12 Tasty Mojito Recipes for Summertime

The classic mojito is taken to a whole other level of deliciousness with the addition of sweet summer berries & fruits in these 12 Tasty Mojito Recipes for Summertime...

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When it comes to summertime sipping, my cocktail of choice is a refreshing & fruity mojito.

We have an amazing mint plant in our backyard that comes back summer after summer, so I always have an endless supply of free fresh mint on hand during the hot summer months. I walk outside, snip off a few sprigs, and come back to the house and muddle up a couple of bubbly mojitos for my husband & I to sip on while sitting on the back deck.  

For those of you not familiar with this perfect for summertime cocktail, the mojito has it's roots in Cuba. It is a refreshing concoction of muddled lime & mint with a little simple syrup & a shot (or two) of light rum, all topped off with bubbly club soda. 

The beauty of a classic mojito recipe is that it lends itself very well to other flavors, especially summer fruits & berries.

While I can always go for a traditional mojito, we often like to change it up and add strawberries or blueberries to the mix. And sometimes we swap out the light rum for a spiced rum, like Captain Morgan. 

In my never ending quest to always have a variety of delicious mojito recipes on hand, I decided to browse some of my favorite cocktail bloggers' sites to gather up the very best. 

Each of these 12 Tasty Mojito Recipes for Summertime that I am sharing with you all today take the classic mojito to a whole other level of deliciousness with the addition of the sweet flavors of summer...

Watermelon Mojito Ice Pops

Inspired by a favorite summertime cocktail, these Watermelon Mojito Ice Pops will make the perfect adults-only poolside treat or a refreshing ending to a backyard BBQ...

Who says popsicles are just for the kiddos? ;) Not this mama! In fact, one of my favorite adults only treats to make during the hot summer months are boozy ice pops. It is so much fun to transform a favorite fruity cocktail into a frosty treat perfect for beating the heat with.

Some of you all may remember my Peach Shinesicles from a couple of summers ago. Those ice pops combined juicy peaches with my favorite peach flavored liqueur. These refreshing Watermelon Mojito Ice Pops happen to be inspired by one of my all-time favorite summertime cocktails- mojitos! 

I combined fresh watermelon with mint, tart lime, & rum to make these mojito inspired popsicles. They will make the perfect poolside treat or a refreshing ending to a backyard BBQ...

Coconut Key Lime Mojito

The combination of sweet coconut, refreshing mint, & tart key lime make this Coconut Key Lime Mojito the perfect end of summer cocktail...

My son just about has his first full week as a high school senior in the books, we have made it through his first cross country meet of the season, and Little Miss's first full day of Pre-K went on without a hitch. I think those are all reasons enough to celebrate with a little cocktail this weekend- don't you all think? ;) 

And even though we are in full-on back to school mode here, the humid temps outside are reminding me to not give up on summertime altogether quite yet. There is still time for sipping on a tropical cocktail on the back deck. Still time for backyard BBQ's, and s'mores by the fire pit, and sunset watching. 

Yes, I have accepted the fact that the school year has officially begun, but I am not ready to let go of summer just yet. Who else is with me on this? If you are, then whip up one of these refreshing Coconut Key Lime Mojitos & raise a glass with me this weekend, okay? 

Here's to squeezing out just a little more summer from the next couple of weekends.

Here's to a new school year (and some long overdue peace & quiet for the work-at-home & stay-at-home parents out there- can I get an amen? ;) ).

Here's to the perfect flavor combination of creamy coconut & tart key lime in a boozy cocktail.

Cherry Limeade Mojito Floats

Meet your new go-to cocktail for summertime! Refreshing lime, fresh mint, & sweet cherry come together perfectly in these frosty Cherry Limeade Mojito Floats... 

When it comes to summertime, my cocktail of our choice is a crisp & refreshing mojito. I love the muddle of fresh lime and mint added to a little rum and finished off with some bubbly club soda. 

