Ten Best Tropical Cocktail Recipes

Whether you live in the balmy southern regions, up near the Canadian border, or anywhere in between, there is nothing like a cold tropical drink on those warm, humid days.

Madda Fella’s home base is in Key West. Naturally, tropical drinks are something we love to enjoy on a ‘somewhat’ regular basis, so we have some expertise in this area. To help you get through those muggy periods, here are 10 drink ideas that will help soothe your mind and body, like a cool breeze on a hot sticky day. 

 

The Rum Runner

It seems only fitting that we start off our list of tropical drinks with the Official Drink of Key West…The Rum Runner. Back in the 1920s and 30s bootleggers illegally imported rum to Key West speakeasies from nearby Cuba and the Bahamas. For our Rum Runner we will use Hemingway’s own Papa’s Pilar Rum. Recipe serves one. 

Recipe and photo from papaspilar.com

 

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum
• 1 ounce Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum
• 1 ounce lime juice,
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 1 ounce pineapple juice
• 1 ounce banana liqueur
• ½ ounce Chambord
• ½ ounce cranberry juice

Directions

• Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and mix generously.
• Pour into a glass half-filled with ice
• Garnish with a pineapple wedge, an orange slice, a lime slice, or make it a fruit explosion with all three

 

The Bahama Mama

Just the name itself provides that island feel, and it is a drink that is easy to prepare. The Bahamas is a true island vacation destination, and you can capture that wonderful spirit with this sumptuous drink favorite. Recipe serves one. 

Recipe and photo from thebakingfairy.com

 

Ingredients

• 2 ounces coconut rum
• 1 ounce gold rum
• 2 ounces pineapple juice
• 2 ounces orange juice
• 1 ounce grenadine

Directions

• Combine all the ingredients along with a few cubes of ice in a drink shaker. Shake well.
• Pour into your favorite cocktail glass which has a few ice cubes as well.
• Garnish with a slice of pineapple, a slice of orange, and a maraschino cherry.

 

Hawaiian Pineapple Cosmopolitan 

This recipe comes from the islands, not the Caribbean but from our 50th state. It captures the joy of living where palm trees, cool breezes, and blue waters of paradise. So, throw on a lei and show off your best hula moves as you enjoy this tasty delight. Recipe serves one.

Recipe and photo from eatwell101.com

 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ ounces vodka
• 1/3-ounce triple sec
• 1/3-ounce fresh lime juice
• A dash of simple syrup
• 2/3-ounce pineapple juice
• 2 bruised mint leaves
• Garnish with a lime peel and a blackberry to add a fine finishing touch

Directions

• In a cocktail shaker combine the vodka, triple sec, lime juice, pineapple juice, and simple syrup with ice
• Shake and mix well
• Pour the ingredients through the shaker’s strainer into a cocktail glass with ice in it. 
• Garnish with the lime peel and blackberry and serve

 

Peach Lime Margaritas

Here is a drink that provides a few options, but is so very pleasing. Make the puree first, then, use the rest of the ingredients to make each individual drink. The recipe will make 2 large or 3 regular size drinks. Options? Salt/Sugar/Neither…your choice!!!

Recipe and photo from thebakingfairy.com

 

Ingredients

   Peach Puree

• 2 peaches, pitted
• 2 fresh limes

   For each margarita

1 ounce Cointreau, (or your favorite Triple Sec)

2 ounces silver tequila

1-ounce simple syrup

½ cup of the peach puree

A slice of peach for garnish

Optional: Sugar, or Salt for rimming your glass

 

Directions

• Making the Peach Puree

• Peel, slice, and dice two peaches; place in a blender
• Squeeze in the juice of both limes 
• Blend the lime juice and diced peaches in the blender until SMOOTH

• For Each Drink
• In a cocktail shaker add the Cointreau, tequila, a half cup of the puree, and ice
• Shake vigorously until well mixed
• This step is optional but recommended. Grab an ‘old fashioned’ glass, wet the rim with a piece of the lime, and dip the rim in sugar, or salt or go ‘as is’ 
• Garnish with a slice of peach

 

Pineapple Mojito 

The regular Mojito is a classic drink, but this version adds a little tropical flair with the addition of pineapple. You will have to muddle a bit, but the refreshing taste is well worth it. Recipe serves one.

