Fizzy, refreshing, creamy and the perfect amount of sweet, the coconut mojito is a stellar cocktail to sip all summer. If you love coconut recipes, this is the ultimate warm-weather cocktail for you thanks to the dynamic duo of coconut rum and cream of coconut (not to be confused with coconut cream). Rounding out the cocktail are classic mojito ingredients like lime, mint, sugar and club soda. It’s an easy recipe to follow, and you don’t need any special home bar equipment to make this tropical tipple!
Coconut Mojito Ingredients
- Lime: Muddling the lime wedge with sugar and lime juice releases the oils in the peel, giving your coconut mojito an extra hit of zestiness. If you’re serious about your cocktails, freshly squeezed citrus is the only way to go.
- Sugar: Superfine sugar is the easiest to muddle, but white or brown sugar will get the job done and imbue your mojito with the right level of sweetness.
- Coconut rum: Is there such a thing as too much coconut? Not when you’re making coconut mojitos. Coconut rum boosts the flavor of this tropical fruit.
- Light rum: White rum, light rum and silver rum are all the same thing. This clear, unaged rum is the gold standard for many a classic rum cocktail. It has a fruity, lightly sweet flavor ideal for building tropical drinks.
- Cream of coconut: Lending a creamy texture to the mojito and providing half the coconut flavor, cream of coconut is most famous as an ingredient in the classic pina colada. I don’t recommend swapping for coconut cream or coconut milk; while you can use either as a substitute in a pinch, they won’t bring the decadent creaminess or sweetness to your coconut mojito recipe.
- Club soda: If you don’t have club soda, seltzer water is perfect for putting some sparkle in your mojitos.
- Mint: It’s not a mojito without mint! Like the lime juice, mint lifts this tropical cocktail and goes great with coconut. Remember to save a few springs for a garnish.
Directions
Step 1: Muddle the sugar and lime juice
Squeeze the lime into a highball glass and drop the wedge into the glass. Add the sugar and muddle until it’s dissolved. Add ice to the glass.
Editor’s Tip: If you don’t have a cocktail muddler, use a wooden spoon.
Step 2: Add the rum and coconut
Gently press or slap the mint to release its oils, then add it to the glass. Pour the light rum, coconut rum, cream of coconut, lime juice and club soda over the ice. Stir to combine. Garnish with additional mint and lime wedge.
Coconut Mojito Variations
- Make a frozen coconut mojito: To make a frozen coconut mojito, you’ll need ice and a powerful blender. Starting with the ice, pour all the ingredients (except for the club soda; there’s no need for it when going the frozen route) into your blender, secure the lid and blitz the cocktail until it’s smooth.
- Mix up a mocktail: If you’re in the mood for mocktails, swap out the rum in favor of lemon-lime soda or ginger ale.
- Add other fruits: Coconut plays well with many fruits, so adding a teaspoon of fruit puree can lead to some phenomenal custom mojitos. Strawberry and raspberry are some of my favorites, and it’s virtually impossible to go wrong with other tropical fruits like passion fruit, pineapple, mango and lychee.
- Switch up the herbs: Take inspiration from Southeast Asia and swap the mint for lemongrass, cilantro or makrut lime leaf.
Can you make coconut mojitos ahead of time?
Most cocktails taste best when freshly mixed. If you want to mix your coconut mojitos in advance, say for a party, prepare them up to an hour before you plan on serving them. For best results, add the ice and stir the club soda into the drink immediately before handing them out so the mojitos are fresh and fizzy.
Coconut Mojito Tips
What’s the best rum for coconut mojitos?
Whether you’re mixing classic or coconut mojitos, white rum (also sold as silver or light rum) is the top pick for this Cuban cocktail. There are a lot of phenomenal white rums to choose from, but a few of my top picks are Wray & Nephew, Don Q Cristal (my personal favorite), El Dorado 3 years or the tried-and-true favorite, Bacardi. Ultimately, the best rum is the rum you like best. If you prefer spiced rum or dark rum, use them as your mojito base. Both are outstanding with coconut.
In what type of glass should you serve a coconut mojito?
The bartender’s choice of glassware for mojitos is the Collins glass or highball glass. The mojito is traditionally served as a long drink, so a taller glass is the way to go. In a pinch, use pint glasses or Mason jars.
What else can you serve with coconut mojitos?
Because of coconut’s bold, tropical flavor, this summery cocktail demands a similar intensity in food pairings. South and Southeast Asian dishes like Thai coconut beef and sheet pan tandoori chicken are loaded with fragrant spices that are compatible with coconut.
Peanut sauce is wickedly good with coconut, so if you’re serving up pad thai or chicken satay, coconut mojitos will be a smash hit. Latin American cuisine, especially Cuban, is a no-brainer. Plating Cuban sandwiches for a party or frying up some papas rellenas? Pair them with coconut mojitos! If you’re firing up the grill, try smoky, sweet barbecue ribs, grilled chicken or brats.
