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The Nojito is a mocktail (non-alcoholic) version of the Mojito, which is just as tasty as the original. All that refreshing mint and lime flavor remains, you just lose the alcohol.

Nojito Mocktail with mint garnish on green placemat

This recipe basically replaces the rum with more club soda and a touch of rum extract. In my opinion, you might want less than two tablespoons of confectioner’s sugar because the rum extract adds a lot of sweetness. But if you like your drinks on the sweeter side, use the full measure. You might also want to use Sprite or 7-Up instead of club soda.

Closeup of muddled lime at bottom of Nojito mocktail — Muddling the lime juice, mint and brown sugar

The muddling step is important. Despite how fragrant mint it, those leaves won’t give up their flavor until you press them. But you don’t want to crush them. The idea is to put some pressure on them with your muddler, and then twist back and forth, squeezing them against the bottom of a dish or cocktail shaker or whatever you’re using. In this case, it’s a glass.

Overhead view of Nojito Mocktail with mint garnish on green placemat

This is a terrific cocktail whether you’re taking a day off from drinking, or a whole lifetime, or just trying to shave a few calories off your daily count. It’s easily as satisfying as a beverage like sweet tea or soda, although it takes a little more effort to make. If you’re making it for a party, you can actually do the muddling in the glasses in advance and leave them in the fridge. Then when a guest is ready, you just add in the ice and pour in the club soda.

Nojito Mocktail

Name: Nojito Mocktail
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 to 14 small mint leaves or 6-8 big ones; 1 ounce fresh lime juice; 3/4 tablespoon rum extract; 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 4 ounces club soda (Sprite works, too)

Yield: 1 drink

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

The Nojito mocktail captures all the flavor of the Mojito without the rum. Perfect for a hot day when you're not drinking, but want the taste of lime and mint.