The Frozen Blue Hawaiian—where white rum, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice, coconut cream, and ice blend together (literally) to take you to your blue heaven.
Some days feel particularly long, and all I want to do is pour myself a stiff drink and plop myself on the couch and decompress. BUT there are also days, usually during the summer, that I want to make more of a production of the cocktails I plan to drink. On those occasions, I find myself turning more times than not to the Frozen Blue Hawaiian.
The Frozen Blue Hawaiian, as its name denotes, is the frozen version of the Blue Hawaiian, generally believed to have been created in the 1950s/’60s by famed mixologist (although they weren’t called that back then) Harry Yee, a bartender at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Waikiki, Hawaii. It’s similar in taste (and name) to the Sparkling Blue Hawaii, which differentiates itself by featuring both rum and vodka. Both drinks though are linked with Caribbean vacations—or, as is my case, “Caribbean” vacations spent by the pool!
What is Curacao?
First, you must learn how to order it: It’s kyer-a-sow (that little accent makes the second ‘c’ sound like an ‘s’). And it’s not only a liqueur, it’s also an island in the West Indies. That island plays host to the Laraha citrus fruit. Natives use said fruit to make the liqueur. Don’t be fooled by its crystal-blue color though; curacao actually tastes more like orange than, say, blueberry (think triple sec or Cointreau). In fact, some varieties of Blue Curacao aren’t blue at all, instead sold as a clear or with a light orange hue. Perhaps because of its fun color and Caribbean origins, Blue Curacao has long been linked with island living and can be regularly spotted on beaches across the world.
What is the Best Rum To Use?
This is largely a question of taste. Light/white rum is mild, which is desirable if you want the other ingredients to stand out and not have your drink actually taste like booze (perish the thought!). For a boost of coconut, you can get Malibu, which is a coconut liqueur mixed with Caribbean rum (though its alcohol percentage is low, like most liqueurs), so you would still need to include a bit of rum to attain that balance. You also have at your disposal dark, premium, and aged rums, though their color will impact the brilliant blue of the Blue Hawaiian, which would be a tragedy. The older the rum, the more complex the taste (or that’s the rule of thumb), so explore those older spirits with caution!
Ingredients
- 1 ounce light rum
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce blue curacao
- 1 ounce cream of coconut
- 1 cup crushed ice
Instructions
- Place the light rum, pineapple juice, blue curacao, cream of coconut, and crushed ice into a blender.
- Blend the mixture on high speed until smooth.
- Pour the cocktail into a chilled glass, garnish with a slice of pineapple or a cocktail umbrella if you have one, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks to Making a Perfect Frozen Blue Hawaiian
- Use high-quality spirits and liqueurs. A cocktail is only as strong as its weakest ingredient.
- Opt for coconut milk instead of cream of coconut if you’d like something lighter.
- Use fresh pineapple juice for a smoother taste and fewer undesirable ingredients (the kind you’d find in store-bought juice).
- Try out different ice consistencies by changing up the length you blend for.
FAQs
A hurricane glass is traditional, but you can also use a tulip glass. As for garnish, a slice of pineapple, a slice of orange, and/or a maraschino cherry would look and taste great (perhaps sitting beneath a cute mini-umbrella).
Transfer it to the freezer in a freezer-safe container. When you’d like to drink again, let it thaw slightly in the fridge then blend it to attain its proper consistency again.
There are 290 calories in the Frozen Blue Hawaiian. To lower that number, use a lighter rum, switch out the cream of coconut for coconut milk, and use fresh pineapple juice.
That’s probably down to the pineapple juice; its lighter, yellow color will make the blue of the curacao turn green. Nothing to be alarmed about though.
Given that it’s an orange-flavored liqueur, you can use triple sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau instead. Obviously, you won’t get that brilliant blue color, but it’s still delicious.
Frozen Blue Hawaiian Recipe Variations
Blue Hawaiian: Blue Curacao, light rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice
Sparkling Blue Hawaii: Rum, vodka, Blue Curacao, and sparkling wine, pineapple juice, and sweet ‘n’ sour mix
Blue Hawaiian Margarita: Add an ounce of tequila to the original recipe.
[Fruit] Blue Hawaiian: Add fresh strawberries, passion fruit, mango, or any of your favorite fruit to the blender. It will taste great but may not look blue anymore.
Frozen Blue Hawaiian Mocktail: Omit the rum and Blue Curacao. Use either Blue Curacao syrup or blue food coloring if you still want the same hue. You can supplement the drink by using either orange juice or blue raspberry lemonade.
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