I’m guessing, like me, you love a tropical cocktail, since you’re here, and this passionfruit mojito won’t disappoint. A homemade passionfruit syrup takes this mojito cocktail to a whole new level.

  • Only 6 ingredients
  • Quick and easy to make
  • Tropical, fun and refreshing
  • Perfect for summer parties and BBQs (or when you want to pretend the sun is out).
  • Option to turn it into a mocktail

I love a tropical cocktail – from pina colada to daiquiri and mojito (they’re my 3 go-to’s, by the way) – though I rarely take the time to make them for myself. That’s going to change with this fresh, fruity and thirst-quenching passion fruit mojito.

This recipe is intended for those of legal drinking age.

You’ll love this mango daiquiri too.

Small glasses of passionfruit mojito.

What is simple syrup?

Simple syrup is most often a combination of equal parts water and sugar, cooked until the sugar has dissolved in. This simple syrup is then used to sweeten drinks, like cocktails and is also great for adding a little moisture to cakes.

This syrup is infused with passionfruit juice / pulp (without the seeds) to create the most blissfully tropical and delicious liquid.

Ingredients you’ll need

Just 6 basic ingredients are all you need for this refreshing cocktail.

Ingredients for passionfruit mojito on a wooden tray.

Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

  • Passionfruit syrup: Passionfruit syrup takes just 15 minutes to make and 3 ingredients (passionfruit pulp, water and sugar). It’s tangy and sweet and is perfect over desserts too. Passionfruits can be expensive. I most often use frozen passionfruit pulp / juice. If you’re using it from a can, jar or carton, make sure you’re using 100% passionfruit or as close to it as possible.
  • White rum: It’s important you use white rum, as opposed to dark rum. The flavour is completely different as is the colour. White rum is clear, like vodka. If you’d like a non-alcoholic version try this Lyres white cane spirit (Australian readers, click this link then just use the search bar on Craftzero for “white cane spirit”. This is an affiliate link. I will get a small commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you).
  • Ice cubes: As with all good cocktails, make sure to have plenty of ice on hand.
  • Soda water / club soda: Soda water is an effervescent water perfect for a fizzy cocktail.
  • Lime: I like to have a wedge of lime on hand for people to add their own and also slices or some peel for adding to the side of the glass.

While I personally don’t add mint to my passionfruit mojitos, mint is part of a classic mojito recipe. Feel free to add some and muddle it with the lime wedge in the bottom of each glass first. This passionfruit mojito doesn’t need mint but it goes perfectly well so the choice is yours.

What is a passionfruit?

Passionfruit are tropical fruits consisting of a soft outer shell with a white foamy textured lining then a filling of tangy yellow pulp and black seeds. Only the pulp and seeds are edible. While many don’t like the seeds, they’re crunchy, flavourless and completely safe to eat.

Known by many different names – such as lilikoi, granadillas or maracuja – in different parts of the world, the pulp is almost citrusy in flavour.

Choosing passionfruit

When selecting passionfruit to buy, it may be counter-intuitive, but you want the wrinkly ones. If they don’t have wrinkles they aren’t ripe. Try to choose passionfruit that looks heavy for it’s size. The more purple the skins, the sweeter they will be.

2 cocktails surrounded by passsionfruits.

How to make it (step-by-step)

Detailed quantities and instructions in the recipe card below.

  1. Make the passionfruit syrup ahead of time: The passionfruit syrup needs to cool to use in cocktails so make it ahead and chill in the fridge. It only takes 15 minutes.
  2. If using mint: Add a few leaves to each glass along with a small wedge of lime and muddle them together or see below for more.
  3. Make the alcoholic base: Add the rum and passionfruit syrup together in a cocktail shaker with a good handful or two of ice. Give it a good shake up, then pour into two high ball glasses.
  4. Add soda water: Top each drink up with a few ice cubes and soda water.
  5. Finish it off: If you didn’t muddle the lime with mint, just squeeze a touch of lime over each one or offer lime wedges so that guests can add it to taste. Finish off the glasses with a half lime slice or some curled lime peel. I like to add a small spoonful of fresh passionfruit pulp to the top as well  – those black seeds add such a visual appeal and it’s just adding to the passionfruit flavour.
  6. Serve immediately: Add a straw, give it a stir and serve.

Muddling the mint and lime

Normally, in a mojito, you’d use a little sugar to muddle with the mint leaves to help coax the oils (and hence the flavour) out of the leaves, however, this cocktail is already sweet enough from the syrup. Instead, give them a little scrunch, drop them into the glass and mash them a bit with a small lime wedge using a muddler.

If you don’t have a muddler, put them in your mortar and pestle first to give them a little muddle then transfer to your glasses.

