Hosting a Derby Day party this year? Send your guests home with a DIY mint julep kit! I got the idea from Pizzazzerie’s gorgeous Entertain in Style book, and I couldn’t wait to share it with y’all. These mini cocktail kits include everything you need to make your own mint julep, including a DIY horse drink stirrer and mini bottle of homemade mint simple syrup.

Not only do these DIY mint julep kits make for a stylish and thoughtful party favor, but they also extend the celebration beyond Derby Day! Your guests will love opening their kits and bringing the charm of the classic Kentucky Derby cocktail to life at home. Whether they want to mix one up the next day or save it for a future celebration, they’ll appreciate the sweet little taste of Southern tradition you’ve sent home with them. Keep reading to learn how to put together your own! You can also scroll down click play on the Instagram Reel below for a super short little tutorial.

DIY Mint Julep Kits

Why Mint Julep Kits Make the Perfect Derby Party Favor

When planning any party, the best favors are typically those that guests can actually use and enjoy. A DIY mint julep kit checks both those boxes! Plus, they’re easy to customize. You can get creative with packaging, add personalized labels, or even include additional bourbon-themed treats (listing a few down below). 

Since mint juleps are the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, these kits fit perfectly with any race day theme and will have your guests reminiscing about your fabulous party long after it’s over. Even if some of your guests aren’t big bourbon drinkers, they’ll love the charm of these kits and can always swap the bourbon for another spirit or make a non-alcoholic version with club soda.

What You’ll Need for DIY Mint Julep Kits

Putting together these mint julep kits is incredibly simple. Here’s everything you’ll need to create your own–

• Plastic Silver Julep Cups– Real silver mint julep cups are ex-pen-sive, so definitely try and find plastic ones if you can. Alternatively, stainless steel mint julep cups like these are another great option. They’re a tad bit pricier than plastic, but they’re also all-around nicer and dishwasher-safe. Another budget-friendly option is to ditch the julep cup altogether and opt for custom silver party cups like these. 
• Mini Bottles of Bourbon– You can usually find 50ml bottles at your local liquor store. Woodford Reserve or Maker’s Mark are great classic choices, although I’m partial to Woodford. Woodford Reserve is actually the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and (bonus points!) their bottles look great in these cocktail kits!
• Mini Bottles of Homemade Mint Simple Syrup– This simple syrup is easy to make with just sugar, water, and fresh mint leaves. Bottle it up in small jars for a polished look. I originally ordered these mini bottles, but Amazon decided to take two weeks to deliver them. As a last resort, I ran to Hobby Lobby and grabbed some small sand bottles instead. They ended up working perfectly!
• Green Crinkle Paper– I buy mine in bulk on Amazon. It’s great for filling gift baskets at Christmastime, too!
• Striped Green Paper Straws– Adding paper straws is an easy and inexpensive way to make each mint julep kit feel even more festive. Plus, they’re a practical touch that guests can use right away!
• DIY Derby Drink Stirrers– I made these by spray painting mini horse figurines silver and then drilling a hole to insert these plastic stirrers. If you’d prefer to not make your own, you can find something nearly identical on Etsy here!
• Green Bow Ties– I’ll admit that I’m not the best at tying pretty bows, so I bought my bows from Hobby Lobby. They’re actually cheer bows with the clips removed. Unfortunately, they’re not available to purchase online anymore, but these are a great option from Amazon! 

How to Assemble Your Mint Julep Kits

These mint julep kits are seriously so easy to put together. Once you have all your supplies, fill each julep cup with green crinkle paper. Then, add in a mini bottle of Kentucky bourbon (fun fact– Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby) and a mini bottle of homemade mint simple syrup. Next, throw in a fun straw and a derby drink stirrer or two. Then, for the pièce de résistance, attach a cute green bow or bow tie to the outside of the cup. The ones I used are actually hair bows that I found at Hobby Lobby, so I’ve since switched to these bows from Amazon!

Lastly, after you’ve assembled all your mini mint julep kits, put them on display! I recommend setting them up on your derby day bar cart or snack table with a little “party favors” sign (something like this) so guests know to take one home with them as they leave. 

Extra Ways to Personalize Your Kits

If you want to take your Derby party favors up a notch, consider adding–

• Personalized cocktail recipe cards (like these) with step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect mint julep.
• Custom labels (like these) for the bourbon bottles or syrup jars featuring your party’s name and date.
• A mini snack pairing like a small bag of bourbon pecans or chocolate-covered mints.
• If you’re feeling extra fancy (and generous), use engraved silver julep cups (like these) with guests’ initials instead of plastic or stainless steel. 
• Print out fun “place your bets” cards (these are adorable!) so guests can fill them out before the race and take them home as a keepsake.
• Include Derby-themed cocktail napkins or coasters (like these) for guests to use with their mint juleps.

Make It a Mocktail Kit

Turning your mint julep cocktail kits into mocktail kits is simple and a thoughtful option for guests who prefer a non-alcoholic drink. Instead of including bourbon, swap the alcohol for–

• Ginger Ale– Canada Dry is my personal favorite substitution, and I love that you can find mini cans virtually anywhere.
• Lemonade– Although (in my opinion) it alters the classic taste of a mint julep quite a bit, lemonade adds a refreshing citrusy base that pairs deliciously with the mint simple syrup. You may also want to throw in a mini can of club soda for this version, too!
• Non-Alcoholic Bourbon– Spiritless Kentucky 74 and Unwhiskey (available at Whole Foods) are my top recommendations! To my knowledge neither are available in mini bottles yet, though, so you’ll probably need to bottle your own.

