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Summer is upon us and that means it’s fruity cocktail season.
We can’t tell you what booze to choose – everyone has their favourite – but there’s a good chance you’ll be looking to mix it with pineapple juice. So here’s our guide to making the most of that taste of the sunshine, whether it be with rum, tequila, whisky, gin, or vodka.
Looking for something refreshing but alcohol-free instead? Then try this mango and beetroot thirst-quencher.
Rum and pineapple juice cocktails
Bahama Mama
A tropical cocktail dripping in 60s nostalgia. The Bahama Mama has been around long enough for multiple different recipes to exist, but to be worthy of the name it should at least contain two types of rum and a lot of pineapple (whether all juice or pineapple liqueur). Like the recipe below, many variations also include coconut and coffee. Some also contain other fruit juices.
Click here for the Bahama Mama recipe from The Spruce Eats
Pineapple Mojito
This is a great spin on the classic rum cocktail that won’t offend any Mojito purists, especially when your holiday calls for booze at breakfast. In fact, you may even wonder why Mojitos don’t have pineapple in them all the time. It’s rounded off with a dose of triple sec for good measure.
Click here for the Pineapple Mojito recipe from The Spruce Eats
Pina Colada
There’s not a lot left to be said about this classic Puerto Rican cocktail. It’s probably the quintessential pineapple juice cocktail and it would be heresy to ignore it here. The recipe below is about as close to the original as it gets, including frozen pineapple chunks instead of ice cubes. You could apply that trick to most of the cocktails on this list.
Click here for the Pina Colada recipe from A Couple Cooks
Pineapple Lumps Piña Colada
Hold on. If you’re thinking of skipping this one because you think it’s just the Piña Colada above with chunks of pineapple in it, then you clearly don’t know what Pascall Pineapple Lumps are – chocolate pineapple sweets from New Zealand. That’s right, this is a piña colada with chocolate. Genius when you think about it.
Click here for the Pineapple Lumps piña colada recipe from Taste.com
Tequila and pineapple juice cocktails
Patrón Pineapple Tequila
This is a Patrón Tequila recipe, designed to showcase that particular brand of tequila’s suitability to fruit cocktails. However, just about any silver tequila will do. The addition of orange liqueur and lime make this a beautifully balanced aperitif to start any Mexican meal with.
Click here for the Patrón Pineapple Tequila recipe from Patrón Tequila (courtesy of The Spruce Eats)
Pineapple Margarita
There’s certainly no shortage of fruity twists on the Margarita, but it doesn’t get much more refreshing than this. Salt those glasses up and prepare a nice big batch of this. It’ll go quickly.
Click here for our Pineapple Margarita recipe
Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita
Margaritas are great and everything but it’s time to get spicy. Pineapple and jalapeño is a superb combination, so why not heat up your weekend by turning that tastebud-tantalising pair into a margarita of its own?
Click here for the Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita recipe from Vanilla and Bean
Whiskey and pineapple juice cocktails
Algonquin
Created at the Algonquin Hotel in Manhattan, their eponymous whiskey cocktail is an emblem of sophisticated New York summers. With just 3 ingredients – rye whiskey, vermouth, and pineapple juice – it’s easy to make and sure to go down a storm.
Click here for the Algonquin recipe from The Spruce Eats
Pineapple Whiskey Sour
For those who like the idea of a whiskey sour more than they like the drink itself, this one may just be sweet and refreshing enough to provide a good alternative. The pineapple juice cuts through the lemon to make it a less aggressive type of sour too. Also, no egg white, in case that sort of thing freaks you out.
Click here for the Pineapple Whiskey Sour recipe from Baked by Rachel
Gin and pineapple juice cocktails
Pineapple Gin & Tonic
You probably wouldn’t expect this to work but it does. The secret is to use the pineapple sparingly enough that it maintains the refreshing sparkle of a classic G&T without stumbling into the heavier territory of Snoop Dogg’s favourite Gin and Juice. Can’t decide which of the two drinks to go for? Choose this one instead.
Click here for the Pineapple Gin & Tonic recipe from Yes to Yolks
Pineapple Mint Martini
A Martini for when it’s mojito weather – and a little more accessible than both. This is a crowd-pleasing aperitif for sunny summer lunches outdoors.
Click here for the Pineapple Mint Martini recipe from Simmer and Sauce
Gin Colada
A fun take on the piña colada using gin instead of rum. The trick is to use the right gin – something fairly neutral, certainly not with flavours that might clash with the pineapple and coconut. The recipe below goes for Blackwoods Vintage Dry.
Click here for the Gin Colada recipe from Cooking Circle
Vodka and pineapple juice cocktails
French Martini
There’s not much French about this other than the Chambord liqueur. It’s thought to have originated in 1980s New York, and other raspberry liqueurs will suffice if need be. But really, this is one of those simple cocktails that demands you stump up for premium, if very few, ingredients.
Click here for the French Martini recipe from The Spruce Eats
Pineapple Screwdriver
Cocktails don’t get much simpler than the classic screwdriver. Add vodka, then orange juice. Voila. All this one does is replace half the orange with pineapple. It’s as easy as that, and no less delicious for it.
Click here for the Pineapple Screwdriver recipe from Miss in the Kitchen
Bay Breeze
AKA the Hawaiian Sea Breeze. This is a tropical take on the classic Cape Codder. This adds pineapple juice to that simple vodka–cranberry mixer. If you get the pour right – pineapple first, cranberry slowly over the top – it’ll look just like a Pacific sunset.
Click here for the Bay Breeze Recipe from The Spruce Eats
