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Caipirinha is Brazil’s national drink for good reason! This incredibly refreshing cocktail is made using a liquor called cachaça. If you’ve never tried cachaça before, this sweetened lime with cachaça combo is a great introduction! It’s not too strong but has just enough bite to give you that real Caipirinha (pronounced kai-purr-reen-yah, in case you’re wondering!) cocktail kick when you need it!

a glass of Caipirinha with crushed ice, garnish with lime

As with most popular drinks, everyone has their own way of making this mojito-like mix. But when you get down to basics, this recipe is very easy to put together. It is very similar to the mojito as it’s really just made from fruit and sugar topped with cachaça.

What is Cachaça?

Cachaça can be best described as the Brazilian version of rum, with the difference being that sugar cane juice is distilled instead of molasses. Over the years, cachaça has become increasingly popular worldwide, and even John Travolta starred in a cachaça commercial back in 2013! Hey, if it’s good enough for Danny Zuko, it will get my vote.

Pouring Cachaça from a shot glass into a cocktail glass for a Caipirinha

Ingredients

These three ingredients are all you need to mix up this lime-tastic cocktail!

Cachaça
Lime
Sugar cube

How To Make Caipirinha

The mixing part takes minutes:

Muddle half a lime with a sugar cube in the bottom of a glass.
Fill the glass with crushed ice and pour the Cachaça over the ice.
Garnish, and Voila! Your drink is ready to serve.

Tips And Tricks For Making Caipirinha

Fancy a cool and refreshing summer treat? Freeze your lime-cachaça mix and turn it into an ice pop (just make sure the kids don’t get near it!).
Want to mix things up a bit in the summer? Add some berries to your glass for a raspberry-flavored caipirinha.
Is the fall season rolling around? Some cinnamon, sage, and apple will make this a super comforting evening drink after work.
It’s fine to use regular white cane sugar for this recipe, but I find that the superfine variety works better when making cocktails. The crystals tend to dissolve a lot easier, and that’s pretty useful when you’re mixing a caipirinha-type cocktail that doesn’t require a massive amount of shaking up.

close up glass of Caipirinha with crushed ice, garnish with lime

How to Make a Sugar-Free Caipirinha

To make a sugar-free version of this cocktail, simply substitute your favorite sweetener for the sugar. For a standard cocktail, a single packet of Splenda works perfectly. I like to muddle it together with the lime and then give the drink a good stir when it’s finished.

More Refreshing Cocktails To Try:

Easy & Fresh Strawberry Daiquiri

The Blue Hawaiian Cocktail

The Honeysuckle Cocktail

Electric Lemonade

Swedish Polar Bear Cocktail Recipe

Enjoy!

Mr Magpie