Coconut Mojitos

Boat deck or roof deck, there's no better way to sip this summer than enjoying a few Coconut Mojitos. A refreshing mix of rum, lime, and mint mingle with creamy coconut for a cocktail that turns any party into a vacation. 

Sometimes when people hear that you work from home, they can’t help but tease you about all the fabulous places you should be posted up with your laptop. "You can travel the world! You could work from the beach!" they always say. But sadly my spare room full of serveware, my 3-foot-long photography boards, and my 70-pound dog won’t all fit in a checked bag (and you know I'm not leaving Roux behind).

So instead I’m coming to you today-- as usual-- from the Garden State. 

To be honest, I've never been much of a traveler anyway, I'm more of the host-a-party-at-home sort. And for a summer get-together, there's no better way to bring some of the tropics to your backyard than an easy, refreshing, coconut-flavored cocktail-- the Coconut Mojito. 

COCONUT MOJITOS: THE PERFECT TROPICAL SUMMER DRINK

Carribean cocktails are a big crowd-pleaser-- until you want to order a second round. With ingredients like pineapple juice, sugary liqueurs, and simple syrup, by the time you get to the bottom of a hurricane glass you wind up feeling a lot less refreshed and a lot more like you need to unbutton your shorts and drink ten bottles of water. 

But that's not the case with these cocktails. Coconut Mojitos are everything you’re looking for in a tropical drink. They’re fruity, sweet, and creamy; but they’re also balanced and easy-drinking thanks to the addition of bright lime, refreshing mint, and fizzy club soda.  

WHAT'S IN A COCONUT MOJITO?

Traditional mojitos call for a base of light-bodied white rum. While it’s made from sugarcane and associated with tiki drinks, rum itself is no sweeter than any other spirit. 

So to achieve the Carribbean sweetness we want, this Coconut Mojito recipe is dressed up with coconut cream and molasses-kissed brown sugar, which brings warmness to the drink. The best part? No simple syrup required. That means that you can make these in a flash-- whenever a craving hits you like a hurricane. Get it? Hurricane? Har har.

The best part of the Coconut Mojito is how refreshing it is, so just coconut cream, rum, and brown sugar won't do the trick on their own. I guess you could say that if the brown sugar is like warm sunshine, then mint and lime are the cool breeze, balancing the mojito with much-needed acidity and freshness.

That's not it, though. It might seem like the cocktail is finished, but the last ingredient is a surprisingly important one: seltzer water or club soda. A little carbonation to top the cocktail off not only adds interest, but it actually makes the drink taste colder (seriously, that's a thing!) and helps to quench your thirst better. 

TIPS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

Do as the islanders do and go with the flow! To make your Coconut Mojitos your own, you can: 

• Add fruit: Everyone loves a tasty garnish, especially Spiked Fruit Straws. 
• Rim it: A rim of toasted coconut will amplify the sweet nuttiness of  your mojitos. Cook the shredded coconut in a pan on medium-low heat until it smells nutty and begins to brown, or bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes, shaking the sheet pan occasionally to prevent burning. 
• Skip the coconut cream: In a pinch, skim the thick top layer of canned coconut milk in place of coconut cream. You can also substitute sweetened condensed milk with a dash of coconut extract. 

MORE SUMMER COCKTAILS

• Strawberry Basil Spiked Lemonade
• Strawberry Sangarita (Margarita Sangria)
• Coco Pina Margarita
• Creamy Margarita Popsicles
• Captain’s Passion Punch

Coconut Mojitos

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★★★★★

5 from 6 reviews

• Author: Morgan
• Total Time: 5 mins
• Yield: 1 1x

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 6 mint leaves, plus more to garnish
• ½ lime, cut into wedges, plus more to garnish
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1.5 ounces (1 shot) white rum
• 1.5 ounces (1 shot) coconut rum
• 2 ounces (¼ cup) cream of coconut
• Ice
• Seltzer water or club soda, to top

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Instructions

1. Add the mint leaves, lime wedges, and light brown sugar to a cocktail shaker. Muddle, then pour in the rums and cream of coconut.
2. Fill the shaker with ice, then seal and shake vigorously until chilled and well-combined.
3. Strain into an ice-filled glass and top with seltzer water or club soda. Garnish with additional lime and mint. Serve immediately.

• Prep Time: 5 mins