2 glasses filled with passionfruit mojito cocktail.

Making it for a crowd

Making cocktails for a crowd always seem more fun than just 1 or 2, doesn’t it? Luckily you can easily scale up this recipe.

  • Use 4 times the ingredients, for 8 drinks. If making the passionfruit syrup using my recipe, it will make about 2 cups, so the perfect amount for 8 drinks.
  • Have ice in a ziplock bag in the freezer ready to use.
  • Muddle the mint and lime ahead of time in a mortar and pestle or in a large bowl, then portion out into the glasses.
  • Place the glasses in the fridge until ready.
  • Add the syrup and rum to a pitcher or water jug and stir them together. Store in the fridge until required.
  • When ready to serve, add ice to the glasses and the remaining or at least some of the ice to the pitcher and give it a stir. Pour the mixture evenly between the glasses, then top with soda water.
  • Add garnish and straws and serve.

Yield

This passionfruit mojito recipe makes enough for 2 drinks in highball glasses or 3 in lowball glasses. This recipe is easy to scale. There will be passionfruit syrup leftover that you can use for a variety of things – see that post for ideas.

Making it ahead

The syrup can be made 1 week ahead of time. The base mix (syrup and rum) can be prepared the day before and stored in the fridge until ready to serve. The made up drinks should be consumed immediately as the soda water will lose its effervescence over time.

Can I make this a virgin cocktail / mocktail?

You can turn this into a mocktail by omitting the rum or swapping it for a non-alcoholic version like white cane spirit.

Passionfruit cocktails with curls of lime zest.

More recipes you’ll love

Did you try this homemade passion fruit mojito recipe?
Leaving a rating and comment below the recipe is so helpful!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to the newsletter for free recipes straight to your inbox. Also, follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Passionfruit cocktails with curls of lime zest.
5 from 2 ratings
Try this refreshing passionfruit mojito for a tropical holiday without the packing! With just 6 ingredients including a homemade passionfruit syrup, this tangy, sweet cocktail is fun and perfect for a party.
* This recipe is intended for those of legal drinking age, however there is a mocktail version in the notes.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup passionfruit syrup (125ml / 4 fl-oz)
  • ¼ cup white rum (60ml / 2 fl-oz)
  • 1 cup ice cubes
  • 1 cup soda water (180ml / 6 fl-oz)
  • 1 lime
  • Fresh mint leaves, optional

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Equipment

  • Cocktail shaker (or mason jar)
  • Muddler (optional)
  • Highball glasses / Lowball glasses

Instructions
 

  • Make the passionfruit syrup ahead of time so that it's cool when you're ready to make the cocktails.
  • Cut 3 nice slices from the lime, then cut them in half. Cut 2 small wedges from the leftover lime. Set aside.
  • If using mint leaves, scrunch them up and add 2-3 to each glass then add a small wedge of lime. Use a muddler to muddle them together. Add 3-4 ice cubes to each glass and set aside. If not using mint, you can just squeeze in a little lime juice then add the ice.
  • Combine the passionfruit syrup and rum in a shaker with the remaining ice. Give it a good shake then pour evenly into the 2 glasses.
  • Top the glasses up with soda water.
  • Add 2-3 halved lime slices to the top of each, to taste. If you have some fresh passion fruit pulp or leftover seeds from making the syrup, you can add some of those to the top too.
  • Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.

Notes

  1. Virgin cocktail / Mocktail version: If you’d like a non-alcoholic version try this Lyres white cane spirit (Australian readers, click this link then just use the search bar on Craftzero for “white cane spirit”. This is an affiliate link. I will get a small commission from your purchase at no extra cost to you).
  2. Leftover syrup: There will be passionfruit syrup leftover that you can use for a variety of things – see that post for ideas.
  3. Other tropical fruit: You can swap the passion fruit juice for pineapple juice or mango puree instead for pineapple mojitos and mango mojitos.
  4. Making it for a crowd: You can easily scale up this recipe.
    • Use 4 times the ingredients (except the passionfruit syrup), for 8 drinks.
    • Have ice in a ziplock bag in the freezer ready to use.
    • Muddle the mint and lime ahead of time in a mortar and pestle or in a large bowl, then portion out into the glasses.
    • Place the glasses in the fridge until ready.
    • Add the syrup and rum to a pitcher or water jug and stir them together. Store in the fridge until required.
    • When ready to serve, add ice to the glasses and the remaining or at least some of the ice to the pitcher and give it a stir. Pour the mixture evenly between the glasses, then top with soda water.
    • Add garnish and straws and serve.
MORE DRINKS RECIPES!
Have you tried this recipe?Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.