Mai Tai

The classic, easy Mai Tai recipe is the perfect tropical cocktail drink! Made with just orange and pineapple juices, coconut and dark rum, and orgeat syrup (no grenadine), this pineapple and coconut cocktail is a crowd favorite!

Jump to:

• Key Ingredients:
• How to make a Mai Tai
• Mai Tai pitcher tips
• More refreshing drinks you'll love
• 📖 Recipe

This is my father's mai tai recipe that he has been perfecting for years. It is so delicious and guaranteed to make you feel like you are on a tropical vacation. As a nod to our upcoming Hawaiian honeymoon, it was my husband and I's signature drink at our wedding (lovingly named "The Hazel" after our pup).

Key Ingredients:

There are a few very important ingredients (or lack thereof) that make this cocktail so amazing:

• Orange juice: I recommend using a good quality orange juice.
• Pineapple juice: adds such a tropical flavor!
• Dark rum: for the float on top!
• Coconut rum: adds so much more flavor than traditional white rum
• Orgeat syrup: this almond and floral syrup adds just the right amount of sweetness
• No grenadine: many mai tai recipes include grenadine making the drink far too sweet

How to make a Mai Tai

1. Combine the coconut rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, orgeat syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake for 30 seconds, or until ice cold.
2. Strain the cocktail over a class with ice and top with a dark rum float. Garnish with orange or pineapple slices, if desired!

Mai Tai pitcher tips

For a large crowd, I recommend making a large pitcher of all the ingredients, apart from the dark rum. When you serve each individual drink, top it with the dark rum float.

More refreshing drinks you'll love

• Tropical Mules
• Pink Guava Margaritas
• Sangria with Rose Wine

I hope you love this recipe! If you make this easy mai tai recipe, I'd love to know what you think in the comments below.

📖 Recipe