Keep the rest of the kit the same– include the homemade mint simple syrup, straw, and horse drink stirrer. This way, your guests can still enjoy the refreshing flavors of a mint julep without the alcohol. Make sure to label them mint julep mocktail kits, too, to make it clear they’re the alcohol-free version!

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DIY Mint Julep Kits

Yield: 1 kit

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Estimated Cost: $10

Not only do these DIY mint julep kits make for a stylish and thoughtful party favor, but they also extend the celebration beyond Derby Day. Your guests will love opening their kits and bringing the charm of the classic Kentucky Derby cocktail to life at home!

Print

Materials

• Plastic or Stainless Steel Julep Cup
• Mini Bottle of Bourbon
• Mini Bottle of Homemade Mint Simple Syrup
• Green Crinkle Paper
• Striped Green Paper Straw
• DIY Derby Drink Stirrer
• Green Bow Tie

Instructions

1. Prepare the homemade mint simple syrup ahead of time and divide it into small bottles or jars. Label each bottle with a tag so guests know what it is.
2. Fill your plastic or stainless steel julep cup with green crinkle paper and then nestle a mini bottle of Bourbon, mini bottle of mint simple syrup, paper straw, and derby-themed drink stirrer inside.
3. Attach a cute green bow or bow tie to the outside of the cup as a final decorative touch. Alternatively, use ribbon, twine, or a custom gift tag that says something fun like “Thanks for horsing around with us!”
4. Display your mint julep kit(s) on your derby day bar cart or snack table with a little "party favors" sign so guests know to take one home with them as they leave.

Notes

Extra Ways to Personalize Your Kits

If you want to take your Derby party favors up a notch, consider adding–

• Personalized cocktail recipe cards with step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect mint julep.
• Custom labels for the bourbon bottles or syrup jars featuring your party’s name and date.
• A mini snack pairing like a small bag of bourbon pecans or chocolate-covered mints.
• If you're feeling extra fancy (and generous), use engraved silver julep cups with guests' initials instead of plastic or stainless steel.
• Print out fun "place your bets" cards so guests can fill them out before the race and take them home as a keepsake.
• Include a Derby-themed cocktail napkin or coaster for guests to use with their mint juleps.

Make It a Mocktail Kit

Turning a handful of mint julep cocktail kits into mocktail kits is simple and a thoughtful option for guests who prefer a non-alcoholic drink. Instead of including bourbon, swap out the spirit for--

• Ginger Ale- Canada Dry is my personal favorite substitution, and I love that you can find mini cans virtually anywhere.
• Lemonade- Although (in my opinion) it alters the classic taste of a mint julep quite a bit, lemonade adds a refreshing citrusy base that pairs deliciously with the mint simple syrup. You may also want to throw in a mini can of club soda for this version, too!
• Non-Alcoholic Bourbon- Spiritless Kentucky 74 and Unwhiskey (available at Whole Foods) are my top recommendations! To my knowledge neither are available in mini bottles yet, though, so you'll have to bottle your own.

Keep the rest of the kit the same, include the homemade mint simple syrup, straw, and horse drink stirrer.

Click play on the Instagram Reel below to see how easily these cocktail kits came together!

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Steph | Diary of a Debutante (@stephanieziajka)

More Derby Day Party Favor Ideas

If you need more Derby Day party favor ideas, here are a few other posts and products I think you’ll like–

• Mint-Infused Simple Syrup– This homemade mint simple syrup is a great party favor all on its own! Just divide up a batch into a dozen mini bottles and slap on some cute labels. Easy peasy!
• Mini Bourbon Pecan Pies– These adorable little mini pies are my all-time favorite, and they look adorable in little treat boxes (like these). Tie a ribbon around them for an extra special touch!
• Kentucky Derby-Themed Sugar Cookies– Order a batch (or three) of these adorable Derby-themed sugar cookies and put a few in a pretty windowed box (like this) with some crinkle paper.
• Rustic Mini Horseshoes– I bought these to use as place cards for one of my Kentucky Derby tablescapes and fell in love. They’re so cute, and a pack of 10 is under $15! Use them as place card holders, charms for your party favor bags, or as a fun lucky token for guests.
• Mini Candy Boxes– Fill these charming little candy boxes with chocolate-covered mints, bourbon balls, or Hershey kisses with these sweet little stickers. If you’re going for more of a race day color scheme instead of the classic Derby green, use these striped boxes instead. These little boxes can also be personalized with fun messages or even the name of the guest for an extra layer of personalization.

That’s a wrap on these DIY mint julep kits! I hope this guide helps you create the perfect Kentucky Derby party favors that your guests will love. If you have any questions or need extra tips, feel free to reach out. I always love hearing from y’all and am happy to help.

Looking for more Derby Day inspiration? If you’re unsure what to wear, check out my Derby Day Style Guide for outfit ideas that are both chic and race-day ready. And for everything you need to throw an unforgettable Kentucky Derby party, don’t miss my ultimate Derby-themed party guide, complete with delicious recipes, festive décor ideas, and handy hosting tips.

Happy hosting, and may the best horse win!

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