Everyone keeps asking me for this recipe after I served it at my holiday party last year, so here goes nothing. I’m not even sure where I first saw this white Christmas mojito—I think it was on Instagram? Or maybe Pinterest? Honestly, my holiday cocktail inspiration all blurs together after scrolling through feeds at 11 PM while eating leftover cookies.
What I DO know is that the first time I made this Christmas mojito recipe, I completely messed it up. Used way too much coconut rum, not enough lime, and forgot to muddle the mint properly. My husband took one sip and made that face where he’s trying to be supportive but also can’t hide his confusion. You know the one. It tasted like I’d dumped a piña colada into a mojito and called it a day. Not good.
But after tweaking it about five more times (my neighbors were very happy test subjects), I finally got this easy white Christmas mojito exactly right. Now it’s the drink everyone wants at every holiday gathering, and I’ve made approximately 47 of them in the past three weeks.
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What Makes This Best Christmas Mojito Different
Here’s the thing about this festive mojito recipe—it’s not your standard mojito. The coconut element gives it this creamy, almost dreamy quality that regular mojitos don’t have. And the white color makes it look super festive and snowy without using any artificial food coloring or weird ingredients.
Some people do a peppermint white Christmas mojito version, but honestly? I tried that once and it tasted like drinking toothpaste with rum. Not for me. The coconut version is where it’s at—tropical but still Christmas-y somehow. Makes no sense but totally works.
The best part is that these holiday mojito drinks look WAY fancier than they actually are. People always assume I spent forever making them when really they take like 5 minutes each. Don’t tell anyone though. Let them think you’re a cocktail genius.
My First Disaster with This White Mojito Cocktail
Okay so remember how I said I messed this up initially? Let me paint you a picture. I was making these for a Christmas Eve party, right? And I got it in my head that more coconut = better. Wrong. SO wrong.
I used coconut rum AND coconut cream AND added shredded coconut to the glass for garnish. It was coconut overload. Like, drinking a liquified Mounds bar. My sister took one sip and said “this is… a lot” which is her polite way of saying “what were you thinking?”
I also tried using bottled lime juice because I was lazy and didn’t want to juice real limes. Another mistake. Bottled lime juice in cocktails tastes like sadness and chemicals. Just juice the damn limes. Your wrists will be tired but your cocktails will actually taste good.
And don’t even get me started on the time I forgot to add simple syrup and just dumped granulated sugar in the shaker. It didn’t dissolve. I had gritty mojitos. My friend Amanda still brings it up at parties. “Remember the sandy mojitos?” Yes, Amanda. We all remember.
Ingredients for This Coconut Christmas Mojito
Alright, here’s what you actually need for this simple Christmas mojito recipe. Most of it you can find at any decent liquor store:
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves (don’t use dried, it’s not the same)
- 1 oz simple syrup (make your own or buy it, I won’t judge)
- 1½ oz fresh lime juice (from about 1-2 limes)
- 1 oz white rum (I use Bacardi but whatever you have is fine)
- 1 oz coconut rum (Malibu is my go-to)
- ¼ cup coconut milk or coconut cream (from a can, not the carton stuff)
- Crushed ice
- Club soda for topping
- Sugar for rimming the glass (white or coarse sugar looks pretty)
- Pomegranate seeds or sugared cranberries for garnish
- Extra mint sprigs for garnish
Shopping tip: Get full-fat canned coconut milk, not the light stuff. The light version is watery and doesn’t give you that creamy texture. Also, shake the can really well before opening because the cream separates from the liquid and you want it all mixed together.
The pomegranate seeds are optional but they make it look REALLY festive and Christmasy. Plus they add little bursts of tart flavor that cut through the sweetness. My friend Kate always skips them because she’s lazy, and her mojitos still taste good, so do what works for you.
How to Make This Easy Holiday Mojito
Step 1: Prep Your Glass
Rim your glass with sugar first because if you forget (like I did the first three times), you have to dump out the drink and start over. Wet the rim with lime juice or run a lime wedge around it, then dip it in sugar on a small plate. Looks fancy. Makes you feel like a professional bartender even though you’re wearing pajama pants.
Step 2: Muddle the Mint (Gently!)
This is where people mess up. Put your mint leaves in a cocktail shaker with the simple syrup and about ½ oz of the lime juice. Now GENTLY muddle them. You’re not trying to obliterate the mint, just bruise it to release the oils. If you go too hard, it gets bitter and tastes like you’re drinking lawn clippings.
