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Two Mai Tai cocktails on a counter.
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Mai Tai

A Mai Tai is a popular tropical cocktail and a cornerstone of tiki culture. Made with rum, orgeat syrup, and lime, it's fruity and refreshing.
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 2 minutes
Total Time 2 minutes
Servings 1 cocktail
Calories 278kcal
Author Meggan Hill

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dark rum (1/4 cup)
  • 1 ounce lime juice (2 tablespoons)
  • 3/4 ounce orgeat syrup (1 1/2 tablespoons, see note 1)
  • 1/2 ounce orange liquor (1 tablespoon, see note 2)
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup (1 tablespoon, see note 3) optional
  • 1 sprig fresh mint leaves for garnish
  • 1 twist lime zest for garnish
  • 1 wedge pineapple for garnish
  • Maraschino cherries for garnish
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a cocktail shaker, add rum, lime juice, orgeat syrup, simple syrup, and orange liquor. Fill shaker with ice, cover and shake until well chilled and combined, about 30-45 seconds.
  • Fill a rocks glass or tiki cup halfway with crushed ice. Strain Mai Tai into glass. Top with additional ice. Garnish with mint leaves, lime zest, pineapple, and a maraschino cherry.

Notes

  1. Orgeat syrup: An almond-flavored syrup.
  2. Orange liqueur: Dry Orange Curaçao is the traditional choice in a Mai Tai, but you can substitute triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier.
  3. Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes one delicious, tropical cocktail.
  5. Glassware: If you drink a ton of Tiki-themed drinks, consider Tiki cocktail glasses that have mask faces on them. I love to use a simple hurricane glass so I can appreciate the Mai Tai for all its beauty.
  6. Big batch: To make a batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) dark rum, 8 ounces (1 cup) lime juice, 6 ounces (3/4 cup) orgeat syrup, 4 ounces (1/2 cup) orange liqueur, and 4 ounces (1/2 cup) simple syrup in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktail | Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 57IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg