Kentucky Derby Mini Mint Julep (Printable)

A refreshing Southern mint julep variant with citrus and ginger ale in mini servings.

# What You Need:

→ 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
07 - Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
08 - Lemon slices for garnish

# Steps:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves completely. Add mint leaves and simmer for 1 minute, then remove from heat. Let steep for 10 minutes, strain through fine mesh, and cool completely.
02 - In a pitcher, combine the cooled mint syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Stir well to blend thoroughly.
03 - Divide crushed ice evenly among 6 mini julep cups or small glasses.
04 - Pour the mint syrup-lemon combination over the ice, filling each glass to the halfway point.
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 Advice:

01 -
  • It captures all the sophistication of a Southern classic without anyone feeling left out of the celebration.
  • The mint syrup can be made days ahead, meaning you're basically a host hero with minimal last-minute stress.
  • Watching kids and grandparents clink glasses of the same drink is a small joy that costs almost nothing.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step for your mint syrup—I learned this the hard way when I poured hot syrup into a glass and it diluted everything into a sad, warm puddle.
  • Fresh lemon juice makes an actual difference here; the bottled version tastes hollow by comparison, and that's the whole point of this drink.
03 -
  • If you're making these for a crowd, prepare the mint-lemon mixture in advance and keep it in a cold pitcher; guests can assemble their own by choosing their ice level and ginger ale ratio.
  • A touch of sparkling water instead of all ginger ale gives you a lighter drink that's still celebratory, and it stretches your batch further.
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