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    Home » Recipes » Cocktail Recipes

    Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe

    Modified: Mar 28, 2025 · Published: Dec 14, 2021 by Katy McAvoy

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    Classic Hemingway Daiquiri

    Forget the idea of a sweet, blended drink and try this uniquely flavored Hemingway Daiquiri, said to be the preferred cocktail of author Ernest Hemingway.

    Hemingway Daiquiri
    Jump to:
    • What's in a Hemingway Cocktail
    • How to Make a Hemingway Daiquiri
    • Recipe Tips
    • FAQs and Substitutions
    • Don’t Miss These Rum Drinks
    • Happy Hour Snack Pairings
    • More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love
    • Print the Recipe Card
    • Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe

    Writer Ernest Hemingway famously loved rum, but not sugar. The story of how his namesake daiquiri came to be originates at El Floridita, the Havana bar where Hemingway saw the bartender pouring a batch of classic, blended daiquiris and declared them good but too sweet and in need of more rum. 

    We don’t know exactly why Hemingway left the sweetener out of his drinks. But we do know that he must have been watching his sugar intake since he requested his rum with lime and grapefruit, and skipped the sugar creating his namesake cocktail, the Hemingway Daiquiri, which is also known as a papa doble.

    Without sugar, this is one TART drink. There are lots of Hemingway Daiquiri variations, and for mine I add sugar in the form of simple syrup like in a traditional daiquiri. I tried lots of recipes and worked on the various portions of ingredients in this classic cocktail for months before realizing that the only way I was ever going to like it was to add sugar. (Sorry not sorry, Ernest.) 

    Adding sugar in a cocktail is a lot like adding salt while cooking - it’s usually necessary. And just like salt, a little sugar goes a long way. In this drink, I wanted to balance out the tart grapefruit, splash of lime juice, and the Luxardo maraschino liqueur, which is pretty dry. The addition of simple syrup enhances the drink while keeping the original flavor profile intact. 

    What's in a Hemingway Cocktail

    Ingredients for a Hemingway cocktail.
    • White rum - Choose your favorite brand for this cocktail.
    • Lime - Fresh citrus is a must in cocktails. You'll need to juice half a lime per cocktail for this recipe.
    • Grapefruit - Fresh grapefruit juice tastes so much better than its bottled counterparts. You'll need to squeeze half a fresh grapefruit for this recipe.
    • Simple syrup - Not in the original recipe, but a splash of simple syrup makes this cocktail infinitely more palatable for me. If you prefer sour drinks, skip this ingredient.
    • Luxardo maraschino liqueur - There's no substitution for this liqueur. It has a flavor all its own and is necessary for this cocktail.

    How to Make a Hemingway Daiquiri

    Rum pouring into a cocktail shaker

    Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

    A hand pouring a Hemingway Daiquiri from a cocktail shaker into a coupe glass.

    Shake well for 10-15 seconds and strain into a Nick and Nora or small coupe glass. 

    Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy!

    A coupe glass filled with daiquiri, garnished with a lime wheel.

    Recipe Tips

    • Be sure to wait until your simple syrup is cold to use it in your cocktail or it’ll melt too much ice and create a watery drink. >Learn more about making Simple Syrup
    • Serve your Hemingway Daiquiri in a chilled coupe glass or Nick and Nora glass. To chill your glass, fill it with ice and set it aside before you make your cocktail. Shake up your drinks, then dump out the ice in the glass and fill your chilled cocktail glass with daiquiri.
    Drops landing in a coupe glass filled with daiquiri.

    FAQs and Substitutions

    What kind of rum should I use? 

    This is a white or light rum drink. Use the clear rum here, not the amber colors. Bacardi white label rum is what's usually in my home bar. 

    What can I use instead of Luxardo maraschino liqueur? 

    Nothing. There’s no substitute for the Luxardo maraschino liqueur and it’s a key element in this drink. So if you leave it out, you’ll have a great daiquiri, but not a Hemingway Daiquiri. Luxardo is the only brand making this liqueur and with its distinctive taste, it’s not a spirit you’re likely to use a lot of. Buy a bottle of maraschino liqueur in the 375ml size to keep costs low.

    What kind of glass should I use to serve a Hemingway Daiquiri?

    Skip the large goblets common with the frozen version of daiquiris. Instead opt for a classic coupe glass. If you don't have one, use a martini glass. This drink is served up - meaning without ice - so choose a stemmed glass that's meant to hold a chilled cocktail but not ice.

    Don’t Miss These Rum Drinks

    Rum is a delicious and versatile liquor made from sugar cane. It's an essential ingredients in the classic mojito (or try my blueberry mojito variation). Rum also shows up in a big way in tropical and tiki cocktails. Shake it up in my Pineapple Mai Tai or this Easy Tiki Cocktail.

    Blueberry Mojitos
    Blueberry Mojitos
    Easy Tiki Cocktail
    Easy Tiki Cocktail

    Happy Hour Snack Pairings

    Pair a bright, tart drink like this Hemingway cocktail with more indulgent snacks. I love it with my savory spiced nuts, some bacon wrapped dates, or these honey, walnut, and goat cheese bites.

    Honey, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Phyllo Cup Appetizers
    Honey, Walnut, and Goat Cheese Bites
    A plate of bacon wrapped dates.
    Bacon Wrapped Dates

    More Delicious Recipes You’ll Love

    • Classic Mojito Rum Cocktails are Quick and Refreshing
    • How to Make Lime and Mint Rum - DIY Liquor Infusions
    • Non-Alcoholic Mojito Mocktail is the Perfect Summer Drink
    • Refreshing Grapefruit and Elderflower Gin Cocktail
    • Brown Sugar Grapefruit Cocktail (Video)

    Print the Recipe Card

    Hemingway Daiquiri

    Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe

    Katy McAvoy
    Forget the idea of a daiquiri being sweet, blended drink and try this uniquely flavored Hemingway Daiquiri recipe, said to be the preferred rum cocktail of famous author Ernest Hemingway.
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    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 0 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Servings 1 cocktail

    Equipment

    • Nick and Nora Glasses
    • Cocktail Shaker
    • Jigger

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 oz white rum
    • 1 oz lime juice fresh squeezed
    • 0.75 oz grapefruit juice fresh squeezed
    • 0.75 oz simple syrup
    • 0.5 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur

    Instructions
     

    • Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 
    • Shake well for 10-15 seconds. 
    • Strain into a Nick and Nora or small coupe glass. 
    • Garnish with a lime wheel, lime slice, or a curl of grapefruit peel.
    • Enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 0.3gFat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 13mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 16IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 8mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

    I love when you share my recipes!

    58 shares

    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com and Homemade Happy Hour. Since 2017, she's been crafting recipes for easy-to-make cocktails and delicious snacks while sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy, mixologist and photographer

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that everyone deserves a delicious drink. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

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