Introducing one of my favorite drinks of season: the Watermelon Mojito! It's hard to fully express my adoration for this perfect summer drink. It's refreshing, cooling, lightly sweet, bright, and lightly boozy. Great for unwinding, enjoying poolside, or sipping with friends!
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Table of Contents
For more summery drink recipes, try my Peach Smoothie, Coffee Boba, and Ube Bubble Tea.
At A Glance: Watermelon Mojito
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Makes: 1 cocktail
- Nutrition (per serving): 208 calories | 24g carbohydrates | 1g protein | .4g fat
- What it Tastes Like: Refreshing, hydrating, and fruity — like a trip to the Caribbean without leaving your kitchen!
- Why You'll Love It: It's easy to make, fresh, summery, great as both a cocktail and mocktail, and easily made into a pitcher.
- Difficulty Level: Easy — just measure, shake, strain, and enjoy!
Watermelon mojitos: oh how I love thee. You are frosty and cool, sweet, citrusy minty, and all-around perfect! Though I can enjoy you with Puerto Rican rum, I can also imbibe, low ABV style, anytime thanks to zero proof rum alternatives. You're ready in a few simple steps, perfect for entertaining a crowd, and a great way to use up leftover watermelon.
< Ending my reverie >
Clearly, I'm obsessed! After just one sip of this balanced, summery drink, I bet you will be, too! Let's get shaking, shall we?!
If you have extra watermelon to use up, you'll also love my Watermelon Smoothie recipe!
How to Make Watermelon Puree
As you probably guessed, watermelon is the base of this cocktail recipe! Though you can use watermelon juice, it can be tricky to find (most options are juice cocktails, which consist of many other juices) and expensive if you do, so I usually make watermelon puree from watermelon cubes.
For the best results, use a ripe, seedless watermelon. Otherwise, be sure to remove the watermelon seeds before blending. I also recommend using a chilled watermelon for the most refreshing, cooling beverage.
To make the puree, blend a heaping cup of cubed watermelon in a high-speed blender, food processor, or a blending cup or pint-sized measuring cup with an immersion blender.
You can use the watermelon puree as-is for a slushy-like consistency (yum!) or strain it through a fine-mesh strainer for a smoother drink. Your call!
More Important Ingredients and Substitutions
Rum - I fell in love with mojitos on our trip to Puerto Rico last summer. They were so fresh, refreshing, and balanced but boozy, thanks to their high-quality rum. I was lucky enough to grab a few bottles of Don Q rum at the duty-free in the airport — it's fantastic! If you can't find it, other brands like Bacardi will also do the job. I recommend white rum for a light flavor that doesn't overpower the fruit, but you can use gold rum if that's all you have on hand.
Mint - Fresh mint leaves are a hallmark of mojito recipes! You will need at least a few sprigs of fresh mint — I recommend 4-5 mint leaves per drink, plus a few extra to garnish.
Lime - Though some mojito recipes call for lime juice, I'm all about using the whole lime wedge. The citrus oils in the lime rind add an extra layer of flavor. Use three thick slices per drink and a wedge or wheel to garnish.
Sugar - For the most authentic experience, use organic cane sugar or raw cane sugar (such as Sugar in the Raw). If you don't have it, you can substitute white sugar or 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) of simple syrup.
Recipe Variations
This recipe is a great base for adding your own twist. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Coconut Watermelon - For an extra tropical twist, use 2 ounces of coconut rum instead of white rum.
- Tequila - Make a tequila watermelon mojito by substituting a high-quality añejo or reposado tequila for the rum.
- Club Soda - For a fizzy finish, top the mojitos with a splash of club soda or sparkling water before serving.
How to Make a Watermelon Mojito
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Add the watermelon juice, lime wedges, cane sugar, and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Muddle the mixture well until the mint and lime smell fragrant.
Step 3: Place ice cubes in the shaker. Top the shaker and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds until the outside is frosty.
Step 4: Pour the mojito mixture into a chilled glass or strain it for a smoother drink. Add extra ice if straining.
Step 5: Garnish the watermelon mojitos with additional lime wedges and mint, and enjoy!
Chelsea's Recipe Pro-Tips
- Shake well. The drink needs to be shaken thoroughly for the flavors to bloom and blend and for the sugar granules to dissolve. Top the cocktail shaker securely, then shake it vigorously for 20-30 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker is cold and frosty.
- Serve in chilled glasses. Add the serving glasses to the freezer 30-60 minutes before serving to help keep the drink cold and prevent the ice from melting, which can dilute the flavors.
- Other muddling options. Don't have a muddler? No problem, add the mint, lime slices, and sugar to a mortar and pestle and gently work the mixture until the mint smells fragrant and the lime wedges have expressed their juice. Add the mojito mix to the cocktail shaker, pour in the watermelon puree, and continue with the recipe as directed.
