Malibu Sunset
Enjoy the tropical flavor of our Malibu Sunset cocktail! Crafted with a classic blend of orange and pineapple juices, coconut rum, and just a hint of grenadine, this delicious mixed drink will easily elevate any special occasion.
For a perfect tropical escape, serve this rum-mixed drink dockside alongside Mahi Mahi Tacos with Fish Taco Slaw and Spicy Fish Taco Sauce. Enjoy the unforgettable flavors of paradise!
Best Mixed Drink Recipe
Wintertime in Florida offers some of the most spectacular weather! The humidity is low and the temperature isn’t too hot. It’s one of the best things about living here.
The tranquil, cooler climate makes a great excuse to get out and stroll on the beautiful beaches, enjoy some fresh seafood, and maybe sip on some good mixed drinks.
This simple Malibu rum cocktail is created with rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and grenadine to replicate the colors of a gorgeous sunset – deep red blended with oranges and yellows. It’s one of the best beach drinks to make it feel like Summertime all year!
What’s in a Malibu Sunset drink?
There are only a handful of ingredients in this easy mixed drink recipe, so it’s no wonder it’s so popular.
- Coconut Rum – We use Malibu brand coconut rum for this classic cocktail.
- Orange Juice – Use your favorite brand of store-bought or freshly squeezed orange juice.
- Pineapple Juice – Either canned or jarred makes a great option.
- Grenadine – Store-bought grenadine works great.
- Cherry – No beach drink is complete without a maraschino cherry or two!
- Orange and Pineapple Slices – Along with the cherry add orange slices and pineapple wedges for garnish if desired.
How to Make a Malibu Sunset Cocktail:
This is one of our favorite rum drinks, partly because it’s so simple to make. Here’s a quick rundown of the instructions. The full recipe with ingredients is in the recipe card further down the page.
- Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
- Pour in the orange and pineapple juices, and coconut rum.
- Add the lid to the drink shaker and give it a good shake for about 10 to 15 seconds.
- Place a cherry in the bottom of a cocktail glass, and pour the mixed drink into the glass.
- Then carefully add the grenadine into the glass. The weight of the grenadine should cause it to sink to the bottom making a beautiful layered effect.
- Enjoy!
Tips and Variations:
- To make this easy cocktail recipe without pineapple, simply use four ounces of orange juice and leave out the pineapple juice. We’ve included the recipe below in the recipe card.
- If you don’t own a shaker cup, a jar with a lid does the trick!
- To prevent your cocktail from becoming watered down, avoid filling the glass with excessive ice. Adding too much ice will only result in a diluted drink once it melts.
- To make this classic cocktail stronger, try adding pineapple rum in addition to the other ingredients. Or, swap out some of the pineapple juice for pineapple rum for a strong drink.
Storage Options:
No need to store this cocktail! It’s best enjoyed immediately.
How to layer a Malibu Sunset:
Start by preparing the drink in the cocktail shaker with plenty of ice cubes. Place a maraschino cherry or two into your favorite cocktail glass then strain the drink into the glass.
Carefully pour the grenadine into the drink. The grenadine is denser than the fruit juices and rum, so it sinks to the bottom of the glass making the colorful sunset layers.
Can you make a Malibu Sunset without grenadine?
Yes, you can make a Malibu Sunset without grenadine! To recreate the classic cocktail’s taste, use orange and pineapple juices with maraschino cherry juice to replace the sweet flavor found in grenadine.
Can you make this mixed drink with vodka?
Yes, you can make a Malibu Sunset with vodka! Simply pour the vodka, pineapple juice, and orange juice into a shaker cup.
Shake the drink vigorously until chilled and strain it into a glass with a cherry. Slowly pour in the grenadine.
Variations can be made by adding your favorite fruit juices such as cranberry juice or passionfruit for an extra special twist.
What’s the difference between a Malibu Sunset and a Tequila Sunrise?
A Malibu Sunset is a rum-based drink that includes pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut rum, and grenadine. It’s typically served with a cherry garnish for an extra special touch.
A Tequila Sunrise is also an alcoholic cocktail made of tequila, orange juice and grenadine but doesn’t contain pineapple juice.
The main difference between these two popular mixed drinks are in their base alcohols; while Malibu Sunset uses coconut rum as the primary ingredient, Tequila Sunrise uses tequila as the main spirit.
