Kentucky Derby Mini Mint Julep (Printable)

A crisp blend of fresh mint, lemon, and sparkling water for a refreshing Derby Day drink.

# What You'll Need:

→ Mint Syrup

01 - 1/2 cup water
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup fresh mint leaves, plus extra for garnish

→ Mocktail Assembly

04 - 2 cups crushed ice
05 - 1 1/2 cups cold sparkling water or club soda
06 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
07 - 1/2 cup unsweetened or lightly sweetened apple juice
08 - Lemon slices for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat, add mint leaves, and allow to steep for 10 minutes. Strain through fine mesh and cool completely before use.
02 - Fill mini julep cups or small glasses with crushed ice. Add 1 tablespoon of cooled mint syrup to each glass.
03 - Pour 1/4 cup sparkling water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon apple juice into each glass. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
04 - Top each mocktail with fresh mint sprigs and lemon slices. Serve immediately with straws.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • Everyone at your table gets something fancy and celebratory to hold, even the kids and sober friends who usually feel left out.
  • The bright mint flavor actually gets better the longer it sits, so you can make the syrup hours ahead and feel remarkably organized.
02 -
  • If you let the mint steep for longer than ten minutes, it can turn slightly bitter, which I learned the hard way by getting distracted and checking back after twenty minutes.
  • Crushed ice genuinely melts faster than cubes, which means your drink actually tastes better toward the end as it becomes slightly more diluted and balanced.
03 -
  • Make your mint syrup the day before if you're hosting, because cool syrup pours smoothly and you'll have one fewer thing to worry about while guests arrive.
  • Keep your sparkling water in the freezer for thirty minutes before making these so it stays extra cold and bubbly even after hitting the warm mint syrup.
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