Frozen Jungle Bird Cocktail Recipe

By
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Maggie Hoffman
Maggie Hoffman is a longtime food and drink expert whose recipes and cocktail-making tips can be found on her newsletters What to Drink and The Dinner Plan. She is the author of  The One-Bottle Cocktail and Batch Cocktails, both published by Ten Speed Press.
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Updated August 29, 2018
20160804-frozen-jungle-bird-vicky-wasik-1.jpg
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • The secret to slushy, not soupy, frozen cocktails: chilling the cocktail mixture in your freezer at least 4 hours ahead of time. The mix won't freeze, since there's so much alcohol and sugar in it, but it will drop way down in temperature, helping the blended drink stay frosty.
  • Maple syrup complements the richness of blackstrap rum. It also means you can skip the fuss of making simple syrup.

Made with two types of rum and fresh pineapple juice, this drink, inspired by the version at Chicago's Three Dots and a Dash, balances deep, fruity richness with the bitter cut of Campari.

Recipe Details

Frozen Jungle Bird Cocktail Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 4 hrs
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces (90ml) fresh pineapple juice (from about 1 1/2 cups or 200g fresh pineapple chunks; see note)

  • 1/2 ounce (15ml) Grade B maple syrup

  • 1 ounce (30ml) fresh juice from 1 to 2 limes

  • 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) Campari

  • 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) blackstrap rum (such as Cruzan)

  • 1 1/2 ounces (45ml) Navy-strength Jamaican rum (such as Smith & Cross)

  • 8 standard ice cubes (about 160g)

  • Pineapple leaves, for garnish (optional)

Directions

  1. Add pineapple juice, maple syrup, lime juice, Campari, blackstrap rum, and Navy-strength rum to a resealable container. Seal and freeze at least 4 and up to 10 hours.

  2. When ready to serve, pour chilled cocktail mixture into blender. Add 8 ice cubes and blend until uniform. Divide between 2 glasses. Serve immediately with pineapple-leaf garnish, if desired.

Notes

Don't use canned pineapple juice; it lacks the rich tropical flavor of the fresh stuff and throws the drink out of balance, resulting in a cocktail that's flat and a little metallic. To make fresh pineapple juice, simply muddle pineapple chunks and strain through a fine-mesh strainer.

Special Equipment

Blender, muddler, fine-mesh strainer, resealable container (10 ounces or larger)

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
277Calories
0gFat
23gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories277
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 6mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 42mg212%
Calcium 22mg2%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 121mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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