Spring Cocktails Virgin Mojito (Printable version)

A fresh mojito pitcher with mint, lime, strawberries, and sparkling water, ideal for spring refreshment.

# What you need:

→ Fresh Base

01 - 1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish
02 - 3 limes, sliced into rounds
03 - 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced

→ Sweetener

04 - 1/4 cup agave syrup or simple syrup

→ Liquid

05 - 4 cups sparkling water, chilled
06 - 1 1/2 cups cold apple juice or white grape juice

→ Ice

07 - 2 cups ice cubes

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large pitcher, combine mint leaves, lime slices, and strawberry slices.
02 - Add agave syrup and gently muddle the mixture with a wooden spoon to release flavors, being careful not to shred the mint completely.
03 - Pour in the apple juice and stir to combine thoroughly.
04 - Just before serving, add the chilled sparkling water and ice cubes, then stir gently.
05 - Sample the mixture and adjust sweetness if desired by adding more agave syrup.
06 - Pour immediately into glasses garnished with extra mint and lime slices.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's refreshing without being cloyingly sweet, and guests who don't drink alcohol finally get something that feels celebratory.
  • You can make the entire pitcher ahead and just add ice and sparkling water when people arrive, which means you're actually present at your own gathering.
02 -
  • Never muddle mint until it's shredded into pulp; bruised leaves turn bitter and ruin the whole pitcher, something I discovered the hard way at a dinner party.
  • Cold ingredients matter more than you'd think—warm apple juice will dilute the drink once the ice melts, so chill everything beforehand.
03 -
  • Make a batch of simple syrup ahead by dissolving equal parts sugar and hot water, then cooling it completely; it dissolves faster than agave into cold drinks and tastes cleaner.
  • Freeze mint leaves in ice cubes the night before and add them to glasses instead of regular ice—they slowly release flavor as they melt.
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