Caipirinha With Rum

Last updated November 8th, 2024

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A caipirinha with rum instead of traditional cachaça that’s easy for anyone to make at home, even with a limited bar shelf!

A Brazilian caipirinha.

What This Recipe Entails

The caipirinha is a wonderfully easy cocktail to make as it can be done right in the glass you’ll drink from. All you need is a rocks glass and a muddler to make this refreshing cocktail.

  • Prep time: 3 minutes

We’ll get into this more later in this post – but we use white rum instead of cachaça to make this recipe easier for those who have a limited bar shelf. Other than the rum, you’ll need fresh limes and granulated sugar.(No, lime juice and simple syrup will not work for this recipe! We’ll explain why in later sections).

What Is A Caipirinha?

The caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail that is made with cachaça, fresh limes, and sugar. Cachaça is a Brazilian liquor made from fermented sugar cane juice. While many often compare cachaça with a light rum, the flavor profiles are different with cachaça having a more grassy flavor which adds an earthy element to the caipirinha.

However, many variations of this cocktail have come about (as all good classic cocktails are riffed on) including the caipiroska, which subs vodka in for cachaça. We wanted to stick closer to the classic cocktail with our version of the caipirinha made with rum. While we know this isn’t a classic caipirinha, it makes the recipe easier for those who don’t have the bar space (or the budget) to store less common liquors like cachaça. 

Outside of the cachaça, the caipirinha is also a uniquely made drink as it requires muddling lime and sugar to make the base of the drink. This creates a different mouthfeel and flavor profile versus something like a daiquiri which overlaps greatly on ingredients (rum, lime juice, and demerara syrup). By muddling lime wedges with granulated sugar, not only do you get the fresh lime juice, but also you get the oils from the lime peel, adding a more potent and earthy flavor. 

A fresh lime cocktail with rum and sugar.

Rum Caipirinha Ingredients

Only three simple ingredients are needed to make a caipirinha. Our goal is to keep it simple for you. And really, it can’t get much easier! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • White rum
  • Fresh limes
  • Sugar

We use white rum since we almost always have it on hand. However, if you have cachaça laying around or have the bar space to get yourself the lesser known liquor, that’s even better! You can sub cachaça in one for one for the rum.

You will also need fresh limes and sugar. You won’t get the same cocktail if you make this with lime juice and simple syrup. (In fact, that would basically be a daiquiri). So if you are looking to make as close to a caipirinha as possible, you’ll need the fresh limes and granulated sugar. 

How To Make A Caipirinha With Rum

One of the many reasons we love the caipirinha is the ability to make it right in the final glass. No need for shakers, strainers, or other bar tools. Just a rocks glass and a muddler are required to make this classic cocktail.

Here’s how to make a caipirinha:

  1. First, add the lime wedges and sugar to a rocks glass. Muddle thoroughly to juice the limes and extract the oil from the lime peel.
  2. Then, add ice and rum to the glass. Stir to chill and serve!

That’s it! Two simple steps and you’ll have a refreshing, limey cocktail to sip on in no time.

A rum cocktail with fresh lime.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Even though it’s not a “true” caipirinha unless you use cachaça, this simple version with white rum makes it easy for anyone to enjoy this Brazilian cocktail at home. This drink is proof that you don’t need a fancy home bar, tons of specialty ingredients, or even many bar tools to make a flavorful and refreshing cocktail at home.

Try our easy rum caipirinha recipe and let us know what you think by rating and commenting below!


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A Brazilian caipirinha.

Caipirinha With Rum

Nicole and Alex
A caipirinha with rum instead of traditional cachaça that’s easy for anyone to make at home, even with a limited bar shelf!
No ratings yet
Prep Time 3 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Brazilian
Servings 1 cocktail
Calories 188 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 medium lime wedges
  • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
  • 2 fluid ounces white rum
  • Ice

Instructions
 

  • Add the lime wedges and sugar to a rocks glass. Muddle thoroughly to juice the limes and extract the oil from the lime peel.
  • Add rum and a few ice cubes to the glass. Stir to chill and serve.

Notes

Caipirinha history: The caipirinha is a Brazilian cocktail that is traditionally made with cachaça (a Brazilian liquor made from fermented sugar cane juice), fresh limes, and sugar. Cachaça has a more grassy, earthy flavor than white rum, which is what gives the caipirinha its signature flavor.
We made a simple riff on this cocktail by swapping the cachaça with white rum so that anyone can make this drink at home without specialty ingredients! Note that it won’t have quite the same flavor profile as a traditional caipirinha, but it’s still a delicious yet more accessible version of the cocktail.
Fresh limes and sugar: Muddling these together is crucial for emulating the flavors of a true caipirinha! You won’t get the same results if you use lime juice and simple syrup, so don’t try it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 188kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 0.5gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 70mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 34IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 0.4mg
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Keyword cocktail, cocktails, granulated sugar, lime, summer cocktail, white rum

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