Kentucky Derby Mini Mint Julep (Printable)

Crisp mint and fresh citrus combine with sparkling ginger ale for a festive cooling drink.

# What Goes In:

→ Mint Syrup

01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed

→ Mocktail Assembly

04 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
05 - 2 cups crushed ice
06 - 2 cups chilled ginger ale, gluten-free
07 - Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
08 - Lemon slices for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves completely. Add mint leaves and simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through fine mesh and cool to room temperature.
02 - Pour the cooled mint syrup into a pitcher and combine with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir well to fully incorporate.
03 - Divide 2 cups of crushed ice evenly among 6 mini julep cups or small glasses.
04 - Pour the mint syrup and lemon juice mixture over the ice in each glass, filling to approximately halfway.
05 - Top each glass with chilled ginger ale and stir gently to combine all ingredients.
06 - Garnish each mocktail with a fresh mint sprig and lemon slice. Serve immediately with short straws.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • You get to feel like you're serving something fancy and restaurant-worthy without any alcohol to worry about.
  • The whole thing comes together faster than you'd expect, which means more time actually enjoying time with people.
  • Homemade mint syrup tastes nothing like the bottled stuff—it's bright, fresh, and genuinely impressive.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the syrup completely—I learned this the hard way when warm syrup caused the ginger ale to go flat instantly and taste somehow bitter.
  • Fresh mint makes an enormous difference, and it should smell bright and clean when you buy it, not damp or brown at the edges.
03 -
  • Muddle the mint sprigs gently in the finished drink with a bar spoon just before serving to release one final burst of fresh mint aroma that's absolutely worth doing.
  • Substitute half the lemon juice with fresh lime juice for a slightly tropical twist that still feels authentically Southern.
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