So when I saw this set of 4 Mojito glasses at my local thrift store for a whopping 50 cents a piece, I snatched them right up! ;) I mean, I have more cocktail and wine glasses than I know what to do with in my cupboard, but seriously. How could I resist these, folks? It was just fate that my mojito-loving self stumbled upon these a few weeks ago. Who am I to deny fate?

And while I can always go for a classic mojito, I thought my new thrift store find deserved something a little more celebratory. Something a little more summer festive, and what says summer has officially arrived better than a frosty float, right? :) 

I kept all the elements of a classic mojito with these Cherry Limeade Mojito Floats, but I added something a little extra to it- a scoop of cherry sorbet! 

Blueberry Ginger Mojitos

A classic summertime cocktail gets a delicious twist with the addition of fresh blueberries & ginger ale in these refreshing Blueberry Ginger Mojitos...

Post updated 7/9/17- This tasty Blueberry Ginger Mojito post deserved some updated photos. I did leave one of the originals below just so you all can see for yourself why this recipe so desperately needed a little face lift. ;)

Apple Cider Mojitos

 A classic summertime cocktail gets a delicious autumn makeover with the addition of apple cider in these crisp and refreshing Apple Cider Mojitos...

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Okay. I know, I know.... Mojitos are cocktails that are usually associated with summertime, and backyard BBQ's, and beach vacations. Not with fall time or apple season.

But hear me out, you all.... It works. The white rum with your favorite apple cider and a little fresh mint and lime really works. Even I was surprised by how delicious this autumn twist on a classic mojito turned out.

Now, I can't take all the credit for coming up with this cocktail idea. I actually tried an apple cider mojito at a local brewery a couple months ago, and I knew I had to try to recreate it at home. 

Last month, we went apple picking while my sister and my best friend from West Virginia were visiting us at our new home in Erie, Pennsylvania. When I spied the fresh pressed apple cider at the local apple orchard we stopped at, I picked up a half gallon to bring home just to test out my new fall cocktail idea. I am a firm believer that the best cocktails start with the freshest ingredients.

Summer Simple Syrup 3 Ways

It would suffice to say that I love summer drinks.  

Be it with rum or vodka... or without. ;)

Believe it or not, I made simple syrup for the very first time at home just earlier this summer.  Yes.  I was one of those people who actually bought a bottle of sugared up water at the liquor store. 

Once I read how ridiculously easy it was to make your own simple syrup at home, I literally planted a palm to my forehead.  

Had I really been paying for sugar and water??  Oy!

Those of you who have been following me for the past couple of months know my obsession with mojitos.  You probably saw (and hopefully pinned!) my recipe for Spiced Pineapple Mojitos.  Or perhaps you caught my drinks contributor post on White Lights on Wednesday for my Blueberry Ginger Mojitos.  ;) 

Well, simple syrup is essential for the perfect mojito, my friends.  

Essential.

I decided to start experimenting with infusing simple syrups with my favorite flavors of summer- strawberry, blueberry, and basil.

The results were amazing.

Today I am going to be sharing with you all the recipes for my Summer Simple Syrup 3 Ways, but over the next couple of weeks I will be sharing some delicious and refreshing beverages you can easily make with them.  

And think WAY beyond the mojito, folks.  That would be too easy... ;)

Summer Simple Syrups 3 Ways

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 2-5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes (includes steeping

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Ingredients (3 pint jars of simple syrup)

For the simple syrup base (you will need this for all 3 simple syrup recipes)

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water

For the Basil Simple Syrup

• 1 large handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

For the Strawberry Simple Syrup

• 1 cup of hulled and chopped strawberries (about 5 large strawberries)

For the Blueberry Simple Syrup

• 1 cup of fresh blueberries

Instructions

To create the simple syrup for each flavor, you will need the base of 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup water. You will combine the sugar and the water in a small saucepan and heat until slightly boiling and the sugar is completely dissolved. You can choose to leave this plain- If you do so, just allow it to cool completely before transferring to a glass jar.

You could also choose to make all 3 syrups at one time. To do this combine 3 cups of sugar with 3 cups of water in a large saucepan. Heat til slightly boiling and all the sugar is dissolved. Then divide into 3 different bowls to infuse.

