Look, this Passion Fruit Mai Tai is not a super classic one. I’m not going to try to claim this is anything close to a traditional Mai Tai because I don’t dare face the wrath of Mai Tai aficionados. Think of this as a Mai Tai light as it’s tamed with passion fruit juice.
This Passion Fruit Mai Tai recipe is the tropical cocktail you didn’t know you needed—until now. A vibrant riff on the tiki bar classic, this drink brings together juicy passion fruit, citrus, and layered rums for a refreshing sipper that tastes like vacation in a glass.
Why You’ll Love This
The Passion Fruit Mai Tai is a crowd-pleaser that strikes the perfect balance between sweet, tart, and strong. The combo of tropical juice, fresh lime, and dual rums gives it depth and zing. It’s easy to make, beautiful to serve, and guaranteed to impress at your next happy hour.
Recipe Ingredients
To mix up a Passion Fruit Mai Tai, you’ll need a few bar basics:
- Fresh mint to give it that signature aromatic garnish
- Passion fruit juice for a tangy, tropical foundation
- Light and dark rum to build a complex flavor profile
- Lime juice for brightness
- Orange liqueur (like Cointreau) to round it out with citrusy depth
- Simple syrup to sweeten the deal
How to Make This Recipe
Start by smacking a few mint leaves and tossing them in a shaker. Add passion fruit juice, light rum, lime, orange liqueur, and simple syrup, then shake with ice. Pour over fresh ice in a rocks glass, and slowly float the dark rum on top for that dramatic layered effect. Garnish with more mint and serve immediately.
What to Serve With This
A Passion Fruit Mai Tai is ideal for pairing with local and Hawaiian food pupus, such as boiled peanuts or poke. It’s also perfect for sipping solo on a warm evening with some good music and a tropical breeze—or at least the dream of one. Either way, this cocktail is pure sunshine in a glass.
More Rum Cocktails
Didn’t finish all that rum in your bar? Here are a few more rum cocktails we love:
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Passion Fruit Mai Tai Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
- 3 ounces 100% pure passion fruit juice (no added sugar)
- 1 ounce light rum
- 1/2 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce dark rum
Instructions
- Make The Mai Tai: Smack a few leaves of mint and drop them into a cocktail shaker. Combine passion fruit juice, light rum, lime, orange liqueur, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill it halfway with ice.Shake about 10 to 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled rocks glass, add a few ice cubes, and garnish with remaining mint leaves.
- Float The Rum: To float the aged rum (see photo below), place the tip of a spoon perpendicular to the inside edge of the glass, turn the curve of the spoon toward the ceiling, and slightly angle the spoon downward.Slowly pour the liquid to be floated down the spoon toward the inside of the glass and, so long as the liquid is less dense than the other liquids in the glass, it will float.
