Blackberry Basil Mojito

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Glass of our Summery Blackberry Basil Mojito recipe for a refreshing, tart, and sweet cocktail

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?

Blackberries, lime, basil, and sugar for making a summer cocktail

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!

Cocktail glass with blackberries and lime wedges for homemade mojitos

This cocktail is rather simple.

7 ingredients
5 minutes
BIG flavor
Super refreshing

What’s not to love?

Muddling blackberries and limes for a homemade summer mojito recipe
Adding basil to a cocktail glass for making Blackberry Basil Mojitos

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.

Adding ice to a vegan summery drink
Stirring a Blackberry Basil Mojito for a refreshing summer drink

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!

Top down shot showing fresh blackberries and basil on a summery drink
Glass of our Summery Blackberry Basil Mojito recipe

Blackberry Basil Mojito

This 7-ingredient Blackberry Basil Mojito is refreshing, simple to make, and a lovely balance of tart and sweet. Perfect for happy hours, entertaining, and making the most of all that beautiful summer produce.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Glass filled with our Blackberry Basil Mojito recipe
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 1
Course Beverage
Cuisine Caribbean-Inspired, Gluten-Free, Vegan

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

* Adapted from the Man, Jamie Oliver.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.

Nutrition (1 of 1 servings)

Serving: 1 serving Calories: 184 Carbohydrates: 20 g Protein: 0.9 g Fat: 0.3 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 600 mg Fiber: 2.7 g Sugar: 13.2 g
Glass of Blackberry Basil Mojito and ingredients used to make it

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Reader Interactions

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My Rating:




  1. 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!

  2. Khris says

    I didn’t have Raspberries but I had watermelon puree frozen ice cubes. Omgosh! So good! So happy I found your recipe.

  3. 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.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      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!

  4. 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!

  5. 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.

  6. 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!

    • 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.

      • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

        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

  7. 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.

  8. 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!!!

  9. 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 :).

  10. 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!

  11. 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.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      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!

  12. 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*

  13. 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!

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. 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

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      Ha! I’m rather obsessed with basil as well! Hope you love this one, Kaitlin xo

  17. 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!