Festive Holiday Mai Tais

These holiday mai tais with pineapple juice, cranberry, lime, rum, and clear Curacao are the perfect drink for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and more! This is an easy, boozy, and festive cocktail that will give you holiday-in-Hawai’i vibes.

Sorry but I’m still not over our honeymoon in Curaçao. Especially because I came home with an entire suitcase of Senior & Co.’s liqueurs to play around with. One of the best parts of our trip was touring their distillery and taking a cocktail class with the sweetest teacher ever! We learned how to make all kinds of amazing cocktails but the mai tai may have been my favorite. We love a classic gal!

Another thing I loved about the timing of our trip was that a bunch of people had already their Christmas decorations up. There’s nothing like walking around in a bikini while admiring everyone’s holiday lights.

So, in honor of our honeymoon and Curaçao and Christmas, here’s a festive little mai tai situation for you. Let’s sip them and pretend we’re on vacation, ok?

Once you try this cocktail, make sure to try some of my other holiday cocktails! This coffee hot buttered rum, Norwegian mulled wine, and eggnog white Russians are always a hit. Or, make cinnamon hot chocolate for a non-alcoholic drink.

This drink makes me feel like I’m on vacation

Let me start by saying that this cocktail is inspired by the traditional mai tai. It’s definitely a bit sweeter and more ‘tropical’. (Even though I still love the classic version!) But this recipe was adapted from the drink I learned at the Senior & Co. cocktail class in Curaçao.

Now that I’ve been making this cocktail for a few years, it’s become somewhat of a tradition. I’ve been throwing holiday parties for over 10 years, but this cocktail is definitely one of my most popular!

In this recipe, I’m adding some pineapple and pomegranate juice (or cranberry juice) for extra flavor and tartness. Also, I’m only using one type of rum but you could always add multiple types if you like. Again, this is not the traditional recipe but it is so good and perfect for adding sunshine to winter weather!

Use real Curaçao liqueur

The key to this cocktail is to use real Curaçao liqueur. There are a lot of knock-off brands, but I promise, it’s worth it to buy the real deal! It’s a bit less sweet and has more complex flavor than other Curacaos. I recommend clear or red – any of the other colors will affect the color of this drink.

Also, to simplify this recipe, I chose to use just one rum. Most mai tai recipes have two or three types, but I honestly don’t have three different types of rum on hand. I use light rum like Flor de Caña.

Then, you’ll need orgeat which is almond syrup. It’s a staple in tiki drinks! You’ll also need simple syrup, fresh lime juice, unsweetened pineapple juice, and unsweetened pomegranate or cranberry juice.

There’s no need to buy simple syrup because making it at home takes like, 5 minutes. Just combine equal parts water and sugar and bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute. Let it cool completely before making the cocktail.

Shake the drinks up

These mai tais are beyond easy to make. Definitely the perfect cocktail for beginners!

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the white rum, orgeat syrup, simple syrup, lime juice, pomegranate juice, pineapple juice, and Curaçao liqueur.
2. Next, add ice and shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds.
3. Lastly, strain the drink into a glass filled with ice. Garnish with pineapple wedges, pomegranate arils, lime halves, mint, and/or pineapple leaves.

Drinks for a crowd

If you want to make this cocktail for a crowd, you can make a big batch in a pitcher! Just multiply the ingredients by however many servings you want and mix everything up. Don’t add ice or it will water down the cocktail. Then, pour the drinks over ice when you’re ready to serve. You can also mix everything up in a punch bowl if you want guests to serve themselves. Super easy!

Make sure to check out the recipe card to find cocktail measurements for 8 people! You can double or halve the recipe depending on how many people you’re serving.

A make-ahead option

You can prep this drink in advance if you want to make it for a party or the holidays! Just mix everything up in a pitcher or punch bowl, cover well, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Make sure to give it a really good stir before you serve the cocktails, because the syrups will sink to the bottom of the pitcher.

If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!

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