Bahama Mama Cocktail
This Bahama Mama Cocktail makes you feel like you’re on a tropical oasis with every sip. Coconut and dark rum combined with orange and pineapple juices and grenadine create a sweet, tropical flavor perfect for summer.
We throw a lot of parties when summer rolls around, and Bahama Mamas are one of our favorite cocktails to serve. They use simple ingredients to create the ultimate summer vibe, and they’re super easy to make. You can’t beat that when you’re serving a crowd!
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It only uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- It’s easy to make and comes together in just a few minutes.
- The coconut, pineapple, and orange flavors create a tropical feel with every sip.
🛒Ingredients
You’ll only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this cocktail, and you’ll find them all at your grocery store.
- Coconut rum
- Dark rum
- Orange juice
- Pineapple juice
- Grenadine syrup
- Fresh pineapple wedges, maraschino cherries, and orange slices for garnish
See the recipe card at the end of the post for exact amounts.
🔪 How to Make This Bahama Mama Cocktail
Making this cocktail is a breeze, and you’ll be all done in just a few minutes.
Step 1: Prep
Measure your ingredients and add ice to the glass.
Step 2: Make the Cocktail
Add the orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut rum to the glass. Then, gently add a splash of grenadine syrup so it floats to the bottom of the glass. Layer the dark rum on top.
Step 3: Garnish
Garnish with fresh pineapple wedges, marschino cherries, or orange slices on a toothpick across the top of the glass. Stir immediately before serving.
📝Variations
Do you want to change up this recipe and make it your own? Here are some ways that you can do that!
- You can use plain rum if you can’t find dark rum.
- Try pomegranate juice in place of grenadine for a tasty twist.
- Brandy or bourbon can be used in place of dark rum.
If you love the tropical flavor of this cocktail, then try our tropical cake cocktail.
🥄 Equipment
- Liquid measuring cups or food scale
- Glass
- Toothpicks
🥫 Storage
This recipe makes one cocktail, so there should be no need to store it. However, if you make a batch of them for a party, any leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 3 days.
What to Serve with Bahama Mama Cocktail
This cocktail is great for sipping at backyard cookouts and pool parties. Serve it with all your summer favorites like:
- Burgers
- Hot dogs
- Grilled chicken, beef, pork, or seafood
- Classic cookout sides
💭 Tips
- Be gentle when adding the grenadine. The goal is for it to sink gently to the bottom of the glass without mixing with the other ingredients.
- The easiest way to layer the dark rum on top of the other liquid ingredients is to place a spoon, bottom-side up just above the other liquid. Then, gently pour the dark rum over the spoon. This will help the rum spread over the top of the other ingredients rather than pouring down into them.
- Although you can use store-bought juice for this cocktail, fresh juice delivers the best flavor.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
A Bahama Mama is a layered cocktail made with ice, orange juice, pineapple juice, coconut rum, regular or dark rum, and grenadine.
While there are a few stories, the most popular theory is that the drink was created in the mid-20th century and named for the original “Bahama Mama”, Dottie Lee Anderson, a Caribbean calypso performer in Nassau.
There are 3 ounces of rum in this cocktail. That’s about 2 shots. So it’s moderately strong. It’s designed for sipping, not gulping.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy cocktails? Then try these delicious recipes:
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Bahama Mama Cocktail
Equipment
- cocktail Glass
Ingredients
- 1 cup ice
- ½ ounce coconut rum
- ½ ounce dark rum
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- Splash of grenadine syrup
- Fresh pineapple wedges maraschino cherries, and orange slices for garnish
Instructions
- Add ice to the glass.
- Add orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut rum to the glass.
- Add a splash of grenadine syrup, gently, so that it floats to the bottom.
- Layer dark rum on top.
- Garnish with fresh pineapple wedges, maraschino cherries, or orange slices for garnish.
- Give the drink a stir immediately before serving.
