Classic Blackberry Mojito Recipe

While it may seem like vodka- or tequila-based cocktails steal the spotlight, there's one classic cocktail that ensures rum gets its flowers: the mojito. This cocktail, born in Cuba but now popular worldwide, relies on rum to provide a boozy flavor profile, but other staple ingredients, including lime juice, sugar, and oftentimes fresh mint, help make the drink an irresistible sipping option. A mint mojito may be the most popular variation of the cocktail out there, but this blackberry mojito recipe from developer Julianne De Witt proves that fruit can bring a whole new level of sweet, refreshing flavors to the table. 

"This vibrant cocktail is so quick to put together and is incredibly refreshing," De Witt describes, noting that the addition of white sugar instead of simple syrup — something that's traditional when it comes to mojitos — gives the blackberries a "jammy consistency," something that makes the cocktail even more delightful. Since blackberries can be sweet or tart (or both) depending on ripeness, De Witt also highlights the fact that you can play into this feature, either opting for a more tart beverage or adding more sugar as desired or needed. Sure to conjure up visions of a warm, summery beach day — and equally enjoyable in cold winter months — this blackberry mojito proves that you can stay true to a classic while adding a new, fruity flair.

To make a blackberry mojito, you'll need fresh blackberries, fresh mint, granulated sugar, lime juice, white rum, and club soda. Try to use the freshest ingredients possible for the best tasting cocktail, and make sure to use white rum over dark or spiced rum to keep the cocktail nice and light.

Add the blackberries to a sturdy glass.

Use a muddler to crush the berries.

Add the mint and muddle again.

Add the sugar and stir.

Add the lemon juice.

Add the rum.

Stir.

Add a handful of ice.

Top with the club soda.

Stir again, if desired, and garnish with more mint before serving.

Every cocktail has a history — some with shorter ones, like the Paper Plane that dates back only to 2007 — and others with long and sometimes murky ones, like the mojito. We do know that the mojito originated in Havana, Cuba, and according to De Witt, it's possible that it dates back as far as the 1500s. One possible origin of the mojito is at a Cuban restaurant and bar that Ernest Hemingway frequented; another origin could center around enslaved African people who, after working in sugar cane fields, came up with a drink that featured sugar cane alcohol at its base.

Yet another possible origin story for the mojito says that the scurvy-ridden crew of Sir Francis Drake was cured thanks to local native South Americans, who crafted a medicinal drink that featured sugar cane juice, lime juice, and mint. "The mojito may have been a medicinal drink to treat fever and colds," De Witt notes. 

Then, of course, there are those who don't necessarily go off when mojitos were created but rather when they were popularized, which seems to be in the early to mid 1900s, when Hemingway was throwing them back and the drink started appearing on menus. As for where the name mojito itself comes from, that too remains a mystery (as does exactly who came up with the name), but De Witt notes that it could stem from the Spanish word mojadito, which means "slightly wet."

Cocktails may seem pretty foolproof to make since they don't typically require more than shaking or stirring, and mojitos may seem even simpler yet. After all, this blackberry mojito recipe doesn't require any fancy bartending tricks or even the use of a cocktail shaker — that doesn't mean you can just toss ingredients into a glass and call it a day. 

For starters, with such a simple cocktail, the quality of the ingredients really matters. "Make sure your blackberries are ripe so that they are easily muddled and so that they add the perfect amount of sweetness," De Witt advises. She also warns to not over-muddle the mint, which will quickly transform a refreshing herb into a bitter one. Instead, simply bruise the mint to extract the flavor — a few quick presses of the muddler should do the trick. Also, avoid lime juice that comes from a bottle; De Witt considers fresh lime juice to be an absolute must.

Aside from using fresh ingredients, be sure to measure everything out accurately, and consider building the cocktail in a shaker if you don't have a glass sturdy enough to handle muddling. Finally, De Witt says that the amount of ice you add to your cocktail may vary depending on the size, but she estimates that the average cocktail will need about ½ cup to 1 cup of ice.