Tropical Blue Hawaii Cocktail
With the beautiful blue color of a tropical sky, this Blue Hawaii Cocktail is tasty, refreshing and a perfect summer drink.
I can’t remember where it was, but the family was sitting on a restaurant patio, drinking tropical cocktails. My daughter ordered something called a Blue Hawaii, and everyone was awestruck by the color. It tasted good too!
The menu told me that the drink owed its brilliance to Blue Curacao, an orange flavored liqueur. Tasting of bitter orange (similar to Triple Sec), it hails from the island of Curacao and comes in additional colors including red, green and orange. Just for fun!
The addition of rum, vodka and pineapple juice complete the vibe to create a fun tropical cocktail.
Cause who’s ready to celebrate summer!
Why You’ll Love This!
Flavorful. Fruity and tropical, this is perfect for a hot summer day!
Pretty. I’m a big believer that you eat with your eyes first.
Fun. Pull up a tropical drink and get the party started. Even a party of two!
How to Serve / Variations
The Blue Hawaii Cocktail is traditionally served in a Hurricane glass, but if you don’t own one a tall Collins glass is another good choice and even a rocks glass is fine. Garnishing with a paper umbrella is traditional but in my small town, I wasn’t able to find one. Still pretty!
Some versions of the Blue Hawaii Cocktail have all rum or all vodka instead of the blend I use. I might try all rum next time to increase the tropical vibe. Another variation is to blend it up with a lot of ice in a blender.
Sometimes you’ll see recipes that include coconut cream in the mix. That actually turns the drink into a Blue Hawaiian (see below). Though I’d totally drink that too!
Tips & FAQs
What does the blue color come from? I wish I could say the lovely blue comes from some exotic orchid but it’s actually food coloring (with a rumored few rare exceptions in a brand or two). But since a cocktail is never going to be health food, I’m willing to overlook this.
You see, the problem with natural tints is that they’re less stable–just take a look at my Purple Margarita to see how lime juice turns the blue butterfly pea flower purple. But, wouldn’t you think the joy from the beautiful color might add back a few seconds of life!
Is this the same as a Blue Hawaiian cocktail? As mentioned above, there is another, similar, cocktail called the Blue Hawaiian which adds coconut cream to the mix.
More Cocktail Recipes:
- Blackberry Smash Cocktail by Our Crafty Mom
- Watermelon Vodka Cooler by Easy Recipes for One
- Blackberry Margaritas by Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box
- Rum Daisy Cocktail by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
- Key Lime Pie Martini by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Sparkling Orange Margarita by The Best Drink Recipes
Blue Hawaii Cocktail
Ingredients
Cocktail:
- ¾ oz Light Rum
- ¾ oz Vodka or extra rum
- ¾ oz Blue Curaçao
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice or lime juice
- 2 oz Pineapple Juice
- 0-1/2 ounce simple syrup to taste or a few drops of stevia
Garnish (optional):
- Pineapple wedge,maraschino cherry, paper umbrella, orchard flower even!
Instructions
- Combine drink ingredient in a shaker and top with ice. Shake until the shaker turns frosty.
- Fill serving glass with ice, then strain the drink into the glass.
- Garnish as desired.
Love the story behind this cocktail there’s something so magical about that brilliant blue color that just instantly lifts the mood! Blue Curacao always feels like a little tropical sunshine in a glass, and mixing rum and vodka sounds like the perfect way to keep the party vibe going.
I agree Raymund!
Like tropical summer in a glass! I love the gorgeous color with the fruit!
Blue drinks always look so refreshing on a hot day (whe, by the way, we are having). We used to make our cosmos with blue curaçao — they turned a beautiful purple! I need to get the ingredients to take us to Hawaii!
I’d say if you’re hot, all the more reason to go for it David! Or a purple cosmo, which sounds so fun!
Rum and vodka are my go-tos, will have to grab some Blue Curacao. Stunning color and your garnish is way better than an umbrella because it’s tasty!
Yes, I think some Blue Curacao would be a good summer present to yourself!
Love Blue Hawaii’s. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome!