Blue Hawaii (Tropical Rum and Vodka Cocktail) Recipe

The Blue Hawaii is a tropical cocktail invented in 1957 by Harry Yee in Waikiki, Hawaii. It's a mix of rum, vodka, pineapple, blue curaçao, and either lemon or lime juice.

The story goes that a sales rep from Bols (a producer of the then relatively unknown blue curaçao) approached Yee about making a cocktail that showcased the bright blue liqueur. Yee's creation was a hit and helped to solidify blue curaçao's place on the bar. The Blue Hawaii is still a popular cocktail today, and for good reason - it's delicious!

What is blue curaçao?

You can read much more about curaçao in my How to Make Blue Curaçao at Home, but in short, blue curaçao is a blue-colored, orange-flavored liqueur. Curaçaos are a type of liqueur made with brandy or cognac and the rare laraha oranges from the Caribbean island of Curaçao.

Blue curaçao, however, is most often made with neutral spirits and some combination of natural and artificial orange flavoring. Blue curacao's primary role in a cocktail is to provide vibrant color. But it does also add sweetness and a citrusy flavor.

Blue Hawaii...or green Hawaii?

You'll notice that depending on the hue of your pineapple juice and your particular bottle of blue curacao, the color of this cocktail can vary quite a bit. I made this one with a batch of homemade blue curaçao so it's a bit more green than usual. However, in general, the Blue Hawaii is more a turquoise drink than blue. If you want a truly blue cocktail, make a Blue Lagoon or an AMF.

Even more blue curaçao cocktails to try!

Blue Hawaii vs. Blue Hawaiian

The Blue Hawaii is often confused with the Blue Hawaiian, which is another tropical cocktail made with rum and blue curaçao. The Blue Hawaiian can be thought of as a blue Piña Colada, because it just adds blue curacao to the classic mix of rum, pineapple, and cream of coconut. The Blue Hawaii, on the other hand, is a somewhat more original mix of rum and vodka with pineapple, blue curacao and citrus.

Sweet and sour mix vs. fresh citrus juices

Sweet and sour mix was likely used in early iterations of the Blue Hawaii, but for the best results, use freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. The additional sweetness isn't necessary, and fresh citrus will always taste best. I prefer lime in my Blue Hawaii, but either lemon or lime can be used.

What really is sweet and sour mix?

Sweet and sour mix at its finest is a blend of citrus juices and simple syrup. At its worst, its a greenish, artificially flavored syrup with citric acid. Sweet and sour can be used successfully in some drinks, but most of the time freshly squeezed lemon or lime and an equal measure of simple syrup will make for a much better and fresher-tasting drink.

Blue Hawaii ingredients

Let's get started by gathering our ingredients. Choose good quality spirits for the best quality cocktail!

• ¾ oz white rum
• ¾ oz vodka
• ½ oz blue curaçao
• 3 oz pineapple juice (unsweetened, preferably freshly pressed)
• ½ oz lime juice

How to make it

Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker and fill it three quarters with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a hurricane glass or highball glass filled with crushed or pebble ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and, ideally, a cocktail umbrella. Fun fact: According to Liquor.com, Harry Yee was the bartender who made cocktail umbrellas such a popular garnish for tropical drinks!

Make it blended

If you'd prefer a frozen Blue Hawaii, you can add all ingredients to a blender with about one cup of crushed ice. Blend until smooth, then pour into a tall glass and garnish.

If you love a Blue Hawaii, try the even simpler Blue Lagoon!

More tropical drinks to make:

• The Classic Hurricane (Rum and Passion Fruit Cocktail)
• Jungle Bird (Rum, Pineapple, Campari Cocktail)
• Original Mai Tai Recipe