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This tropical Blue Hawaiian cocktail is made with pineapple, coconut, rum, vodka, and Blue Curaçao (for that lovely blue color). It’s the perfect signature cocktail for your next summer soiree!
When I host parties, I like to choose a signature cocktail that fits the theme. That way, I don’t have to worry about stocking a full bar for people to mix endless cocktails (which can be expensive and wasteful).
So when we decided to create a Tropical Party spread on Culinary Hill, I knew we needed a signature cocktail. I immediately wanted to serve Blue Hawaiians because the taste is on point for the theme (fruity and tropical) and the beautiful blue hue reminds me of the Pacific Ocean.
Because too much rum can taste overpowering, we split the difference with some vodka. And while Blue Hawaiians are often made with cream of coconut, it tastes almost sickly-sweet here because pineapple juice is also very sweet. We opted for unsweetened canned coconut cream instead. Add a splash of Blue Curaçao for ocean views!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Rum: For even more flavor, substitute coconut rum such as Malibu brand.
- Blue Curaçao Liquor: bright blue orange-flavored liquor made from Laraha citrus from the Dutch Island of Curaçao.
- Coconut cream: While Blue Hawaiians are traditionally made with cream of coconut (syrupy and very sweet), we prefer canned coconut cream (thick and unsweetened).
Step-by-step instructions
- To a blender, add crushed ice, pineapple juice, white rum, blue Curaçao liquor, coconut cream, and vodka.
- Blend until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into a chilled highball glass.
- Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherry.
What’s the best blender for frozen drinks?
A frozen cocktail is only as good as the blender being used to make it. Otherwise you’ll be left with icy bits that makes sipping a little less smooth. I’ve relied on my trusty Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender since Culinary School back in 2016, and I found that it’s the best blender for crushing ice without being too noisy—so it’s not a party crasher.
It’s an investment that will last you for years (and for many, many frozen drinks), but I think it’s absolutely worth it. You can get it for around $600 at Amazon, and I also like using the Blendtec Classic blender for frozen drinks. It’s a little louder but also cheaper for just $380 at Amazon.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 (8 ounce) Blue Hawaiian cocktail.
- Glassware: Serve in a Hurricane glass, Poco grande glass, or highball glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 4 cocktails, combine 4 cups crushed ice, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) pineapple juice, 8 ounces (1 cup) white rum, 4 ounces (½ cup) blue Curaçao liquor, 4 ounces (½ cup) coconut cream, and 4 ounces (½ cup) vodka in a blender. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Blue Hawaii: In this lighter version, substitute sweet & sour mix for the coconut cream.
- Tropical Party: Digging the ocean-view color of the Blue Hawaiian? Discover my full Tropical Party menu featuring Coconut Shrimp, Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (an official component of “plate lunch” in Hawaii), Pineapple Salsa, and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake.
Recipe FAQs
These are two different cocktails. The Blue Hawaii is made with sweet and sour mix. The Blue Hawaiian (shown here) is made with coconut cream.
Yes, the frosty drink is made in a blender with ice.
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Blue Hawaiian
Ingredients
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces white rum (see note 1)
- 1 ounce blue Curaçao liquor (see note 2)
- 1 ounce coconut cream (see note 3)
- 1 ounce vodka
- fresh pineapple for garnish
- maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- To a blender, add crushed ice, pineapple juice, white rum, blue Curaçao liquor, coconut cream, and vodka.
- Blend until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour into a chilled highball glass. Garnish with pineapple and maraschino cherry.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Rum: For even more flavor, substitute coconut rum such as Malibu brand.
- Blue Curaçao Liquor: bright blue orange-flavored liquor made from Laraha citrus from the Dutch Island of Curaçao.
- Coconut cream: While Blue Hawaiians are traditionally made with cream of coconut (syrupy and very sweet), we prefer canned coconut cream (thick and unsweetened).
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 (8 ounce) Blue Hawaiian cocktail.
- Glassware: Serve in a Hurricane glass, Poco grande glass, or highball glass.
- Big batch: To make a batch of 4 cocktails, combine 4 cups crushed ice, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) pineapple juice, 8 ounces (1 cup) white rum, 4 ounces (½ cup) blue Curaçao liquor, 4 ounces (½ cup) coconut cream, and 4 ounces (½ cup) vodka in a blender. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
I just made your recipe for Blue Hawaiians for our annual block party, after trying 3 others from popular sites. Yours was the most balanced and least-sweet, and I really liked your tips on modifying the drink to make it so. Shows you do your homework well. And the value of culinary school! I wasn’t able to find coconut cream, and actually never heard of it before, but was able to find Libby’s Pineapple Light, with 1/2 the sugar.
Hi Claude, thank you so much! Such a nice comment! I appreciate that you see the my work and found it helpful! Please don’t hesitate to write if you have any questions. Take care! – Meggan