Watermelon Mojito

I have seen many watermelon-inspired drinks this summer. It’s not quite at the pumpkin spice level, but certainly more than I remember in summers past. I have enjoyed a refreshing non-alcoholic watermelon lemonade and a watermelon Bellini (with Prosecco) perfectly suited for brunch. 

I found a small seedless watermelon that looked perfect at Sunny Acres at Growing Roots Farmers Market in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Seedless watermelons are better suited for drinks, but you can always remove the seeds before using. I picked it up to make a watermelon libation of my own. I also have a plethora of fresh mint at home. Watermelon and mint make a great combination which led me to a mojito. 

A traditional mojito is rum, lime juice, mint, simple syrup and bubbly water. Silver (also called clear or white) rum is the rum of choice for mojitos so I stuck with that. If you want a more pronounced rum flavor, try a gold rum. The key to this cocktail is ensuring you have a ripe and full of flavor watermelon as you want to be able to taste it.

Using the basic mojito recipe as a guide, I used agave syrup in place of simple syrup. I muddled the watermelon chunks with the agave syrup and a pinch of sea salt in a cocktail shaker. Adding a bit of salt enhances the natural sweetness of the watermelon. Then I added rum, lime juice and fresh mint. I’ve learned that it’s best not to muddle the mint so as to avoid bruising it. I strained it into a glass leaving any larger pieces of watermelon or mint behind. Finish it off with seltzer water. For a garnish, add a small piece of watermelon and a fresh sprig of mint. Place the mint at the top of the glass as you want to be able to smell the mint with each sip.

The finished cocktail is a perfect snapshot of summer.

Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Note:  Rum is naturally gluten-free/wheat free as it’s derived from sugarcane.