To make the Basil Simple Syrup

Drop the handful of basil leaves into the simple syrup immediately after removing it from the heat. Give it a quick stir. Allow the basil leaves to steep in the syrup for at least 30 minutes. The longer you allow it to infuse, the stronger the basil flavor will be.

When done infusing, strain the syrup through a wire mesh strainer into a glass jar. Refrigerate.

To make the Strawberry Simple Syrup

Saute the strawberries in a small frying pan for 2-3 minutes. Drop them into the simple syrup immediately after removing it from the heat. Give it a quick stir. Allow the strawberries to steep in the syrup for at least 30 minutes. The longer you allow it to infuse, the stronger the strawberry flavor will be.

When done infusing, strain the syrup through a wire mesh strainer into a glass jar. Refrigerate.

To make the Blueberry Simple Syrup

Saute the blueberries in a small frying pan for 3-4 minutes. You want most of the berries to burst open. Drop them into the simple syrup immediately after removing it from the heat. Give it a quick stir. Allow the blueberries to steep in the syrup for at least 30 minutes. The longer you allow it to infuse, the stronger the blueberry flavor will be.

When done infusing, strain the syrup through a wire mesh strainer into a glass jar. Refrigerate.

The jars of lidded simple syrup will keep in the fridge for 1-2 months.

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I actually made all 3 of the syrups right before our 4th of July barbecue. I whipped up a picture of plain mojitos (sans the simple syrup) and let my family pour their own mojitos and then add whichever (and how much) of the flavored simple syrups themselves.  It was a fun self-serve mojito bar- perfect for a cookout! (And I wasn't stuck muddling limes and mint all evening when someone needed another drink- genius!)

These simple syrups are also perfect for simply flavoring and sweetening your favorite iced tea or a glass of club soda. 

I have 3 fun drinks coming your all's way using these Summer Simple Syrups.  

Believe me when I say they will be going WAY beyond flavoring and sweetening your simple mojito.

If you could infuse a simple syrup with a flavor that says summer to you, what would it be? :)

14 Bikini-Approved Cocktails

Get your drink on with less guilt with this collection of tasty low-calorie cocktails...

Looking to sip on something refreshing with a kick to cool off with this summer, but not really wanting to wreck all the hard work you have put into getting swimsuit ready in the matter of a weekend?  

Never fear because I have gathered up 14 tasty cocktails that your bikini would be happy to approve of! ;)

Almost all of these tasty mixed concoctions contain fresh, juicy fruit and are low in calories and sugar.  So, move aside tasteless low-calorie and low carb beers! 

These colorful, summer perfect cocktails can take it from here ... ;)

Top 16 Recipes of 2016

These are the Top 16 Recipes of 2016 on Frugal Foodie Mama as clicked on, pinned, and shared by you...

I am still finding it hard to believe that we have just flipped the page to the start of a new year a few days ago. In fact, I just now bought a brand spanking new binder with tabs and calendar sheets for my blogging editorial calendar. Yes, I am a little old-fashioned like that. No Google calendars or a streamlined online planner for me. There is just something about putting the ink to a fresh calendar page that is so personally satisfying to me. Even though I have definitely went full-on digital in many other aspects of my life, I have a feeling that I will always stay low-tech when it comes to my yearly planner and stick to paper & ink. ;) Can anyone else relate to me here?

I think the start to a new year always prompts most of us to look back on the year past. Which goals did we meet and which ones did we fall short of in the past 365 days? Blog-wise, I had set 3 goals for myself at the beginning of 2016- 1. To grow to 10,000 followers on Instagram. 2. To foster more of a community with my readers and followers on social media by becoming more engaged & present. & 3. To learn & embrace Snapchat. The first one I fell short of by a little less than 2,000. With the second goal, I feel that I have made great strides with it, but I do feel I can still improve on this community of ours even more over the next year. And the last goal? Well, let's just say I didn't even start it. As much as I tried, I just couldn't make myself love Snapchat. And then Instagram came out with their Stories feature, and I didn't see much of a point in learning yet another social media platform. ;) 

Easy Homemade Mint Extract

Have potted or garden mint you would like to preserve before the cold weather sets in? Try this Easy Homemade Mint Extract...

