Experience the vibrance of Brazilian culture in each sip of this classic Caipirinha. Made with three simple ingredients, caipirinhas are sweet, tart, and refreshing all at once. They are considered the national drink of Brazil and are enjoyed year-round. The popular refreshing cocktail is often sipped during leisurely beach days, at street parties, in homes with families and friends, and is also available at bars and restaurants.
Enjoy Brazil’s national cocktail poolside during warmer months or serve up a big batch when entertaining at summer get-togethers. The caipirinha pairs well with a variety of salty and savory snacks and lighter fruity fare, which makes this rejuvenating sipper great for complimenting an appetizer table or even a hearty meal! As a bonus, you make it right in the serving glass so no cocktail shaker is needed. If you’re looking for more easy cocktails, then try my watermelon margarita, sidecar, or Paloma.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Lime – fresh lime wedges muddled together with sugar give this caipirinha recipe an extra zesty flavor. I don’t recommend subbing fresh for store-bought lime juice.
Sugar – white sugar is key because it dissolves easily and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to complement the liquor and muddled fruit.
Cachaça – the star ingredient in this Brazilian drink is a distilled Brazilian spirit made from sugarcane that you can find at most liquor stores. It has a smooth taste with vegetal notes and a slight sweetness.
Ice – regular ice cubes work great. If you have access to crushed ice, it is the best option to chill the cocktail and add the perfect ratio of water as it melts.
How to Make a Caipirinha
1. Cut one lime into even-sized wedges (about 4).
2. Place the lime wedges and sugar in the bottom of a cocktail glass.
3. Use a muddling stick to muddle the limes and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.
4. Fill the glass with ice, then add the cachaça. (Leave the lime pieces in the glass.)
5. Use a stir stick to stir the drink several times.
6. Garnish the caipirinha with a lime slice, if desired, and serve immediately.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Choose a high-quality cachaça. The spirit is an essential ingredient in your caipirinha drink, and quality makes a difference for a smooth, well-balanced taste and clean finish. Additionally, you can select a cachaça with specific tasting notes if desired. Some varieties have a fruity undertone, like citrus or tropical fruit, while aged cachaças have notes of spice, oak, or earthiness.
- Use finely ground sugar. I recommend using caster or superfine sugar in this caipirinha recipe. The finer crystals dissolve quickly which is important because you don’t do a lot of mixing and you don’t want the sugar to settle on the bottom. Alternatively, you can swap the sugar for 1 tablespoon of simple syrup.
- Prepare the drink in a rocks glass. Also called an old-fashioned glass or lowball glass, it has a sturdy construction and wide rim which makes it ideal for muddling the ingredients. You preserve the flavors by preparing the drink in the glass you also serve it in, and it makes a pretty presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cachaça is often mistaken as a white Brazilian rum. While there are similarities, this distilled spirit is not technically the same. It is made from fresh sugarcane juice, while white rum can be made from sugarcane juice, sugarcane syrup, or molasses. Though Cachaça is considered what is called “rhum agricole,” it is not a classic “rum” spirit.Cachaça is also distilled to a lower proof than rum which gives it a different flavor profile – more vegetal and grassy comparatively.
No, a caipirinha and a mojito are not the same thing. While both cocktails have a base of muddled lime and sugar, they use different spirits which gives them distinctively different flavors. A mojito is a Cuban cocktail that highlights the flavors of white rum and lime with the addition of mint leaves. It is also topped off with soda water. A caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil and uses lime and sugar to highlight the slightly sweet flavor of cachaça liquor.
As far as food pairings go, this caipirinha cocktail is excellent served with a simple cheese and charcuterie board, fresh fruit, or spicy snacks for lighter fare. You also can’t go wrong with serving them alongside a shrimp salad, or steak tacos and chips with guacamole for a full-spread meal.
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If you’ve tried this Caipirinha recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Caipirinha
Equipment
- Cocktail glass
- Muddler
Ingredients
- 1 lime cut into wedges
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 ounces cachaça
- Ice
Instructions
- Place the lime wedges and sugar in the bottom of a cocktail glass and muddle together until the sugar is dissolved.
- Fill the glass with ice. Add the cachaça and stir for a few second.
- Serve immediately garnished with a lime slice, if desired.
Notes
- Choose a high-quality cachaça. The spirit is an essential ingredient in your caipirinha drink, and quality makes a difference for a smooth, well-balanced taste and clean finish. Additionally, you can select a cachaça with specific tasting notes if desired. Some varieties have a fruity undertone, like citrus or tropical fruit, while aged cachaças have notes of spice, oak, or earthiness.
- Use finely ground sugar. I recommend using caster or superfine sugar in this caipirinha recipe. The finer crystals dissolve quickly which is important because you don’t do a lot of mixing and you don’t want the sugar to settle on the bottom. Alternatively, you can swap the sugar for 1 tablespoon of simple syrup.
- Prepare the drink in a rocks glass. Also called an old-fashioned glass or lowball glass, it has a sturdy construction and wide rim which makes it ideal for muddling the ingredients. You preserve the flavors by preparing the drink in the glass you also serve it in, and it makes a pretty presentation.
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