Sit back and relax with a refreshing and delicious Blue Hawaiian! This Blue Hawaii drink is super easy to make with just a few ingredients and every sip will transport you to someplace tropical.
Other refreshing drinks we love on a hot summer day include our Sex on the Beach and Cherry Limeade!
You just can’t beat a Blue Hawaiian cocktail when it comes to easy, tasty, beautiful drinks! Just one look at that gorgeous aquamarine color and a quick taste of the sweetness, you’ll be hooked!
Blue Hawaii Drink
The Blue Hawaii drink was created by Hilton Hawaiian Village’s bartender Harry Yee in the 1950’s. He was asked by a Bols sales rep to come up with a drink using curaçao. Right up there with Elvis Presley’s film that shares the drink’s name, it’s the most popular drink in Hawaii and is found all over tropical-themed bars across the United States, cementing a slot in pop culture history.
This cocktail is really similar to our Jack Frost cocktail and essentially a colorful blue version of a piña colada, but with blue curaçao instead of coconut, which adds a touch of orange flavor and mellows the drink a bit. However, you can make it with coconut cream, which is our favorite version and the one we’re sharing today.
Blue Hawaii Drink Ingredients
Here’s what’s typically in a Blue Hawaii cocktail:
- Pineapple Juice: 100% pure pineapple juice is best.
- Vodka: Use plain vodka. You don’t need anything fancy.
- Rum: Traditionally, this drink is made with white (light) rum.
- Sweet and Sour Mix: Made from equal parts lemon and/or lime juice and simple syrup, this mixer has a distinct flavor. (Note: The recipe we’re sharing today uses coconut cream instead and is considered a Blue Hawaiian.)
- Blue Curacao Liquor: This is an orange-flavored liqueur that uses artificial coloring to make it that stunning blue hue.
- Ice: Crushed ice is best.
Blue Hawaii vs Blue Hawaiian
These two drinks are practically the same thing, with one minor difference. The Blue Hawaii uses sweet and sour mix, whereas a Blue Hawaiian has cream of coconut instead (also referred to as creme de coconut. It’s found in the liquor aisle.) Basically, if you see any form of coconut (cream of coconut, coconut milk, or coconut rum) in the list of ingredients, you’re making a Blue Hawaiian.
Blue Hawaiian Recipe Notes
- Make a lighter version: This is a dessert drink, but you can use coconut milk in place of of the coconut cream, which isn’t as thick or high calorie. It won’t be quite the same, obviously, but still delicious.
- Tone down the sweetness: If the cocktail ends up too sweet for your taste, you can add in a splash (about 1/2 ounce per serving) of lemon juice, which mellows it a bit.
- Why is my drink green, not blue? The hue will largely depend on the ratio of ingredients you use and also how colorful the blue curaçao is. If you’re not getting that signature aquamarine color, you can mix in a drop or two of blue food coloring, which won’t change the flavor, but will get you closer to achieving the proper blue.
How to Make a Blue Hawaiian
There are 3 options for making a Blue Hawaii: you can stir it, shake it, or blend it. We love it blended for a truly simple, refreshing frosty drink on a hot summer day. All you need is 5 minutes!
(Scroll below for the detailed printable and measurements.)
- Place ice, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, vodka, rum, and blue curacao into a blender. Place the top on the blender and pulse until completely smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a hurricane glass.
- For garnish, thread a piece of fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry on toothpicks.
- Serve with a straw and enjoy!
Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until chilled, then strain into a glass. Or go the really simple route and just pour everything into a glass over ice and stir to combine.
Who can resist a pretty blue drink like this?? It’s so festive, sweet, and delish. You could even multiply all the ingredients for Blue Hawaiian punch to serve a crowd – perfect for a summer cookout!
Other Summer Drinks We Love
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Blue Hawaiian Drink
Ingredients
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce cream of coconut
- 1 ounce white rum
- 1 ounce vodka
- 1 ounce blue curacao
- fresh pineapple and maraschino cherries , for garnish
Instructions
- Place the ice, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, rum, vodka, and blue curacao into a blender. Place the top on the blender and pulse until completely smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a hurricane glass.
- Garnish with fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry. Serve with a straw and enjoy!
- (Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until chilled, then strain into a glass. Or go the really simple route and just pour everything into a glass over ice and stir to combine.)
- Note: If you want a classic Blue Hawaii, replace the cream of coconut with sweet and sour mix.
- Note: For more than 1 person, simply multiply all the ingredients by however many you're serving.
Nutrition
Other Notes
Absolutely delicious!