Pineapple Mojito

This post is sponsored by Princess Cruises, all opinions are my own.

Pineapple Mojito:

This pineapple mojito recipe is chock full of classic mojito flavor, mint and lime, with a fun tropical twist! You can make it with or without rum, and by the glass or the pitcher for a refreshing, delicious beverage.

Serve at a summer gathering with a bowl of summer fruit salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, and your favorite marinated chicken for the perfect feast!

During my recent Princess Cruise with OceanMedallion, I drank a lot of Mojitos. Coconut mojitos, pineapple mojitos, classic mojitos, tons of No-Jitos, which are alcohol free versions of the drink.

Basically anytime I was thirsty, I would use my OceanNow App to order a cool, refreshing, No-jito, to enjoy. The mint, lime, and sugary goodness made me so happy. I am pretty sure the awesome staff onboard knew to just keep them coming!

Well on one of the last days of the 7 day Caribbean cruise, I was sitting at Good Spirits, one of the onboard bars, with a group of friends, and noticed the various flavored mojito options. Of course, I had to try them all. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t tried them sooner. Oh YUM!

The pineapple and coconut were both amazing. And so I decided to recreate the pineapple for you! With my own twist. I also made sure it was delicious as a mocktail, since I love serving mocktails at dinner, it makes my kids feel so special and fancy.

FYI before we chat more about mojito recipes, I need to say, the cruise was awesome, you can read more about that in this post explaining what the MedallionClass Experience is like. I highly recommend it.

Mojito Recipe

I think it is important to note, while on the cruise, I didn’t just drink mojitos, I actually got to learn to make them.

One of our stops was Puerto Rico, where I got to go on a super fun excursion that included a historic tour, and then a cooking class. And of course, one of the first things we made in the class was Mojitos!

We made a classic mojito where we tore mint leaves and muddled them, used a shaker, poured our beverage over ice, and topped it off with club soda. But I thought it would be fun to share a pitcher version that can be served at a gathering.

I am using all the techniques and important cocktail making skills I learned in Puerto Rico, but giving it a fun twist!

Mojito  Ingredients

Traditionally a mojito has only 5 ingredients: white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint.

Obviously, I want to change things up a little, and keep the combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors, but make it a little more fun with a great twist, and also make the rum optional.

So here is what I used:

Mint

One of the most important elements of a good mojito, whether a classic cocktail or a fun twist or a mocktail is the mint. You want to use fresh mint. And you  want to tear it off the stems.

One of the little packages you  get from the store, which are typically .75 ounces is sufficient for this recipe. But of course you can adjust to your flavor preference.

Lime

Lime is one of my favorite parts of a mojito, and it is important to recognize that you need to use fresh lime juice. Do not use a bottled variety or it will compromise the flavor of the beverage.

If making this for just one person at a time you would squeeze about half a lime, or 4 wedges. But for the pitcher. I like about 3 whole limes.

You can adjust how many limes  you use to fit your personal preference. I like to go a little heavy on the limes.

Simple Syrup

For a mojito you can use either a simple syrup made with cane sugar, or use cane sugar and muddle it with the mint leaves and the lime juice. Because this is a pitcher full of the tasty mojito, I decided to make a simple syrup ahead of time.

Simple syrup is just that…simple. It is a combination of sugar and water. Equal parts. And you cook it on a medium-heat until the sugar melts completely and the liquid is clear.

It takes about 10 minutes or so to make, and then let it cool completely before using it in your cocktail or mocktail.

Pineapple Juice

As a fun twist to a classic recipe for a mojito, I thought I would amp up this fun summer beverage with a little pineapple.

Pineapple is not only very Caribbean and island vibe-y, but it is straight up delicious. And the perfect compliment to this particular cocktail.

Rum

A nice white rum is what you want for a mojito. This pineapple mojito is no exception.

However, if you aren’t a drinker, want to serve this family-friendly, or don’t have rum on hand, you can always go without the rum. It tastes awesome as a mocktail too.

Club Soda

A traditional mojito recipe is going to use mint, lime, sugar, and rum, and be poured over ice, then the glass will be topped with club soda.

For this recipe, we add the club soda to the pitcher directly. If you want to make it ahead a little, just add the club soda right before serving so it keeps the refreshing bubbles!

Ice

I feel like it is worth mentioning when making a mojito that ice is a big and important factor.

You want to serve this chilled, over a nice tall glass of ice. So fill your cup with ice, and pour the mocktail or cocktail right over the top.

Mint Simple Syrup (optional)

While I was shopping for this cocktail I happened upon a bottle of mint simple syrup, and since I love mint, and it isn’t exactly in season here, so my fresh mint wasn’t the strongest flavor, I decided to add a little extra with an ounce of mint syrup.

I feel like it was a good choice. But unnecessary.

How to Make a Mojito

Making a great mojito, and an authentic mojito is not complicated. But if you do it the right way,  the results are phenomenal.

Step one: Mint + Muddle

The first step in a mojito is muddling the mint in the glass. If you are using sugar instead of  simple syrup, you would muddle the mint with the sugar.

But for this recipe, we just muddle it right in the pitcher so all the oils and flavors stay in the beverage.

Step Two: Fresh Squeeze Lime Juice

The classic second step for mojitos is to add the rum over ice, but since I like to keep the rum optional, and want to make sure I get the right ratio of lime and mint, I add the lime juice second. Squeeze those limes.

 

Step three: Simple Syrup and Pineapple Juice

This is where I add in the simple syrup. I make it beforehand so it has a chance to cool. Just a refresher, it is equal parts water and sugar, heat it up so the sugar melts, when the liquid is clear, it is done.

Then for this pineapple mojito, this is where you add the pineapple juice. Because you are using simple syrup, look for an unsweetened, no extra sugar added pineapple juice.

Step four: Rum, add to your preference

Again, the rum is optional, this mojito is delicious even without the rum. And family friendly that way. If you are using rum, opt for a white rum. Or to make it even more fun, how about a coconut rum?

Step Five: Top with Club Soda

Traditionally if making one cocktail at a time, you would top off a high ball glass with the club soda. But since this is a pitcher full, you are going to be topping off a 60 ounce pitcher. I used about 16 ounces, but you can use as much or as little as you want.

Step Six: Serve over Ice! And Garnish

This is critical. Ice makes it even more refreshing. Pour over ice.  Then garnish with extra lime, mint, and even wedges of pineapple!

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