I reimagined the mojito as a Key Lime Pie Cocktail by pairing bright key lime juice and white rum with fresh mint, heavy cream, a crushed graham rim and a cloud of whipped cream to tempt you into the full recipe.

Jump to Recipe

I wanted something that felt wrong in the best way so I made a cocktail that tastes like a slice of summer. The Key Lime Pie Mojito is part cheeky dessert escape part barroom trick and the first sip almost makes you forget you are holding a drink.

I kept it bright while folding in white rum and a cloud of whipped cream to blur the line between cocktail and pie. It is the kinda thing I make when I want to celebrate something small or when I just need to cheat a dessert without guilt.

Dessert Cocktails

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

White rum gives a clean boozy backbone, adds warmth, almost no nutrients.
Key lime juice is tart, high in vitamin C, adds lively sour punch.
Fresh mint brightens aroma and taste, little calories, some fiber.
Heavy cream brings silky mouthfeel, lots of fat, makes it rich.
Sweetened condensed milk pumps sweetness and that pie like nostalgia, very sugary.
Simple syrup balances sweet and smooth, adds carbs but mixes easy.
Crushed graham crackers rim the glass, add crunchy texture and carbs.
Club soda gives lift and fizz, no calories, keeps it refreshing.

Ingredient Quantities

2 oz white rum (light rum)

1 oz fresh key lime juice (about 2 key limes)

3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water), give or take to taste

8–10 fresh mint leaves, plus extra sprigs for garnish

1 oz heavy cream, chilled

1/2 oz sweetened condensed milk (optional for extra key lime pie richness)

2–3 oz club soda, chilled, to top

Crushed graham crackers, about 1/4 cup for rimming and garnish

Granulated sugar, a tablespoon or so to mix with graham crumbs for the rim

Whipped cream for finishing, store bought or made from extra heavy cream

Ice cubes

Key lime wheel or wedge for garnish

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Chill your glass, club soda and heavy cream if you can, then mix about 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers with a tablespoon of granulated sugar in a shallow dish for the rim.

2. Run a key lime wedge around the glass rim, press the rim into the graham-sugar mix to coat, then set the glass aside and fill it with ice cubes or crushed ice.

3. In a shaker, add 8–10 fresh mint leaves, 3/4 oz simple syrup (give or take to taste) and 1 oz fresh key lime juice; gently muddle just to bruise the mint, don’t shred it or it gets bitter.

4. Pour in 2 oz white rum, 1 oz chilled heavy cream and 1/2 oz sweetened condensed milk if you want the extra key lime pie richness.

5. Add ice to the shaker, then shake hard for about 10–15 seconds until well chilled and a little frothy so the cream emulsifies with the lime and rum.

6. Double strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice to keep big mint bits out; use a fine mesh strainer if you have one.

7. Top with 2–3 oz chilled club soda and give it one gentle stir to combine without flattening the fizz.

8. Spoon or pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top right away, then sprinkle more crushed graham crackers over the cream for that pie feel.

9. Garnish with an extra mint sprig and a key lime wheel or wedge, taste and adjust sweetness if needed, then serve immediately and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Cocktail shaker (Boston or cobbler), mason jar works in a pinch
2. Muddler or wooden spoon to gently bruise the mint, dont shred it
3. Jigger or measuring spoons for precise pours
4. Hawthorne strainer plus a fine mesh strainer for double-straining
5. Shallow dish for the graham-sugar rim
6. Sharp paring knife and small cutting board for the key limes
7. Bar spoon or long teaspoon for the gentle stir
8. Piping bag or small spoon to dollop whipped cream on top
9. Chilled serving glass and an ice scoop or tongs to fill it

FAQ

Can I use regular limes instead of key limes? Yes, you can. Use the same volume of fresh lime juice, but flavor will be a little less floral. If you want more of that pie vibe, grate a bit of zest from a regular lime into the drink.

How do I get the graham cracker rim to stick and not fall off? Wet the glass rim with a lime wedge or a little simple syrup, then press into a mix of crushed graham crackers and granulated sugar. Chill the glass a few minutes so it sets, and avoid dunking the rim into ice or soda.

Will the heavy cream curdle when mixed with lime? Heavy cream is high fat so it rarely curdles, especially if it is chilled. Shake the cream hard with ice and the other ingredients to emulsify it. Avoid using low fat milk, that is more likely to split.

Can I make a virgin Key Lime Pie Mojito? Yep. Replace the rum with 2 ounces chilled sparkling water or club soda plus an extra splash of simple syrup for body. If you want a boozy flavor without alcohol, add a nonalcoholic rum substitute or a tiny drop of vanilla.