- Strain if desired. Though many authentic mojitos aren't strained, you can strain them for a smoother, less slushy drink. Strain the watermelon juice before muddling for a less pulpy texture and/or after shaking to remove the mint and lime.
Make a Pitcher
Serving a crowd? I got you! It's easy to make a pitcher of watermelon mint mojitos, which serves four people:
- Combine: Add 4 cups of watermelon juice, 1 sliced lime, 1 cup of fresh mint leaves, and 2 tablespoons of cane sugar to a large, deep bowl.
- Muddle: Using a wooden spoon or long cocktail muddler, press and muddle the mixture for a minute or two, until the limes are well pressed and the mixture smells minty. Make-ahead notes: At this point, you can cover the drink with aluminum foil and plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours before continuing and serving.
- Mix: Stir in 1 cup white rum and 2 cups of ice. Mix vigorously with the wooden spoon for about 30 seconds or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Strain: Carefully pour the mixture through a large fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher full of ice.
- Garnish and Serve: Add fresh mint and lime slices to the pitcher. Pour into tall glasses of ice and serve to guests!
Make It a Mocktail
Enjoy a refreshing summer drink without the buzz or a slow start the following morning by making a virgin watermelon mojito mocktail. Use a zero-proof rum alternative (such as Ritual), pineapple juice, or lemonade and make the recipe as directed. So delicious!
Watermelon Mojito FAQs
Yes! Frozen watermelon actually works great — it blends up easily and keeps your mojito extra cold without diluting it with too much ice. Just thaw it slightly before blending or muddling so it's easier to work with.
Fresh mint really is the move here and worth grabbing if you can. In a pinch, a small splash of peppermint extract (start with just ⅛ teaspoon — it's potent!) can work, or you can use fresh basil for a fun, slightly savory twist.
Either works, but blending gives you a smoother, juicier result and is my preference for this recipe. Muddling is quicker and works well if your watermelon is very ripe and juicy. If you muddle, just make sure to strain out any pulp before mixing.
The back of a wooden spoon works perfectly! You can also use the handle of a butter knife or even the bottom of a sturdy glass. The key is to press and twist gently — you want to release the oils from the mint, not shred it into tiny pieces.
You can blend and refrigerate the watermelon juice up to 2 days ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and give it a good stir before using, as it can separate slightly.
Over-muddled mint is almost always the culprit. When you muddle too aggressively, the mint leaves break down, releasing bitter compounds from the stems and veins. Muddle just until you can smell the mint — about 5-6 gentle presses is plenty.
A light or silver rum is the classic choice — it lets the watermelon and mint flavors shine without overpowering them.If you want a little more depth, a lightly aged gold rum works too, but skip anything dark or spiced here.
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More Summer Cocktails & Drinks
If you liked and made this Watermelon Mojito Recipe, don't forget to rate it and let me know how you liked it in the comments. I always love hearing from you!
Recipe Card
Watermelon Mojito
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup blended watermelon puree strain the juice for a smoother drink
- 3 lime wedges + additional to garnish
- ½ tablespoon cane sugar or white sugar or ½ ounce of simple syrup
- 4-5 fresh mint leaves + additional to garnish
- 2 oz white rum
- Large handful of ice
Instructions
- Add the watermelon juice, lime wedges, cane sugar, and mint leaves to a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle the mixture until the mint and lime smell fragrant.
- Add the ice to the cocktail shaker.
- Top the shaker and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds until the outside is frosty.
- Pour or strain the mojito mixture into a chilled glass. Add extra ice if straining. Garnish with additional lime wedges and mint, and enjoy!
Notes
- For the best results, use a ripe, seedless watermelon. Otherwise, be sure to remove the watermelon seeds before blending. I also recommend using a chilled watermelon for the most refreshing, cooling beverage.
- To make the puree, blend a heaping cup of cubed watermelon in a high-speed blender, food processor, or a blending cup or pint-sized measuring cup with an immersion blender.
- You can use the watermelon puree as-is for a slushy-like consistency (yum!) or strain it through a fine-mesh strainer for a smoother drink. Your call!
- To strain or not to strain? For a pulpy drink with a slushy-like consistency, I do not recommend draining the watermelon puree. Furthermore, if you also like to enjoy your drink with the mashed mint and lime, you can omit the final strain. For a smoother drink, you can strain the watermelon juice and/or the lime and mint solids after shaking. Make it your own, based on your preferences!
- Shake well. The drink needs to be shaken thoroughly for the flavors to blend and for the sugar granules to dissolve. Top the cocktail shaker securely and shake it vigorously for 20-30 seconds or until the outside of the shaker is cold and frosty.
- Serve in chilled glasses. Add the serving glasses to the freezer 30-60 minutes before serving to help keep the drink cold and prevent the ice from melting, which can dilute the flavors.