Have leftover Malibu rum? Try one of these rum drinks:
- Key Lime Martini
- Pineapple Martini
- Coconut Mojito
- Rum and Coke (great with Malibu rum!)
- Tropical Vodka Punch
- Blue Hawaiian Drink
Ingredients
Malibu Sunset with Pineapple Juice
- Handful ice
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces coconut rum
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 maraschino cherry, optional
- ¾ ounce grenadine, or to taste
Without Pineapple Juice
- Handful ice
- 4 ounces orange juice
- 2 ounces coconut rum
- 1 maraschino cherry, optional
- ¾ ounce grenadine, or to taste
Instructions
To Make the Cocktail with Pineapple Juice
- Place the ice, pineapple juice, coconut rum, and orange juice into a drink shaker.3 ounces pineapple juice2 ounces coconut rum1 ounce orange juiceHandful ice
- Close the lid to the shaker cup, and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain the drink into a cocktail glass.
- Add a chery then slowly pour in the grenadine to create the layered look.¾ ounce grenadine1 maraschino cherry
- Enjoy! See post for tips and FAQs.
To Make the Cocktail without Pineapple Juice
- Mix all ingredients except the cherries and grenadine in a drink shaker with ice.4 ounces orange juice2 ounces coconut rumHandful ice
- Strain the drink into a cocktail glass, and add a cherry.1 maraschino cherry
- Pour in the grenadine and enjoy!¾ ounce grenadine
- Enjoy!
This drink makes me happy during the pandemic. I am not traveling but with this drink I get a taste of what I imagine is the Caribbean. Thank you!
Next weekend… These sunset drinks are on my agenda! I live around Cleveland now, and our winters are long and cold usually. But, once upon a time, I was a young tanned thing , still on the beach during the dreamy West Palm winters. Maybe a few of will awaken that girl again 😀
Thank you, Sara! Kim and I miss our days on South Beach and Bal Harbour lol! We hope you enjoy these drinks as much as we do. Have a great day 🙂
Next weekend… These sunset drinks are on my agenda! I live around Cleveland now, and our winters are long and cold usually. But, once upon a time, I was a young tanned thing , still on the beach during the dreamy West Palm winters. Maybe a few of will awaken that girl again 😀
Next weekend… These sunset drinks are on my agenda! I live around Cleveland now, and our winters are long and cold usually. But, once upon a time, I was a young tanned thing , still on the beach during the dreamy West Palm winters. Maybe a few of will awaken that girl again 😀
Next weekend… These sunset drinks are on my agenda! I live around Cleveland now, and our winters are long and cold usually. But, once upon a time, I was a young tanned thing , still on the beach during the dreamy West Palm winters. Maybe a few of will awaken that girl again 😀
Next weekend… These sunset drinks are on my agenda! I live around Cleveland now, and our winters are long and cold usually. But, once upon a time, I was a young tanned thing , still on the beach during the dreamy West Palm winters. Maybe a few of will awaken that girl again 😀
Yummy! What a refreshing summer drink! Love rum and this drink recipe would be perfect here in AZ because we have wild winters here, too!!
Thank you, Amanda! Kim and I hope you decide to give it a try sometime 🙂
Mix me up one of these, please! This sounds so delicious. My husband would love to add this to his drink list.
Thank you, Vanessa! Hopefully, you will give them a try sometime 🙂
Yummy! What a refreshing summer drink! Love rum and this drink recipe would be perfect here in AZ because we have wild winters here, too!!
Yummy! What a refreshing summer drink! Love rum and this drink recipe would be perfect here in AZ because we have wild winters here, too!!
Yummy! What a refreshing summer drink! Love rum and this drink recipe would be perfect here in AZ because we have wild winters here, too!!
Yummy! What a refreshing summer drink! Love rum and this drink recipe would be perfect here in AZ because we have wild winters here, too!!
Man, that looks refreshing! I love the colors and I bet you have the best citrus to pick from!
Thank you, Paige! We used to, but we recently moved back to Arkansas, so the citrus is limited, but the dairy options are definitely much better 🙂
Looks so pretty and refreshing. Perfect for the weather here.
Thank you, Sri! They’re definitely wonderful Summer drinks 🙂
Mix me up one of these, please! This sounds so delicious. My husband would love to add this to his drink list.