maple syrup adds).

Then add the basil leaves. Use a muddler* to gently push down on the leaves for about 10 seconds. If you don’t happen to have a muddler on hand, the back of a wooden spoon will also work.

Next mix in the pomegranate juice and rum (if you are using it).

Add the ice cubes, soda water and garnishes…and you’re done!

For garnishes, I use a couple of basil leaves plus a couple of raspberries in the summer or a few pomegranate seeds at Christmas.

Can You Make This In Big Batches?

Why, yes…yes, you can.

For parties, I mix up a big batch of muddled basil leaves, pomegranate juice, lime juice and maple syrup in advance. Just multiply the measurements below by the number of drinks you want to make in a batch.

Then to make the drinks after guests arrive, you just have to pour some of the mixture into a glass, add ice, rum (if desired) and soda water. That speeds up the drink making process and allows the basil flavor to infuse into the juices a bit more.

Other party drink recipes

• Berries and lime sangria
• Strawberry shortcake jello shots
• Original virgin mojitos
• Strawberry kiwi sangria

Pomegranate Basil Mojito

This pomegranate basil mojito recipe is a take off of the traditional mint mojito. It looks beautiful and tastes great...either with or without rum.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 5 mins

Total Time 5 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Cuban

Servings 1 cocktail

Calories 218 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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• 5 whole fresh basil leaves
• 2 Tablespoons of pomegranate juice
• Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
• 1 Tablespoon of maple syrup
• 1 ounce white rum (optional)
• soda water
• sprigs of basil
• pomegranate seeds or raspberries for garnish

Pots and Utensils

• Muddler or wooden spoon

Instructions

 

• Tear up the basil leaves and place them in a tall glass.
• Use a wooden spoon or "muddler" to gently crush the basil.  This releases the flavor from the leaves.
• Add pomegranate juice, lime or lemon juice, maple syrup and rum (if you are using it).
• Stir to blend in the maple syrup.
• Fill the glass with ice.
• Add soda.
• Garnish with a sprig of basil and a few pomegranate seeds or raspberries
• Serve it with a straw to prevent the leaves from ending up in your mouth.

Notes

This recipe is equally good with or without rum, so it makes a great signature party drink since you can satisfy everyone's tastes.

If you don't have a muddler, use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the basil leaves.

You can substitute simple sugar syrup instead of the maple syrup if that's what you have on hand, but I think the maple syrup adds some extra flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 12 ozCalories: 218 kcalCarbohydrates: 53.8 gProtein: 1.4 gFat: 0.3 gSodium: 48.8 mgSugar: 44.4 gVitamin C: 0.8 mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

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