This kiwi mojito recipe gives a timeless cocktail a tropical fruity taste you’re sure to love! It’s made using fresh kiwi and a kiwi simple syrup, so it’s bursting with real kiwi flavor!
As someone who has been crafting homemade cocktails for over a decade, you notice when certain drinks are popular. Tropical rum cocktails seem to have a special place in people’s hearts (and on restaurant menus) because they remind us of easygoing times, like vacations!
This kiwi mojito recipe uses chunks of kiwi fruit and kiwi simple syrup to impart a super tropical taste to a cult classic. Kiwi and mint work so well together that you might forget about the traditional mojito recipe once you try this variation. While it’s not *technically* tropical (more on that below), it checks all the boxes of a refreshing summer cocktail!
💕 why you’ll love this kiwi mojito recipe
🥝 sweet & fruity. This cocktail is full of kiwi flavor. If you’ve never had a kiwi, it’s sort of like a cross between a strawberry and a pineapple!
🙌 easy & impressive. This recipe is quick and easy to make, but it also is a showstopper! The bits of kiwi and mint in the glass are sure to impress any party guest!
🍹 party perfect. You can prepare a large batch of this kiwi mojito for a party, making it the perfect cocktail pitcher recipe! As a bonus, it can also be made as a mocktail by omitting the rum (I like to call that a faux-jito 😛), so the whole family can enjoy a batch of these kiwi mojitos!
🛒 ingredients
- kiwi simple syrup – kiwi simple syrup is the secret ingredient in this cocktail that gives it an extra punch of kiwi flavor. Use this recipe for making your own kiwi simple syrup!
- kiwis – fresh kiwi gives this cocktail color and flavor. The muddled kiwi makes for a showstopping appearance when combined with the mint and lime in the glass! If you can’t find fresh kiwi, you can use frozen fruit. You’ll need extra fruit for making kiwi slices for the garnish!
- limes – no mojito is complete without fresh lime! Use fresh lime wedges for the best flavor in this recipe. I like to opt for organic fruit, since the whole wedge, peel included, will be muddled in this cocktail.
- mint – fresh mint leaves are a must for mojitos, so make sure to have a few big handfuls of it. You will also need more mint to garnish the cocktail when serving.
- silver rum – light rum is also called silver rum or white rum, because it’s not aged or flavored at all. Gold rum and dark rum is also sometimes known as aged rum because it is placed in barrels and allowed to age until it gets darker in color. This adds additional flavor to the liquor, which changes the flavor of this drink. Silver rum works best in this fruity cocktail because it allows the flavor of the kiwi, lime, and mint to really shine.
- ice – mojitos are muddled in a cocktail glass and then ice is added, and topped with soda water. So the ice is an important part of this recipe! You’ll want to make sure to have enough ice to completely fill your chosen glasses with.
See recipe card for quantities.
🥝 all about kiwi fruit
Even though the kiwi is named after the brown, fuzzy bird native to New Zealand, it was actually imported from China. While some people think of it as tropical fruit, it really needs cooler temperatures to grow properly.
- how to pick a kiwi – select ripe kiwis that have a bit of a squish to them when you gently press them. If a kiwi is as hard as a rock, they aren’t ripe yet. If it’s very soft or wrinkly, it’s overripe.
- kiwi flavor pairings – Kiwi fruit goes great with peaches, pineapple, strawberry, passionfruit, citrus (oranges, lemons, limes), and coconut!
- gold kiwi vs green kiwi – green kiwi is more tangy, tart, or sour. Green kiwi also has a fuzzier exterior, a larger core, and more seeds. Golden kiwi is much sweeter, with fewer seeds, lezz fuzz on the outside, and a smaller core.
🍳 instructions
Step 1: Add lime wedges and mint to a cocktail glass.
Step 2: Pour in kiwi simple syrup.
Step 3: Add kiwis to the cocktail mixing glass.
Step 4: Muddle well, making sure to mix all ingredients well together.
Step 5: Add the silver rum to the glass, and give it a stir.
Step 6: Fill the glass with ice cubes, leaving a little room at the top for soda water.
Step 7: Top with soda water of your choice. In this example, I used Spindrift lemon to bring out the flavors of the citrus and kiwi.
Step 8: Stir the cocktail well to distribute the ingredients, then garnish with a slice of kiwi, sprig of mint, and a dehydrated lime wheel.
Hint: If you are making a large batch of this cocktail, you can prepare them all in one large pitcher, then stir well and serve. Leave the soda water out and instead pour a little on top of each glass as you pour the base of the cocktail into glasses of ice.
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
how to serve it:
- Garnish this kiwi mojito with a kiwi slice, a dehydrated lime wheel, and a mint sprig. You can use a fresh lime wheel or lime slice if you don’t have any dehydrated lime wheels on hand, too.
- This beverage is best served immediately after making because of the bubbly seltzer water.
- Serve it at a barbecue, pool party, or another summer gathering for a minty, fruity, and refreshing drink!
make it a mocktail:
- To make this into a zero-proof kiwi nojito (also called a fauxjito), omit the rum and add more sparkling water! You can also use a zero-proof spirit like Lyre’s Cane Spirit or Ritual Rum!