I use the back of a wooden spoon because I don’t have a fancy muddler. Works fine. Martha Stewart would probably be horrified but Martha Stewart doesn’t live in my house so whatever.
Step 3: Add the Rest and Shake
Add the remaining lime juice, white rum, coconut rum, and coconut milk to your shaker. Fill it with ice (not crushed yet, just regular ice cubes for shaking). Put the lid on tight—learned this the hard way after spraying coconut mojito all over my kitchen ceiling—and shake for like 15-20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is super cold.
Step 4: Strain and Serve
Fill your sugared glass with crushed ice. If you don’t have crushed ice, just put regular ice in a Ziploc bag and smash it with something heavy. Very therapeutic after a stressful day of holiday shopping.
Strain your shaker contents over the ice. Top with a splash of club soda—don’t skip this, it adds that refreshing fizz that makes it a mojito and not just a coconut-lime drink.
Step 5: Make It Pretty
Throw some pomegranate seeds on top, stick in a mint sprig, maybe add a lime wheel if you’re feeling extra. I also sometimes add a fun holiday straw because why not? We’re adults but that doesn’t mean we can’t have festive straws.
Serve immediately. These don’t sit well—the ice melts, the fizz goes flat, and it becomes sad and separated.
Tips for Perfect Christmas Party Drinks
Don’t overmuddle the mint. I know I already said this but it’s SO important. Overmuddle = bitter = bad.
Use fresh lime juice. Yes I’m repeating this too. It matters THAT much. Bottled lime juice is for emergencies only.
Shake it well. The coconut milk needs to emulsify with everything else or you’ll have a weird separated drink.
Make the simple syrup ahead. Just equal parts sugar and water heated until dissolved, then cooled. Lasts forever in the fridge. Way easier than trying to dissolve sugar in cold liquid.
Batch these for parties. Multiply the recipe by however many people you’re serving, mix everything except the club soda in a pitcher, and then just pour over ice and top with soda when ready. So much faster than making them one at a time while your guests wait.
Variations on This White Christmas Cocktail
Virgin version: Skip both rums and add extra coconut milk and a splash of coconut extract. Top with extra club soda. Still tastes festive and coconutty.
Peppermint version: If you’re braver than me, add ½ oz peppermint schnapps. I still think it’s too toothpaste-y but some people love it.
Prosecco instead of club soda: Fancy! Bubbly! Expensive! But really good for special occasions.
Extra creamy: Use coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Richer and more dessert-like.
Why This Festive Holiday Cocktail Works for Parties
These Christmas drink recipes are perfect when you’re hosting because:
- They look impressive but take 5 minutes
- You can make them in batches
- They’re different enough to be memorable
- The white color is so festive and pretty
- They’re not too strong (the coconut milk mellows everything out)
I’ve served these at three different holiday parties now and every single time, multiple people ask for the recipe. My friend Jessica literally took a photo of me making one so she could remember the steps. That’s when you know you’ve got a winner.
They’re also great for Christmas Eve dinner as a pre-meal cocktail, or for sipping while wrapping presents at midnight because you procrastinated again (just me? okay).
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips for Holiday Entertaining Recipes
Real talk: you can’t really make these ahead completely. The mint gets weird, the ice melts, and the carbonation dies. BUT what you CAN do is prep a “mojito base” by mixing the spirits, lime juice, simple syrup, and coconut milk together and keeping it in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to serve, just shake with ice, pour, and top with club soda and garnishes.
The sugar-rimmed glasses can be prepped a few hours ahead and kept in the fridge.
The mint can be washed and stored in a damp paper towel in the fridge so it’s ready to go.
Don’t try to make a huge batch and keep it in a punch bowl. The ingredients separate and it looks gross. Trust me.
Final Thoughts on This Refreshing Christmas Cocktail
This white Christmas mojito has become my signature holiday drink whether I wanted it to be or not. People expect it now. My mom asked me if I was bringing “those coconut drinks” to Christmas dinner. My neighbor mentioned them when discussing our New Year’s plans.
Is it the most authentic mojito? Definitely not. Would a Cuban bartender be horrified? Probably. But it’s delicious, it’s festive, and it makes people happy during the holidays, which is really the whole point.
Plus it’s way better than that weird spiked eggnog my uncle always brings. But I didn’t say that.
Let me know if you try this recipe! And seriously, if you have any tweaks or ideas, drop them in the comments because I’m always looking for new ways to mess with cocktails. 🍹❄️
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