The Malibu cocktail recipe
for your table
Fill a longdrink glass to the rim with ice cubes.
Pour the coconut rum over the ice.
Top up with cold pineapple juice and stir once with a bar spoon.
Garnish with a wedge of fresh pineapple on the rim of the glass.
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The story
Malibu came onto the market in 1980, created to solve one specific problem: the Piña Colada was hugely popular but too labor-intensive for a busy bar. A ready-made coconut rum made it possible to approximate that flavor in a single pour. It worked, and worked so well that within ten years the bottle was on every shelf worldwide, with its white color and beach-themed label as trademarks. The combination with pineapple juice was never officially named; it is simply called 'Malibu pineapple', and that is exactly the charm of this cocktail.
The right glass
A tall longdrink glass with a capacity of 33 to 47 cl is the right choice here. This cocktail is mild, so a generous glass with plenty of ice makes it refreshing rather than weak, unlike strong cocktails, where extra volume works against you. Choose clear glass so the cloudy, pale yellow color of the pineapple juice remains visible. Serving it in the garden or by the pool? Then go for a thick-walled, stackable model that can withstand a knock.
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Together € 35,90, enough for the whole garden.
The right tools
For a Malibu cocktail, in addition to the glass, use a long bar spoon, a jigger for precise measuring, a glass rimmer and long ice sticks. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools together € 84,75.
Variations & twists
Malibu with cola is at least as popular in the Netherlands as the pineapple version, and cranberry juice gives you a fresh, pink variation. Add white rum if you want it stronger, or coconut cream for something closer to a Piña Colada. A splash of blue curaçao turns it into a Swimming Pool-style drink. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Shake the carton of pineapple juice well. The pulp sinks to the bottom, and that pulp is what gives the cocktail its body. At 21 percent, Malibu is relatively light, so don’t skimp on the rum: with too little, you mainly taste juice. Serve with a straw and a generous garnish; this cocktail is allowed to look excessively tropical, that’s part of the genre.
Good to know
Famous Malibu cocktails
Most Malibu cocktails follow the same formula: coconut rum, plenty of ice and one juice that can stand up to the coconut. Besides the pineapple juice version, the Malibu sunset cocktail is well known, with a splash of grenadine sinking to the bottom and leaving a color gradient from red to yellow. English-language menus often call the pineapple version a Malibu pineapple cocktail, while it never acquired a fixed name in Dutch. In all cases, keep the coconut rum at five centiliters, because below that you mainly taste juice.
Malibu cocktails for a group
If you want to serve several Malibu cocktails at once, mix only the rum and juice in a jug beforehand and keep it chilled; add the ice to the glasses only, otherwise you’ll have diluted drinks ready after half an hour. For six guests, allow for thirty centiliters of coconut rum and just over seven deciliters of pineapple juice. A Malibu cocktail tastes best when the juice is chilled straight from the refrigerator and the glass is filled to the top with ice.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Malibu cocktail?
A long drink glass of 33 to 47 cl. View our long drink glasses.
What is the best mixer for Malibu?
Pineapple juice is the classic. Cola and cranberry juice work well too; orange juice works less well because it clashes with the coconut.
How much alcohol is in Malibu?
Usually 21 percent, clearly lower than regular rum. With the proportions above, you end up with a long drink of about 6 percent.
Can you make a Malibu cocktail alcohol-free?
Yes: use coconut syrup or coconut water with a splash of vanilla syrup instead of the rum. Top up with pineapple juice and you’ll get almost the same flavor.
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