The Best Pineapple Mai Tai Rum Cocktail
This post contains affiliate links (paid links). Advertisements displayed on this website do not reflect endorsements or recommendations made by Mitten Girl LLC. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Skip to Recipe Watch the Video
If you find yourself wanting to like the original Mai Tai, but not quite able to do so, this is your drink. This recipe for Pineapple Mai Tai rum cocktails adds a couple ingredients to the quintessential rum cocktail making it a bit sweeter and much more fruity.
This pineapple and rum drink has two ingredients too many to be an original Mai Tai recipe. We’re adding pineapple juice and simple syrup (or try pineapple simple syrup) to play up the tropical vibes. Original Mai Tai cocktails are citrusy, a little tart, and a little sweet. For this Pineapple Mai Tai, the pineapple juice brings in another dimension of fruity and makes the drink more sweet than tart.
There’s no orange juice in this recipe because you don’t need it if you use a good quality orange liqueur. That spirit will bring in the juicy orange flavor without needing to add another ingredient.
Like many other tiki drinks, this Pineapple Mai Tai has a lot of ingredients and when combined with ice, it will need a tall glass to hold it all. There are tons of fun tiki glasses out there, but you can always use a simple highball glass or even a pint glass if that’s what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- Light rum – Also know as silver rum white rum, this is a clear rum without any added flavors.
- Dark rum – Aged in oak barrels, dark rum adds a depth of flavor and little sweetness.
- Orange liqueur – Go for quality on this one. The better the orange liqueur, the more natural (and less candy-like) the orange flavor. A dry orange curaçao (nothing blue), Cointreau, or Grand Marnier are all good choices.
- Pineapple juice – Choose 100% pineapple juice without any additional juices mixed into it.
- A lime – Fresh only for this drink! You’ll need about 1 lime per drink, depending on their size. Be sure to measure your fresh squeezed juice. Don’t squeeze the lime directly into the cocktail shaker because you’ll have no way of knowing how much (or how little) juice you got from the lime.
- Orgeat syrup – A creamy almond syrup that is necessary in any version of a mai tai. You can’t skip or substitute this one. Orgeat is non-alcoholic and can be either made at home or purchased at your favorite store that sells liquor. Most stores stock orgeat syrup near the mixers, bitters, and other non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients.
- Simple syrup – Made from just 2 ingredients, simple syrup is easily made at home. It’ll need time to chill in the refrigerator before using it in your drinks. Simple syrup keeps for weeks in the fridge, so you can make it days ahead of time, if desired.
How to Make the Best Pineapple Mai Tai
Place the light rum, dark rum, orange liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake well. Strain into a large tiki glass or highball glass filled with fresh ice.
Shop These Photos
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → 
Buy Now → Garnish with pineapple leaves, maraschino cherries, and/or wedges of orange, lime and pineapple. Sip and enjoy!
The Best Pineapple Mai Tai Rum Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz light rum
- 0.75 oz dark rum
- 0.75 oz orange liqueur
- 1 oz pineapple juice
- 0.75 oz lime juice
- 0.75 oz orgeat syrup
- 0.25 oz simple syrup
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake very well.1.5 oz light rum, 0.75 oz dark rum, 0.75 oz orange liqueur, 1 oz pineapple juice, 0.75 oz lime juice, 0.75 oz orgeat syrup, 0.25 oz simple syrup
- Strain into a large tiki or highball glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with pineapple leaves, maraschino cherries, and/or wedges of orange, lime and pineapple.
Video
How to Garnish a Pineapple Mai Tai
Garnish your drink with pineapple leaves, maraschino cherries, and/or wedges of orange, lime and pineapple. You can add a little or a lot – that’s completely up to you!
Looking for More Rum Drinks?
Rum has a sweet flavor all its own (it’s made from sugar cane, after all!). If you’re not a fan of super sugary cocktails, try a Malibu Bay Breeze or my take on a Hemingway daiquiri which lets the grapefruit and lime flavors shine. Classic mojitos and even Blueberry Mojitos are made with minimal sugar, letting the flavors of the fresh fruit and mint be celebrated.
Want to embrace the sweeter cocktails? My easy Tiki Cocktail and this Rum Punch are full of rum, pineapple and fresh citrus. Tropical-inspired blue drinks are often made with rum. Make a batch of blue curaçao syrup then shake up a Blue Hawaiian cocktail or stir together a bright Blue Mojito.
Happy Hour Snack Pairings
I love a salty snack with a sweet and fruity drink. These savory spiced nuts can be made well ahead of time and kept in your pantry for an easy happy hour snack. Or mix up my no bake crab rangoon dip, perfect with pita chips or homemade crostini. Looking for something more hearty? Try my Pineapple Meatballs or some Cheeseburger Sliders.
Great cocktail, but too much orgeat. I recommend 1/4 – 1/2 tsp per serving.