- This is a fun way to let everyone enjoy the fruity mint flavor of this kiwi mojito whether they choose to drink alcohol or not!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
Since this recipe uses fresh limes, the flavor can vary depending on the acidity of your limes. Additionally, limes can impart a very bitter flavor if they marinate with the rest of the ingredients for too long.
- sour – If your drink is too sour, add more kiwi simple syrup to balance the acidity of the limes.
- bitter – Since this recipe calls for using the whole lime wedge, including the pith and peel, it’s best not to let the limes marinate in the rest of the ingredients very long before serving. If it’s too bitter, add in more simple syrup to balance it out. You can also use a homemade saline solution to help balance out any bitterness in your drinks!
- sweet – if your drink is too sweet, you can add in a bit of fresh lime juice or another ounce of rum.
⚖️ scaling tips
This recipe is easily scaled up for parties or gatherings. You can measure out however many ounces of rum and kiwi simple syrup you will need into a pitcher. Wait until you are serving the cocktails to muddle the kiwi, lime and mint. Then just before serving, top with soda water and ice.
🔆 top tip
You can prepare the base of this recipe ahead of time if you plan on making more than one or two cocktails at a time!
♻️ substitutions & variations
Are you missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- sugar – if you don’t have the time to prepare kiwi simple syrup, you can use a cube of sugar. Alternatively, you can use 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- frozen kiwi – if you don’t have fresh fruit, you can use frozen kiwi chunks in this cocktail. Allow it to defrost for 10-20 minutes so it is easier to muddle.
- club soda – you can substitute club soda if you don’t have seltzer water. Do not substitute sparkling mineral water or tonic water, as they both have additional flavors that will impact the final taste of this cocktail.
🎛️ variations
Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!
- flavored soda water – you can use flavored soda water or sparkling water in place of unflavored soda water to add even more tropical flavor.
- ginger – add in a few shaves of fresh ginger for a spicy, gingery twist on this mojito!
- mocktail – make this kiwi cocktail into a virgin mojito by omitting the rum and adding more soda water. You can also use a zero-proof spirit.
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
- highball glasses – the traditional glass for a mojito is a highball glass. The tall glass is perfect for showcasing the muddled ingredients inside the cocktail. You can use whatever glass you have on hand, though.
- cocktail muddler – you will need a muddler for this recipe to mix and smash all the ingredients together. I love using my muddler by OXO because it’s got a great base for smashing ingredients together and is comfortable to hold in your hand. It’s also dishwasher safe– something you can’t say for traditional wooden muddlers. If you don’t have a muddler, you can use the back of a large wooden spoon.
- cocktail spoon – a cocktail spoon is handy for giving the final cocktail a good stir to make sure the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- measuring glasses – I love using my OXO nesting measuring cups for making cocktails and salad dressings!
- cocktail mixing glass – while not necessary, this optional piece of equipment is handy if you are making a larger batch of these cocktails.
- pitcher – again, if you want to make a larger batch of cocktails or mocktails, a glass pitcher is super handy for mixing up a large batch. You can add all the ingredients except the soda water and ice, and put the lid on to shake it if the ingredients get settled at the bottom.
🫙 storage tips
This cocktail is best served and enjoyed immediately after preparing it. Since it has sparkling water and ice, it will lose some fizz and dilute if you let it sit around too long after preparing.
You can prepare the base of this cocktail in advance, but do not add the lime, ice, or soda water. If you are making this for a party, combine the mint, kiwi syrup, kiwi, and rum in advance, and you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
Do not add the lime, because it can get bitter if left to marinate for too long. Instead, add the lime just before serving!
💬 q+a
Citrus can vary greatly in flavor, and limes tend to be more bitter than lemons. Make sure you choose fresh limes that are not overripe or spoiled. Don’t be afraid to juice a lime wedge and taste the juice before adding it to your cocktail. If it is extremely bitter or sour, chances are, it’s overripe. You can add more kiwi syrup to offset this if you have already added your limes and they are too sour or bitter.
Yes! Simply skip adding in the rum, and add more soda water to make a non-alcoholic version of this kiwi-mojito. I like to call it a “faux-jito” when it doesn’t have alcohol!
No, if you don’t have the time to make your own simple syrup, you can muddle your kiwis with 1 teaspoon of sugar per drink. Generally, one sugar cube is also equal to one teaspoon of sugar! Make sure to mix your drink well so the sugar dissolves properly.
If you make this recipe, please leave a review in the comments and a star rating!
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Kiwi Mojito
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Equipment
- 1 highball glass
- 1 muddler
- 1 cocktail stirring spoon
Ingredients
- ½ kiwi peeled and quartered
- 1 ounce kiwi simple syrup
- ½ lime cut into wedges
- 12 leaves fresh mint
- 2 ounces silver rum
- soda water to top beverage, about 2 ounces
Instructions
- Add lime wedges and mint to a cocktail glass.
- Pour in kiwi simple syrup.
- Add kiwis to the cocktail mixing glass.
- Muddle well, making sure to mix all ingredients well together.
- Add the rum to the glass.
- Fill the glass with ice, leaving a little room at the top for soda water.
- Top with soda water of your choice. In this example, I used Spindrift lemon to bring out the flavors of the citrus and kiwi.
- Stir the cocktail well to distribute the ingredients, then garnish with a slice of kiwi and a dehydrated lime wedge.
Notes
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
