A tropical cocktail, Blue Hawaii brings a little beach vacation vibe to your home. Sweet, tangy, boozy, and refreshing!
I’m back from a vacation with my family to the Caribbean. All I have in my mind is this cocktail, Blue Hawaii. For the longest time, I thought it’s called Blue Hawaiian. But I found out that Blue Hawaii and Blue Hawaiian both existed. They’re both blue in colors, but Blue Hawaiian is blended with ice and cream of coconut. Blue Hawaii is served on the rocks and has a citrus component.
Blue Hawaii was my first ever cocktail. I remember I was in New York and joined a couple friends at a bar. The bartender suggested this drink for me. It is a perfect entry for someone who doesn’t drink much. It is sweet and has a tropical vibe. Since then, I order this drink whenever I can. Bryan and I even had that as the signature drink in our wedding.
So on this cruise trip, I got a couple Blue Hawaii. I haven’t had it for a while and I forgot how good it’s. That’s why I’m excited to share with you all.
In a normal Blue Hawaii, the alcohol that is being used is vodka, light rum and blue curaçao. Blue curaçao is a type of an orange liqueur. It’s made with sugar cane and orange peel. That signature bright blue color is added coloring.
Then, there is the rum. We were experimenting a little bit to see if I can just use all rum, instead of rum with vodka. The answer is not really. Rum is sweet and has a stronger flavor than vodka. When all rum is used, the drink was too sweet and rum overpower the rest of the ingredients. So make sure to use a light rum (aka white or silver rum). Vodka is surprisingly important in this recipe. By not having much flavors, it lets the rest of the ingredients in this cocktail to shine and brings out all the layers of flavors. It makes the drink refreshing!
For the pineapple juice. I just used store bought one. Next is the simple syrup. It’s just a combination of sugar and water. Bring that just to a boil and cool down. That is simple syrup. This syrup recipe will make more than needed. If there is leftover, it can be used in other cocktails or coffee.
To make the cocktail, add ice cubes into a shaker. Then add all the alcohol, pineapple juice, simple syrup and lime juice. Cover and shake until cold. Pour the drink in a glass filled with ice and garnish with pineapple if desired. The color of drink is not truly blue. It’s more a bluish green and the reason is the pineapple juice. It’s said that pasteurized pineapple juice will give the drink a more green tint than fresh pineapple juice.
The drink is little sweet and little sour. It has a tropical taste and very refreshing! It’s easy to make a bigger batch and serve in a party too. Just stir together the ingredients instead of shaking. I hope this recipe brings a little beach vacation vibe to you. Cheers!
Blue Hawaii
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce vodka
- ¾ ounce light rum
- ½ ounce blue curaçao liqueur
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice (1 lime)
- 2 pineapple cubes or pineapple wedge optional
Simple Syrup:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- For the simple syrup, in a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted and water just started to boil, stirring every once a while. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge.
- In a shaker, fill half full with ice cubes. Add vodka, light rum, blue curaçao, pineapple juice, simple syrup and lime juice. Shake until chilled.
- In a serving glass, add 5 – 6 ice cubes. Strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with pineapple and serve.
Notes
- Simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for up to a month. I always have a container in my fridge. Other than cocktails, it’s great to use in coffee or tea as well.
- A combination of simple syrup and citrus juice is called a sour mix. It’s a 1:1 ratio. It’s often use in cocktails.
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