In the Hawaiian language, coconuts are called nui. But did you know that coconut trees aren’t native to Hawaii? Nevertheless, they’ve been there for a long time. They first arrived in Hawaii several hundred years ago via early Polynesian travelers during prehistoric times, and they’ve been growing there ever since.
Coconut cocktails are refreshing and fun, and it’s so much fun to garnish them with a cute little cocktail umbrella and a pineapple wedge.
As the days get warmer and the sun shines brighter, your taste buds yearn for a refreshing and flavorful escape. Enter the delightful world of coconut cocktails – not only do they capture the essence of tropical paradise, but they also provide a unique and satisfying flavor that’s hard to resist.
You might be familiar with the ever-popular Piña Colada, but the world of coconut cocktails extends far beyond this classic. From creamy concoctions to light, fizzy mixes, there’s a coconut cocktail out there for every preference. Expand your horizons and allow your palate to indulge in various combinations, from zesty and fruity to rich and velvety.
As you explore different coconut-infused libations, you’ll find that there’s more to them than their alluring taste. Coconut milk and coconut water both offer their own benefits, adding not only flavor but also valuable nutrients and hydration. So raise your glass to these tropical treasures and discover your new favorite coconut cocktail.
However, you can also make a coconut drink with coconut cream for drinks (cream of coconut).
On this list, we’ve got cocktails with everything from rum to tequila to vodka. We even have a coconut mixed drink made with scotch and a coconut martini!
Are you ready to dive into this list of yummy coconut mixed drinks? Let’s go!
This fruity cocktail is also appropriately called the Hawaiian Mimosa.
To make the Hawaiian Mimosa, you need cold Prosecco or champagne. And instead of the traditional orange juice usually used to make mimosas, you use pineapple juice.
Also, this cocktail has a shot of coconut rum in it, which is where it gets its coconut flavor.
Garnish your Hawaiian Mimosa with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry.
When punch is made with coconut rum, you know you’re in for a treat.
To make coconut rum punch, you need coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, ginger ale, and sweet grenadine syrup (or cherry syrup).
If you make your punch in a punch bowl, float lemon slices and orange slices on top. If you make glasses of coconut rum punch, garnish the glasses with the fruit.
What’s even cooler than a tropical coconut mixed drink? How about a coconut margarita recipe? We’re sold on this idea!
This recipe calls for cream of coconut, fresh lime juice, tequila, and an orange liqueur such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau.
Garnish your coconut margarita with toasted coconut on the rim instead of salt. You’ll need to dip your glass in honey so that the toasted coconut will stick to it.
Add a juicy lime slice or lemon wedge to make it even more gorgeous.
When it’s hot outside, nothing is as refreshing as a tall, icy coconut rum drink.
This cocktail is super simple and it’s not a creamy cocktail like some of the other delicious cocktails on our list.
To make this coconut cocktail, you need coconut vodka (you can also use coconut rum), fresh lime juice, fresh lemon juice, and coconut water. If you want your cocktail sweeter, you can use simple syrup.
There are times in life when only a classic tiki cocktail will do, and for those times, we present the Chi Chi cocktail.
The Chi Chi is loaded with fruity flavor, and this recipe calls for frozen pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, vodka, and cream of coconut.
Typically, the Chi Chi is blended, so you will need ice to get that job done.
Garnish with a pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry.
What do you think of a coconut milk cocktail that tastes like a chocolate milkshake? Allow us to introduce you to the Bushwacker drink.
Think of the Bushwacker cocktail as the combination of a chocolate mudslide and a piña colada. It’s basically heaven in a cocktail glass.
To make the Bushwacker cocktail, you need dark rum, Kahlua (or another coffee liqueur), dark cream de cacao, cream of coconut, whole milk, and nutmeg for garnish.
When you think of coconut mixed drinks, the first one to come to mind may be the classic Piña Colada.
A Piña Colada is usually a frozen drink, but you can drink it with ice cubes or crushed ice if you like.
The Piña Colada has rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice.
Garnish your Piña Colada with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry. Oh, and this is when you can use those adorable cocktail umbrellas. Also, feel free to top this gorgeous cocktail with whipped cream.
We will end our list of coconut cocktail recipes with this gem: Lime in the Coconut.
First of all, we love the name of this coconut cocktail. But it’s also a yummy drink.
To make this, you need rum, cream of coconut (or coconut milk), fresh lime juice, and sugar.
Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until very smooth.
To get the toasted coconut, coconut flakes, fresh coconut, or shredded coconut on the rim, dip the rim of your glasses in honey or Karo syrup. Then, dip the rims in the toasted coconut.
To serve this coconut cocktail, you can stir it with ice and strain it into a rocks glass. However, you can also serve this cocktail over ice cubes.
Coconut Cream for Coconut Cocktails and Coconut Mixed Drinks
What do you use in terms of coconut cream for cocktails? We recommend cream of coconut, a special ingredient. One popular brand is Coco Real Cream of Coconut, and another popular brand is Coco Lopez. You can find both of these online if you can’t find them at your local liquor store or grocery store. Note that cream of coconut is not quite the same as the ingredient in coconut milk drink recipes.
For one thing, coconut cream does not have sugar and is unsweetened. This ingredient isn’t the one we recommend. It has a strong coconut flavor and it’s very thick. You can find it at stores in cans near coconut milk.
The ingredient you need for coconut cocktails is cream of coconut, which is a sweetened syrup (different from simple syrup) that’s made for use in cocktails.
Watch the video below to learn how to make the perfect Bacardi Coconut Cocktail.
Cassie brings decades of experience to the Kitchen Community. She is a noted chef and avid gardener. Her new book "Healthy Eating Through the Garden" will be released shortly. When not writing or speaking about food and gardens Cassie can be found puttering around farmer's markets and greenhouses looking for the next great idea.
