Kentucky Derby Mint Julep (Printable Version)

A cool blend of fresh mint, lemon juice, and sparkling water for a refreshing Southern drink.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Mint Syrup

01 - 1/4 cup water
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ Mocktail

04 - 1 cup crushed ice
05 - 1 cup cold sparkling water or club soda
06 - 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
07 - 2 tablespoons mint syrup
08 - Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add mint leaves, and steep for 5 minutes. Strain and let cool completely.
02 - Divide crushed ice evenly between two julep cups or glasses, filling each to the top.
03 - Pour 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of mint syrup over the ice in each glass.
04 - Pour 1/2 cup of sparkling water or club soda over each glass and stir gently to combine all ingredients.
05 - Garnish generously with fresh mint sprigs and serve immediately with a straw.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes fancy enough for garden parties but takes barely ten minutes to make, which means you can whip it up right before guests arrive.
  • Fresh mint syrup is the secret—it's so aromatic and bright that people actually pause mid-sip to ask what you did differently.
  • The crushed ice creates this satisfying crunch that makes every sip feel intentional and refreshing, not just another boring drink.
02 -
  • If your mint syrup tastes bitter, you steeped it too long—next time, set a timer and pull out after five minutes no matter how tempting it is to let it sit longer.
  • Crushed ice makes all the difference between a fancy drink and a watery mess, so either use a Lewis bag if you have one or fill a zip-top bag with ice cubes and pound it gently with a rolling pin until it looks like broken glass.
03 -
  • Chill your glasses or cups in the freezer for five minutes before filling them—this small step keeps the drink cold longer and tastes noticeably better.
  • Make the mint syrup hours ahead so it's completely cool when you're ready to build the drinks, and you'll never have the frustration of warm syrup melting all your carefully crushed ice.
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