I shared the method behind the best mint julep I’d ever had back on Derby Day and have made it a few times since. It is Southern comfort and air conditioning in a cup and a quintessential cocktail of the South.
I’ve been using the recipe below but shaving ice to take it up a notch! The shaved ice, mixed with a little crushed ice makes the perfect slush!
You can find my Run for the Roses dinner menu here:
And all about my shaved ice obsession here:
Mint Juleps
For 1 Mint Julep
- 1 oz mint simple syrup
- 8-10 spearmint leaves plus more for garnish
- 2 cups crushed ice
- 2 oz bourbon
Place simple syrup in a silver julep cup. Place a couple of mint leaves in one hand and clap the other hand over them a few times to release their oils. Rub the inside of the cup with the leaves and drop them inside. After you’ve added 8-10 leaves, lightly bruise them with a wooden muddler or spoon.
Fill cup halfway with ice, add bourbon, and stir until cup is frosted. Add more ice, gently stir, and top with a large bouquet of mint.
Mint Simple Syrup
Method 1: In a small sauce pan, bring to a boil: 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and a handful of mint leaves. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool and transfer to a bottle. (This will result in a very minty, green tinted syrup.)
Method 2: In a small sauce pan, bring to a boil: 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cool and transfer to a bottle. Add a handful of mint leaves to the bottle.
Notes
- I mixed Honey’s cocktail per the ratio above. For mine, I did 1.5 oz simple syrup and just under 2 oz bourbon.
- Spearmint makes for a sweeter, milder mint taste than peppermint, if you can find it.
- I already had simple syrup made and in the fridge from our spring party. Rather than starting from scratch, I used method 2 above. I let the mint leaves sit in the syrup in the fridge for about a day. It was SO good!
- Part of the allure of a julep is the white layer of frost that forms on the outside of the cup. When preparing juleps, touch only the rim or the base of the glass to avoid leaving fingerprints!
- If you don’t have julep cups, use highball glasses.
Happy weekend, y’all!
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