Description
A timeless Southern cocktail made with bourbon, mint, sugar, and crushed ice—refreshing, aromatic, and perfect for warm-weather sipping or Derby Day celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 oz quality bourbon
- 1 tsp sugar (or ½ oz simple syrup)
- 6–8 fresh mint leaves
- Crushed ice (plenty)
- Optional: splash of water or soda
- Mint sprig, for garnish
Instructions
- Place mint leaves and sugar (or syrup) in a chilled julep cup or rocks glass.
- Gently muddle the mint to release oils—avoid tearing.
- Add bourbon and stir to combine and dissolve sugar.
- Pack the glass tightly with crushed ice, forming a dome on top.
- Stir until glass is frosty and drink is well mixed.
- Top with more ice if needed, garnish with a slapped mint sprig, and serve immediately with a straw.
Notes
Use spearmint for traditional flavor and always use crushed ice—not cubes—for proper dilution and frost. Pre-chilling the glass and bourbon elevates the experience. Adjust sugar to your preferred sweetness.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Muddled
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 165
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: mint julep, bourbon cocktail, Kentucky Derby, summer drink, classic cocktail