Summa summa summa summa time.
Yep, it’s that time of year to smash up fruit with booze and declare it happy hour whenever you please. Who’s with me?
I’m kind of a mojito girl.
Yes, I’m also a margarita girl – don’t get it twisted. But who can be mad at white rum? Especially when it goes so perfectly with ripe summer berries, fresh basil and a hint of lime. Haters begone.
Origins of Mojitos
The exact origin of the mojito is debated, but all the stories we found agree that this delicious drink comes from Cuba. Some claim it comes from South American Indians living in the region in the 1500s who shared it with explorers suffering from scurvy. Other stories say that it was invented by slaves or in a bar in Havana, Cuba. We’re not sure which story is true, but we’re very grateful to the creator!
The following is our inspired version, made with a flavor twist!
This cocktail is rather simple.
7 ingredients
5 minutes
BIG flavor
Super refreshing
What’s not to love?
It goes like this:
Muddle berries, lime and sugar.
Add basil, muddle a little more.
Add rum, gently stir.
Add some crushed ice and stir.
Add club soda and gently stir.
Top with more crushed ice, basil and a blackberry (or two).
See? I told you you could do it.
This cocktail SCREAMS summer. It’s:
Icy cold
Fruity
Tart
Sweet
Herbaceous
Boozy
& Refreshing
We’ve been enjoying this mojito as an at-home happy hour. If you aren’t a fan of or don’t have basil, swap it for mint for a more classic version. And though I haven’t tried it with other fruit combinations, I imagine cherries and raspberries would be amazing.
If you make this drink, let us know! Leave a comment and rate it. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
Blackberry Basil Mojito
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp cane sugar
- 1/2 medium lime (quartered)
- 3 ripe blackberries (plus more for garnish)
- 6-7 basil leaves (plus more for garnish)
- 1.7 ounces white rum (such as Bacardi)
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 1/4 cup soda water (aka club soda)
Instructions
- Add lime segments, blackberries, and sugar to a cocktail glass and gently muddle 7-8 times (use a muddler or anything with a blunt edge, such as the handle end of a spatula).
- Add basil and gently muddle again 4-5 times to infuse flavor.
- Add white rum and gently stir/fold with a spoon to combine.
- Then add crushed ice, gently stir, and top with a splash of club soda. Gently stir/fold once more. Then garnish with a bit more crushed ice and garnish with basil.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition (1 of 1 servings)
Caitlin says
YUM! My parents gave me lots of fresh basil and blackberries from their garden today, so I looked up recipe ideas and found this!! We ran out of white rum after the first one, so we tried it with a darker (Bacardi Gold) rum and that was actually my favorite of the two!
Cheers to this deliciousness!
Aw, love that! Thanks so much for sharing, Caitlin!
Wendy Pitts says
These are really good!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Wendy! xo
Khris says
I didn’t have Raspberries but I had watermelon puree frozen ice cubes. Omgosh! So good! So happy I found your recipe.
Oh that sounds delicious, Khris!
Kristin Baker says
Hi Dana,
Would it be possible to substitute white rum for dark rum? I have two bottles at home that I rarely use, and would prefer not to get another I don’t drink from. Thank you.
Hi Kristin! You could try that out, but I’m not sure how successful it would be as the flavor would be quite different. If you give it a try, report back!
Brigette says
I made this with a ginger white rum and it was divine. My husband doesn’t like the mint in a traditional mojito and I never thought to sub in basil. Thanks!
Dana says
I attended a mixology class where we had to make our own drinks. I did a variation on this. I did blackberry basil with lemon and vodka. I used a vanilla simple syrup instead of the sugar. My drink won 1st place.
Xm says
I’m not a drinker. Anything I can add as a substitute for the rum?
Just omit it!
Mira says
In love with these awesome and delicious Cocktails!
Susan Pantle says
Looks like a great summer bev! Keep all these wonderful recipes coming. I love receiving them even though I don’t always comment. I am building my healthy food arsenal! Thanks!
thanks Auntie! I know you follow along. Hope you guys love this one!
