Polynesian Passion Cocktail
Tropical and subtly sweet, my Polynesian Passion Cocktail is deliciously drinkable! Deep, dark vanilla rum combines with passion fruit juice, fresh lime juice, and a touch of grenadine to create a beautifully balanced cocktail that will make you feel like you are in a tropical paradise!
Similar to a Mai Tai cocktail, my Polynesian Passion Cocktail has fewer ingredients, but just as much flavor. To learn how to make this tropical cocktail recipe, see the printable recipe card below, or take a look at the recipe video. Want a more detailed explanation of this recipe? See the Step by Step Instructions below. For Make Ahead Instructions, or to learn the story behind which cocktails inspired me to create this yummy libation, please visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips.
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RECIPE
(Check out my Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
POLYNESIAN PASSION COCKTAIL
Ingredients
Instructions
- Using a citrus juicer, squeeze lime juice, and set aside.
- To a cocktail shaker, add ice cubes, vanilla rum, passion fruit juice, and grenadine. Cover, shake vigorously, and strain into an ice filled 10 ounce rocks glass. Garnish with a lime twist (or edible tropical flower), and serve immediately!
Notes
- For this cocktail recipe, I prefer using this deep, dark Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum, as it lends a specific flavor and softness to this drink. I tested this recipe with many light and dark rums, which did not yield the same results. If you cannot find Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum in your area, I recommend using a very deep dark rum that has been infused with vanilla (not with vanilla extract).
- Making the Lime Twist: Cut a ¾ inch strip of peel (removing most of the white pith) from the peel of a lime. Using a sharp knife, clean up the edges and the ends to make them even. Slice the short ends on a diagonal, then make two even lengthwise slits only half the length of the twist. Fan out the thinner “tails” of the garnish, and perch the thicker end on the inside of the glass.
- Although this is a single serving recipe, it’s easy to make ahead of time when you are entertaining a crowd. For Make Ahead Instructions for entertaining a crowd, visit the Pimp My Recipe section for this recipe in my Blog Comments & Tips on the website.
- Makes 1 serving (using a 10 ounce rocks glass).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
181.63Fat (grams)
0.03 gSat. Fat (grams)
0 gCarbs (grams)
16.93 gFiber (grams)
0.17 gNet carbs
16.75 gSugar (grams)
7.07 gProtein (grams)
0.23 gSodium (milligrams)
16.29 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
STEP 1
Using a citrus juicer, squeeze 1 ounce fresh lime juice, and set aside.
STEP 2a
To a cocktail shaker, add 1 cup ice cubes, lime juice, 2 ounces Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum (see Note below), 1 ounce Ceres passion fruit juice, and 1 teaspoon grenadine. Cover, shake vigorously.
Note: For this cocktail recipe, I prefer using Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum, as it lends a specific flavor and softness to this cocktail. See the Notes section at the end of the Step by Step Instructions for more details on substitutions.
STEP 2b
Strain into an ice filled 10 ounce rocks glass.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Garnish with a lime twist (or edible tropical flower), and serve immediately!
Notes:
I tested this recipe with many light and dark rums, which did not yield the same results. If you cannot find Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum in your area, I recommend using a very deep dark rum that has been infused with vanilla (not with vanilla extract).
Making the Lime Twist: Cut a ¾ inch strip of peel (removing most of the white pith) from the peel of a lime. Using a sharp knife, clean up the edges and the ends to make them even. Slice the short ends on a diagonal, then make two even lengthwise slits only half the length of the twist. Fan out the thinner “tails” of the garnish, and perch the thicker end on the inside of the glass.
For Make Ahead Instructions for entertaining a crowd, visit the Pimp My Recipe section in my Blog Comments & Tips below.
Makes 1 serving (using a 10 ounce rocks glass).
VIDEO
How to Make this Deliciously Tropical Polynesian Passion Cocktail!
Blog Comments & Tips
A Delightfully Tropical Cocktail!
My Polynesian Passion Cocktail is definitely a cocktail recipe you will want to save, especially when you are craving something tropical and refreshing. It’s sweet, but not cloyingly sweet, complex, yet easy to make, and ultimately refreshing! This 4 ingredient recipe is perfect for a warm evening when you want to drink something that makes you feel like you are in the islands.
During one of the very hot Southern California summer heat waves last year, I had an urge to make a tropical and refreshing cocktail like a Mai Tai or a Hurricane. After pouring through numerous tropical cocktail recipes, I was astounded by the number of ingredients used in these cocktails. Although the Maracuya Mistress cocktail was less complicated, I wasn’t thrilled with the recommended ingredients, nor the combination or ratios in the cocktail.
So, I set out to develop a simpler, but no less delicious cocktail that satisfied my sweet tooth, and without the overabundance of sugary-sweetness that is typically in tropical drinks. After a few test recipes, our Polynesian Passion Cocktail was born! Similar to a Mai Tai cocktail, my Polynesian Passion Cocktail has fewer ingredients, but just as much flavor. I used only 4 ingredients to make this very drinkable (and somewhat addicting) cocktail.
The key to this cocktail is the ingredients. I tested this recipe with many light and dark rums, which did not yield the same results at all. To get the best balance of flavor in this cocktail recipe, it’s important to use Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum, as it adds specific vanilla notes and softness to this cocktail.
In addition to the vanilla infused dark rum, I used Ceres passion fruit juice to give it that true tropical flavor. Ceres passion fruit juice is actually a juice blend, which combines pear juice with passion fruit juice in their product. Passion fruit juice is quite strong on its own. This juice blend lends lovely floral and fruity notes to the cocktail, and pairs beautifully with the vanilla dark rum.
Now you have the recipe, ingredients, and equipment, but how do you ensure the best results from our recipe?
My 5 tips to making a delicious Polynesian Passion Cocktail:
High quality and fresh ingredients. Make sure to squeeze fresh lime juice, and don’t use bottled.
To get the best blend of flavors in this cocktail, I recommend using both these products: Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum, and Ceres passion fruit juice.
If you cannot find Brinley Gold Shipwreck vanilla rum in your area, I recommend using a very deep dark rum that has been infused with vanilla (not with vanilla extract).
If you cannot find Ceres passion fruit juice in your area, you can certainly replace it with a pure passion fruit juice. However, you may have to use less pure juice, as it could overpower the cocktail.
Although you can use the popular store-bought brand of grenadine that has red and blue dyes, we opted for the more natural version. Small Hand Foods grenadine uses only two ingredients to create their delicious and natural grenadine syrup: Just fresh pomegranate juice and unrefined cane sugar.
It’s time to customize and Pimp My Recipe.
Pimp My Recipe:
Make Ahead Instructions For a Crowd: Pre-slice the garnishes in advance (Don’t fan out the twist), then place them in a Ziploc bag, and refrigerate until ready to use. To prepare the cocktail mixture in advance, just add the lime juice, rum, passion fruit juice, and grenadine to a large pitcher, and stir to combine. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve. As guests arrive, fill prepared cocktail glasses with fresh ice cubes, and garnish with lime twists (fan them out), or edible flowers. Then remove the pitcher from the fridge, stir mixture well, pour up to two servings at a time into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes, and shake vigorously. Strain into prepared glasses, and serve!
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below and rating my recipes on this website. Also, please follow, like, and share @prepmyrecipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe on this website to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Santé!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to use fresh squeezed lime juice. Bottled just doesn’t cut it in this recipe!
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