Those of you who have been following me on Instagram may remember when I came back from our vacation to Savannah and Hilton Head over the summer to discover that my potted mint plant was pretty sickly.  I posted a photo hoping for advice or a diagnosis, and then made the bold decision to transplant the darn thing.... right into my garden.

Granted, I had heard the horror stories of mint aggressively taken over entire gardens, but I was willing to risk it. I mean, there were over 2 months of summertime mojito sipping at stake then, folks! ;)

Luckily, the risk I took paid off. The mint bounced back, thrived, did not take over my entire garden, and now I have an abundance of it at my fingertips daily.

But now that summer has ended and colder nights are on the horizon, I am busily trying to harvest and preserve my beautiful, fragrant garden mint before the frost sets in.

My first mint preservation project? Homemade Mint Extract! After doing a little peeking around on Google, I discovered that making your own mint extract at home is ridiculously easy- basically all you need is two ingredients and some glass jars...

10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials

You can have a functional, yet stylish home bar without spending a fortune with these 10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials...

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I definitely think there is a misplaced belief out there that to have a well equipped home bar, you have to be willing to drop some cash. I am here to tell you all that notion is totally & utterly false. You can have a functional, yet trendy home bar without spending a fortune. In fact, you can purchase everything I have listed in this collection of 10 Budget Friendly & Trendy Home Bar Essentials for less than $100 with your Amazon Prime account! :)

Don't have 100 bucks to spend all at once right now? No problem! Start with the area of your home bar that will initially get the most use. If you are a cocktail lover, start with first five items I have listed below giving priority to the compact bar set with the cocktail shaker. Are you more of a wine drinker? Then skip the cocktail essentials for now and get started with the wine tool set. You can always build your home bar from there, adding on as you can afford it. 

I chose each of the bar tools & accessories I have listed below because they are A. under $20. B. available via Amazon Prime (hello, free shipping!), & C. stylish & trendy. I went with a lot of stainless steel in this collection of home bar essentials because it is always in style & holds up well to years of use. 

Now let's get your home bar equipped the budget friendly way, shall we? ;)

Watermelon Mint Gin Fizz

Your favorite gin comes together perfectly with fresh watermelon, sweet mint, & some bubbly club soda to make this simple & refreshing Watermelon Mint Gin Fizz...

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So I made a shocking revelation the other day as I browsing through some of my recipes on my blog looking for watermelon recipes for a collection that a food blogger friend of mine was working on- I didn't have a single recipe using watermelon on my blog! In my 5 years or so of blogging, I have never once posted a watermelon recipe?? 

Immediately my brain said WHAT?!?! I mean, how could that be? I love, love, love watermelon- especially during the summer months. 

I set out right away to remedy this food blogging injustice I had inadvertently committed and got to brainstorming. The result? A refreshing, tasty cocktail perfect for summertime! :)

My newest liquor obsession for summer has been gin. I had never really considered myself much of a gin drinker before, but there is just something about it's clean, crisp flavor that lends itself well to refreshing cocktails that are perfect for beating the heat. 

I paired my favorite gin with fresh watermelon, sweet mint, and some bubbly club soda to make these simple, yet gorgeous Watermelon Mint Gin Fizzes...

Vanilla Spiced Rum Soaked Cherries

Looking for a way to make those sweet, in-season cherries last just a little longer? Then make these boozy Vanilla Spiced Rum Soaked Cherries!

I just love when cherry season rolls around each summer. My only problem with cherry season is that it just doesn't last quite long enough. Who's with me on that one? 

I mean, just a few measly months each year? Come on! Cherry season should definitely last longer. But since I can't somehow magically extend the length of cherry picking season, I will instead find ways to make these sweet, fresh cherries last just a tad longer. 





One way to extend the life of those juicy cherries is by boozing them up. ;) Soak them in a little rum or brandy, & you can make them last at least a month longer. Plus, they are soaked in booze. That's just bonus points in my book.