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Lemon Mojito Mocktail | gluten free & vegan recipe via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

This lemon mojito mocktail is a refreshing non-alcoholic drink that balances sweet, tart, and herbal flavors. Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a bright and tangy twist to the classic mojito profile. Fresh mint leaves are muddled with a touch of simple syrup to create a cooling herbal base while sparkling water adds an effervescent quality. This mojito mocktail is perfect all year long and suitable for all ages!

Whether you like to imbibe alcohol or not, this lemon mojito mocktail is a great refreshing option all year long. You only need four ingredients to whip up a glass (not including the ice) and it takes less than 5 minutes! If you’re on the hunt for more non-alcoholic beverages that are anything but boring, I highly recommend checking out my grapefruit rosemary mocktail, my sparkling sage lemonade, and my dewberry shrub with lemon thyme.

Why You’ll Love this Mocktail

It’s super refreshing! Fresh mint leaves lend flavor while also providing cooling vibes which is perfect for the warmer days of spring and summer.
It comes together quickly with only four ingredients.
It can easily be multiplied to serve a crowd.
It’s suitable all year round and for all ages.

Grab These Ingredients

Lemon Mojito Mocktail | gf & vegan recipe via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

Fresh Mint – you’ll need 1 sprig of mint which is equivalent to about 8 leaves. The fresh mint forms the foundation of this mocktail giving it a beautiful herbal flavor. If you like to dress up your drinks, make sure to have extra mint leaves on hand for garnish!
Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice – Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds a fresh and tart flavor that pairs nicely with the mint. Save a lemon round or wedge for garnishing if you like!
Light Agave Syrup or Simple Syrup – adds a touch of sweetness and helps to muddle the mint leaves.
Plain Sparkling Water or Seltzer – adds bubbles and serves as the canvas that carries the mint and lemon flavors.
Ice – keeps your mocktail nice and cold! To keep your ice from melting as quickly, use chilled sparkling water/seltzer. You can also chill your glasses in the freezer overnight!

Recommended Tools

Lowball or Tumbler Glass – you’ll make your mocktail right in the glass so no need for a shaker!

Muddler or Wooden Spoon – use a cocktail muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon to muddle the mint and light agave syrup together.

Citrus Juicer – this is completely optional since you need such a small amount of lemon juice. Use your hands or a juicer, whichever you prefer!

How to Make this Lemon Mojito Mocktail

Add the mint and light agave syrup (or simple syrup) to your glass. Gently muddle the mint to help encourage it to release its flavorful oils. Pour the lemon juice over the muddled mint and agave syrup/simple syrup.

Fill the glass about 3/4 full with ice. Then, top with sparkling water or seltzer.

Give the mocktail a gentle stir then add a garnish of mint leaves and a lemon slice if you like!

FAQs

Can I make a big batch of this? Yes! You can make a larger batch of this lemon mojito mocktail. Multiply the recipe by the number of servings you’d like to achieve. Rather than making it in a glass, you’ll make it in a pitcher. Leave the ice and sparkling water out until right before you’re ready to serve it.

How many lemons do I need? You’ll need 1-2 lemons per mocktail depending on their size and how juicy they are.

Can I use limes instead? Yes, you can use lime juice for a more traditional mojito flavor profile.

Can I add alcohol to this? Absolutely. You can add 1.5 ounces of either light rum, vodka, or gin along with the lemon juice.

Lemon Mojito Mocktail

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Author: Courtney West
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving 1x
Diet: Vegan

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

1 sprig of fresh mint, about 8 leaves
1/2 – 1 tablespoon light agave syrup or simple syrup
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
ice
sparkling water or seltzer, to top
optional garnish: lemon rounds and mint leaves

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Instructions

Add the mint and agave syrup (or simple syrup) to your glass. Gently muddle the mint for about 30 seconds until highly fragrant.
Add the lemon juice to your glass, then fill it with ice and top it with the sparkling water.
Give it a gentle stir then add a garnish of mint leaves and a lemon slice if you like! Enjoy immediately.

Notes

You’ll need 1-2 lemons to yield enough juice for the recipe.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Category: drink

Baked Apples with Walnuts & Sage | vegan and gluten free recipe via The Sweet Miscellany Blog

These baked apples are filled with an aromatic mixture of walnuts, sage, and orange zest. This cozy vegan and gluten free dessert is super simple to put together and can be served alongside ice cream or yogurt!

I’ve had the idea to make something sweet with apples and sage since last year. Luckily, everything finally came together in these delicious and super cozy baked apples! Sweet apples are filled with a mixture of chopped walnuts, sage, orange zest, vegan butter, and brown sugar and baked until tender. You can enjoy them as-is or serve them alongside ice cream, yogurt, or even a dollop of whipped cream. This dessert gives you the coziness of an apple pie without the extra effort of making and rolling out dough. It’s perfect for holiday meals!

Grab these 8 Ingredients to Make Your Baked Apples

Apples – sweet firm-fleshed apples are best because they will hold together while baking. I used Cosmic Crisp but Fuji or Pink Lady would also work really well!
Softened Vegan Butter – adds flavor and helps keep the apples nice and moist while baking.
Brown Sugar – sweetens and adds a lovely caramel-like flavor.
Walnuts – form the bulk of the filling and provide a nice nutty flavor.
Sage – adds a bit of earthiness that pairs really well with the walnuts and orange zest.
Orange Zest – brightens the dish and adds flavor.
Sea Salt – balances all of the flavors.
Water or Apple Cider – helps keep the apples moist while baking.

The Best Apples to Use for Baking

In my opinion, the best apples to use are ones that have a sweet flavor and firmer flesh. A firm-textured apple will keep its lovely shape when baking rather than slowly disintegrating into mush. Here are the commonly available varieties I recommend: Fuji, Honeycrisp, Cosmic Crisp, and Pink Lady. You can use Granny Smith if you prefer a more tart apple!

BAKING TIP: Make sure the apples you choose for the recipe stand upright on their own! If they’re a bit wonky, they’ll easily tip over in the oven.

How to Make this Recipe

First and foremost, don’t forget to soften your butter! I use vegan butter and it softens much quicker than standard butter. Since it was a warm day, this only took about an hour in my house. Once your butter has softened, you’ll add it to a bowl with your brown sugar, chopped walnuts, sage, orange zest, and a small pinch of salt. Use either a wooden spoon or a fork to mash everything together into a cohesive mixture.

Now to prep the apples — wash them well, then cut off the very tops (the portion with the stem) and set them aside. I find this next part easiest with a grapefruit spoon since it’s serrated but you can also use a regular spoon along with a paring knife. You’ll carefully scoop out the core and seeds, making sure not to go all the way down to the other end. You want a nice cavity that holds the filling.

Place each of your prepared apples into a baking dish that is roughly 8×8 inches in size. I used one that has higher sides in the event that one of the apples tried to topple over while baking. The last step is to divide the filling between each apple, packing it down into the cavity with a spoon. Place each top back onto the apples, then pour the water or apple cider into the baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until nice and tender!

How to Serve Your Baked Apples

I like to cut each apple in half before serving since it makes them much easier to eat. You can serve these by themselves because they are incredibly delicious on their own. But, if you’d like to take it just a step further, you can serve them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, maple sweetened yogurt, or whipped cream. I’ve also enjoyed one of these for breakfast over buttered oatmeal!

If you love apple desserts, I highly recommend checking out my maple cinnamon apple crumble (vegan/gf) and my chamomile apple galette (vegan/gf)!

Baked Apples with Walnuts & Sage (vegan)