How sweet should I make it and can I skip the condensed milk? Start with the 3/4 oz simple syrup and taste. The 1/2 oz sweetened condensed milk is optional and gives that rich pie taste, but if you skip it, you might add a touch more syrup. Adjust to taste.

Can I pre-batch this for a party and how long will it keep? Yes, pre-mix the rum, lime juice, simple syrup, mint (lightly bruised) and condensed milk/cream in a pitcher and keep chilled up to 24 hours. Do not add club soda or ice until serving, and give it a quick stir or shake before pouring.

Key Lime Pie Mojito Recipe Substitutions and Variations

White rum: swap for vodka (same amount) for a neutral base, or use blanco tequila if you want a brighter, citrusy punch
Fresh key lime juice (1 oz): use regular lime juice 1:1 in a pinch, it’s a bit less floral but still gives the tart backbone
Heavy cream (1 oz): use half and half 1:1 for a lighter mouthfeel, or canned coconut cream 1:1 for a dairy free, more tropical vibe
Crushed graham crackers (rim): substitute crushed vanilla wafers or digestive biscuits mixed with a tablespoon of sugar for the same sweet crunch

Pro Tips

– Chill everything you can, especially the cream and the club soda, and even the glass if you got time. If things arent cold the cream wont froth right and the soda goes flat faster, so it just wont feel as fresh.

– Muddle the mint really gently, just bruise the leaves dont shred them. When you tear the mint it gets bitter and makes the drink taste green and harsh instead of bright.

– Shake long and hard enough so the cream actually emulsifies and gets a little frothy, thats what helps the whipped cream sit on top and the texture feel like pie. A cold shaker helps, and dont add the soda before you shake or youll lose the fizz.

– For the graham rim, press crumbs on with a lime wedge and try to keep the rim dry after you coat it, otherwise the crumbs fall off. If youre worried about losing the crust, chill the rimmed glass a few minutes in the freezer so the crumbs set up better.

Key Lime Pie Mojito Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

550

kcal

Equipment: 1. Cocktail shaker (Boston or cobbler), mason jar works in a pinch
2. Muddler or wooden spoon to gently bruise the mint, dont shred it
3. Jigger or measuring spoons for precise pours
4. Hawthorne strainer plus a fine mesh strainer for double-straining
5. Shallow dish for the graham-sugar rim
6. Sharp paring knife and small cutting board for the key limes
7. Bar spoon or long teaspoon for the gentle stir
8. Piping bag or small spoon to dollop whipped cream on top
9. Chilled serving glass and an ice scoop or tongs to fill it

Ingredients

2 oz white rum (light rum)
1 oz fresh key lime juice (about 2 key limes)
3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar and water), give or take to taste
8–10 fresh mint leaves, plus extra sprigs for garnish
1 oz heavy cream, chilled
1/2 oz sweetened condensed milk (optional for extra key lime pie richness)
2–3 oz club soda, chilled, to top
Crushed graham crackers, about 1/4 cup for rimming and garnish
Granulated sugar, a tablespoon or so to mix with graham crumbs for the rim
Whipped cream for finishing, store bought or made from extra heavy cream
Ice cubes
Key lime wheel or wedge for garnish

Directions

Chill your glass, club soda and heavy cream if you can, then mix about 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers with a tablespoon of granulated sugar in a shallow dish for the rim.
Run a key lime wedge around the glass rim, press the rim into the graham-sugar mix to coat, then set the glass aside and fill it with ice cubes or crushed ice.
In a shaker, add 8–10 fresh mint leaves, 3/4 oz simple syrup (give or take to taste) and 1 oz fresh key lime juice; gently muddle just to bruise the mint, don’t shred it or it gets bitter.
Pour in 2 oz white rum, 1 oz chilled heavy cream and 1/2 oz sweetened condensed milk if you want the extra key lime pie richness.
Add ice to the shaker, then shake hard for about 10–15 seconds until well chilled and a little frothy so the cream emulsifies with the lime and rum.
Double strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice to keep big mint bits out; use a fine mesh strainer if you have one.
Top with 2–3 oz chilled club soda and give it one gentle stir to combine without flattening the fizz.
Spoon or pipe a dollop of whipped cream on top right away, then sprinkle more crushed graham crackers over the cream for that pie feel.
Garnish with an extra mint sprig and a key lime wheel or wedge, taste and adjust sweetness if needed, then serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.