Sanjay Patel says
Absolutely amazing and refreshing drink for summer. I now have found a good substitute for mints in Mojito…..never tonight of using basil.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sanjay. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Rachel says
I’ve been making this with fresh marionberries all weekend, yum!
Elizabeth @ Pineapples and Polka Dots says
My husband would love this! He is a big fan of basil in anything. The colors are beautiful, too! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Brigitte says
This is an amazing recipe. I’m drooling looking at your pictures. So perfect for summer!
Thanks Brigitte! xo
William @ PrendreDeLaMasseMusculaire.fr says
HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL!!!!! I tried this last night. IT WAS AMAZING!!! I kind of made 4 of them. Shhh dont judge.
I love how the tartness of the blackberry counters the slight bitterness of the basil. They work seamlessly together on your palate. This is by far my new favorite drink. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!!
Thanks William! xo
Kankana says
Clearly the flavor rocks but the color too is so pretty! That’s a great mojito.
Elio Rupo says
Hi Dana, this is just awesome. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Lauren Hartmann says
Ummmm…this could not look any more delicious. Pretty sure I need this in my life. Also, I just remembered something I need to text you about! Also…look at me actually commenting on a blog post and not just lurking :).
haha! So proud!!
Ana | Espresso My Kitchen says
This looks and sounds refreshing. I’ve been loving Mojitos lately and need to try this version with basil and berries. Pinned!
Thanks Ana! Hope you give it a try!
Brittany says
Gaahh — I love the muddled blackberries! Plus, our liquor cabinet is stocked with rum from our honeymoon, which was over 2 years ago (guess we’re not big rum drinkers when we’re not in the Caribbean). This recipe looks like the perfect way to put it to good use.
ha! We aren’t usually big rum drinkers either. But I’d never turn down a mojito so it’s great to have on hand!
Linda Li says
Ohhhhh I need this drink right now :P
Anna says
love it!! super original :D
Ruth Meaney says
Yes I’m heavily pregnant, and yes it is the middle of winter where I am…. BUT I really really want one of these! Basil YUM! Blackberries YUM! Lime YUM!! Off I waddle for a glass of cold water instead… *sigh*
haha, sorry Ruth!
McFadden's Chicago says
This looks wonderful! Congrats to a very deserving cook
Kathryn - The Scratch Artist says
I’m definitely in for your definition of summer!
Emily says
Gorgeous cocktail! And Saturday is National Mojito Day – I’m totally celebrating.
Just a quick question – you mentioned gin in the body of the post and then in the recipe you used rum…do you have a preference? I think either would be amazing!
Thanks! Definitely rum. We tried both and definitely preferred the rum version.
Lane | Modern Granola says
Yum! Sounds good! I haven’t had too many mojitos in my day, so I definitely need to do some research to see if it’s my new thing :) This recipe sounds amazing, so I def want to give it a try! (Plus, muddling is so much fun!)
xx Lane
Agreed! Hope you love this, Lane!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says
Such a cool combination of flavours!! And perfect for summer :)
Sydney | Modern Granola says
Summery-indeed! This looks so refreshing and delicious! This looks like the perfect way to unwind from a long day at work! Great recipe!
xx Sydney
Sara @ Oats & Rows says
This drink is calling my name!!
Cassie says
Gorgeous drink! Blackberries are my fave!
Kaitlin @ Heaps of Me says
OMG, OMG, OMG. Stop it right now. Is it 5pm yet and not 9am? I need to make this now! Basil is literally my obsession. Coming from an Italian family it has been growing in our backyard every summer for as long as I can remember. I put it in basically everything picked fresh from our garden. I love mojitos and blackberries too, so this is just perfection!
Xx
Ha! I’m rather obsessed with basil as well! Hope you love this one, Kaitlin xo
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
I am SO with you. I think our cocktail preferences are perfectly matched. I’m also a mojito and margarita girl, and this variation is exactly the kind of thing I would make at home. Love it!
You get me ;D