Recipe and photo from acouplecooks.com

 

Ingredients

6 mint leaves

2 ounces white rum

1 ounce fresh lime juice

1 ounce pineapple juice

1 ounce simple syrup

2 ounces soda water (or unflavored seltzer water)

Garnish with a pineapple slice, mint leaves, and a maraschino cherry

Directions

• In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint leaves
• Add the rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, simple syrup, and ice. Shake
• Put ice into a tall glass, and pour in the liquid from the shaker
• Top the glass with the soda water/seltzer
• Garnish with the pineapple slice, mint leaves, and the maraschino cherry

 

Bay Breeze/Malibu Bay Breeze 

This recipe is for the Bay Breeze, which is made with vodka. There are many variations on a Bay Breeze, one being the Malibu Bay Breeze which uses Malibu Rum instead of vodka. We decided to share both, and they are SOOOO simple to make. (Just for you, two recipes for the price of one!!!) Each recipe serves one.

Recipe and photo from acouplecooks.com

 

Bay Breeze Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice

3 ounces cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail juice)

1 ½ to 2 ounces of vodka (we like Grey Goose, but the choice is yours)

1 teaspoon of simple syrup

Garnish pineapple wedge 

Bay Breeze Directions

In a cocktail shaker add pineapple juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup, vodka, and ice

Shake until blended and chilled

Pour strained into a glass with ice

Add the pineapple garnish and serve

 

Malibu Bay Breeze Ingredients

2 ounces pineapple juice

2 ounces cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail juice)

1 ½ to 2 ounces of Malibu Coconut Rum

Lime wedge for garnish

Malibu Bay Breeze Directions

In a cocktail shaker add pineapple juice, cranberry juice, rum, and ice

Shake until blended and chilled

Pour strained into a glass with ice

Add lime garnish and serve

 

The Tom Collins/Raspberry Tom Collins

We have yet to mention a tropical drink for you Gin lovers out there. So here is not one but two different versions of the delicious and famous Tom Collins. Both are ever so refreshing. One is the traditional Tom Collins and the other has a little fruitier flair that we are sure you will enjoy. Each recipe serves one.

Recipe and photo from liquior.com

 

Traditional Tom Collins Ingredients

• 2 ounces of your favorite dry gin
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• Club Soda (tops the drink)
• Lemon wheel cut and maraschino cherry for garnish

Traditional Tom Collins Directions

• Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake well.
• Pour contents of the cocktail shaker into a Collins glass (what else!!!)
• Top with club soda, then stir
• Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry and serve

 

Raspberry Tom Collins Ingredients

• 2 ounces of your favorite dry gin
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4-ounce simple syrup
• 2 raspberries
• Club Soda (tops the drink)
• Garnish: 2 raspberries, lemon wheel cut, and mint sprig

Raspberry Tom Collins Directions

• In a cocktail shaker muddle the raspberries and simple syrup (love the term ’muddle’)
• Add the gin and lemon juice to the cocktail shaker with ice
• Shake well.
• Pour contents of the cocktail shaker into a Collins glass (what else!!!)
• Top with club soda, then stir
• Garnish with two raspberries a lemon wheel and a mist sprig and serve

 

The Hemingway Daiquiri

Key West’s most famous resident was Ernest Hemingway. He was very fond of rum drinks, so here we take the classic daiquiri and present it the way Hemingway enjoyed it. 

Two important aspects to the Hemingway Daiquiri; First, always serve the drink in a coupe glass (the perfect presentation); Second, Hemingway would always double the rum and make it a ‘Papa Doble’. You decide!! This is the regular recipe. (Double the rum and you may become a famous writer too!!!) Recipe serves one.

Recipe and photo from papaspilar.com.

 

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Papa’s Pilar Blonde Rum (Double to make the Papa Doble)
• ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 teaspoon Maraschino liqueur
• Optional - 1 teaspoon of sugar (Hemingway never added this to his drink)
• Lime wheel slice for garnish and ice for the cocktail shaker

Directions

Combine the rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur, ice in a cocktail shaker (also add the sugar if desired…not done by Hemingway) and shake vigorously

Pour strained from the cocktail shaker into the coupe glass

Garnish with the lime wheel, and enjoy

 

LAST CALL

There you have it, 10 tropical drink recipes that capture the atmosphere of the islands. Just to provide a few more options, here are links to our Orange Crush and Grapefruit Crush cocktail recipes. 

 

Remember, these are just a few ways to make refreshing tropical drinks. Feel free to add your personal touches to these drinks. If you find one that you really like, shoot us an email with the ingredients and directions. Also, if you have a well-guarded secret family drink, we would love to hear from you, we would love to try it, (and we won’t tell anyone!!).

 

CHEERS!!!