10 minute Shaken Strawberry Mojito Mocktail

A sparkling mojito mocktail with a fruity twist

Everyone deserves to treat themselves to a fun and creative drink, even if they aren’t into alcohol. Not only will making non-alcoholic party drinks ensure that everyone at your party has something to sip, but it also shows that you care!

This Strawberry Mojito Mocktail is so much fun to drink. It’s easy to make with only 5 ingredients and has all of the minty, sweet, and tart flavors of a classic mojito, minus the rum.

Plus, just like my other mocktail recipes, I treat my recipe development like I would any cocktail. I take my time and thoughtfully create something that isn't just soda and juice. So your NA-drinking friends can feel special with a special drink.

And when you want to win “party host of the year”, serve my classic Sparkling Mojito Mocktail next to the strawberry version.

Ingredients you need

One ingredient you won’t find in a sparkling virgin strawberry mojito is, of course, the rum. The rest of the ingredients, however, are very similar to the classic cocktail:

Strawberries

A traditional mojito has a minty freshness and a zesty lime finish. When you add fresh strawberries, it becomes sweet and fruity!

Fresh strawberries are muddled with the mint leaves in a cocktail shaker before they’re shaken with the rest of the ingredients. I recommend using fresh, seasonal strawberries because they have the best flavor and the most strawberry juice. Strawberries hit their peak during June here in North America and are available in almost any major grocery store and at farmer’s markets. 

Now, because this mojito mocktail recipe is so good, I encourage you to make it year-round. You can use frozen strawberries as a substitute if you’re making it outside of strawberry season but remember to thaw them beforehand.

Mint

Fresh mint leaves are a must in any mojito recipe. They’re a mild, refreshing, and slightly sweet herb that gives this drink its signature flavor. Try not to skip them!

Muddling the leaves is a key part of making a mojito as well. By crushing the leaves alongside the berries, they’re able to release their natural oils and strong aroma, leaving you with an overall refreshing and minty mocktail.

The double strain method (more on this in the Tips section below) will help reduce the amount of mint leaves in your drink. However, if you would prefer there be no flecks of green, use the homemade mint syrup from my Frozen Mojito recipe instead of the fresh mint and simple syrup. It will still leave you with a balanced, refreshing, and sweet drink without the potential for mint in your teeth.

Simple syrup

This is one simple and crucial ingredient! Simple syrup is a simmered mixture of equal parts granulated sugar and water. It turns into a sweet syrup that single-handedly balances out the stronger flavors in numerous mocktail recipes!

Lime juice

Freshly squeezed lime juice is another crucial ingredient in most mojito recipes. It brings a tart freshness to every sip, especially when the juice is squeezed right from the limes. 

Sparkling water

Last but not least, this sparkling mojito is finished with some non-alcoholic bubbly! A splash of sparkling water (or club soda) adds a fun fizzy element and is an excellent replacement for the rum. Remember to pour it over each glass right before serving so you don’t miss out on the effervescence. 

How to make a strawberry mojito mocktail

You need a little bit of elbow grease to extract all of those gorgeous flavors from the strawberries and mint, but after that, this drink is a breeze to make! Here’s how it’s done:

Helpful recipe tips

These tips will help you make the best non-alcoholic party drink:

Get your muddle on

Muddling the strawberries and mint is a crucial step in this summer mocktail recipe. By pressing and crushing them in the bottom of the cocktail shaker, you’re able to extract all of their awesome flavors, oils, and juices before building the rest of the drink over top.

Bartenders and mixologists will use a special tool called a muddler when making muddled cocktails. If you don’t have a muddler at home, you can use a wooden spoon, mortar and pestle, a wooden dowel, or any kitchen tool with a wide handle instead.

The importance of a double strain

You will need to double strain this drink before serving because it will remove as many strawberry chunks, seeds, and mint leaves as possible. To do this, you’ll need a cocktail shaker with a strainer and a small fine-mesh strainer. 

To double strain the mocktail:

1. Shake the mocktail in the cocktail shaker as normal.
2. Hold a fine mesh strainer over the glass.
3. Pour the strawberry mixture through the strainer on the cocktail shaker, then through the fine mesh strainer, and into the glass.

If you’re having a hard time pouring the mix through the strainers, use a spoon or small silicone spatula to move the pulp around so the liquid can get through.

No substitutions, please!

Try not to make any substitutions as they will affect the overall flavor and balance of this drink.

Recipe