You don’t need to take a plane ride to sip a Malibu Sunset. The layered coconut rum cocktail is super easy to craft at home without any exotic ingredients or special bar tools.
We have an issue with the Malibu Sunset. Sure, it looks like a glorious tropical twilight and, with just a few ingredients, is easy to craft at home. Obviously, we like those features issue relates to the the colorful cocktail’s sippability.
With ingredients that include coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple plus a splash of grenadine, the Malibu Sunset tastes like punch. On a hot summer day, the fruity cocktail is way easy to sip in mere minutes.
Thus, we need to be careful when we craft Malibu Sunsets at home. One refreshing drink could quickly turn to two and so on. Consider yourself warned.
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What Is the Malibu Sunset?
The Malibu Sunset is a modern cocktail that borrows from two popular cocktails – the Bahama Mama and the Tequila Sunrise.
Similar to the Bahama Mama, the Malibu Sunset is crafted with coconut rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine. However, the Bahama Mama goes further with the additions of dark rum and lime juice. Both rum cocktails are sweet, fruity and fun.
The same can’t be said about the Tequila Sunrise despite its similar name and appearance. The tequila cocktail isn’t so sweet plus it’s way more potent. Tequila has an ABV that ranges from 35% to 55% while Malibu clocks in at a more mellow 21%.
History of the Malibu Sunset
We’d like to tell you that the Malibu Sunset cocktail was created by a Caribbean bartender who was inspired by an epic tropical sunset that set the sky on fire. However, that wouldn’t be true since our research has not revealed a defiintive origin story for the Malibu Sunset.
What we do know is that the sweet tropical sipper debuted after 1978 since that’s the year that Tom Jago introduced Malibu coconut rum to the world. Jago also created Baileys Irish Cream. The brand is now owned by the monstrous multinational Pernod-Ricard. Ka-ching!
Ingredients
You don’t have to travel to the beach to drink a Malibu Sunset. Instead, you can easily craft the beachy cocktail at home with the following ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
You can technically use any coconut rum when you craft a Malibu Sunset; however, Malibu is the preferred coconut rum in this recipe. Based on the drink’s name, this should be no surprise. Plus, Malibu’s pleasant blend of white rum and coconut flavors is what this coconut rum drink is all about.
We recommend using Monin grenadine syrup unless you prefer using homemade grenadine. The French syrup company doesn’t add any artificial colors or flavors to its bright red pomegranate syrup.
We also recommend using freshly squeezed orange juice and pineapple juice. However, your cocktail will still taste great if you opt to use store-bought juices. Don’t use any juices with added sugar. This drink is sweet enough!
How to Craft a Malibu Sunset
Variations
Since the Malibu Sunset isn’t a classic cocktail, there are no hard and fast rules with its recipe. Here are a few ideas to get you started in your quest for your perfect version:
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Malibu Sunset is a layered cocktail that’s crafted with Malibu coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and a splash of grenadine.
Malibu Coconut Rum, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine, Maraschino Cherry (garnish), Pineapple Wedge (garnish) and Ice Cubes
The Malibu Sunset is stirred, not shaken.
Did you craft this cocktail? If so, please rate the recipe below.
Malibu Sunset Recipe
The Malibu Sunset is a layered coconut rum cocktail is super easy to craft at home without any exotic ingredients or special bar tools. The gorgeous summer sipper will transport you to the Caribbean without a plane ride.
Servings: 1
Calories: 213kcal
- 2 ounces coconut rum (preferably Malibu)
- 2 ounces orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 ounces pineapple juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 ounce grenadine
- 1 maraschino cherry (garnish)
- 1 wedge pineapple (garnish)
- ice cubes
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Pour coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple juice into a shaker.
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Add ice and shake until rum and juices are chilled and combined – approximately 20 seconds.
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Strain into a highball glass that’s halfway filled with ice cubes.
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Slowly pour the grenadine into the center of the glass. Do NOT stir.
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Garnish with a maraschino cherry and pineapple wedge.
- Do not stir the cocktail after you add the grenadine. If you do, you’ll lose the sunset effect.
- You can substitute the fresh pineapple with canned pineapple if you don’t have access to a fresh pineapple.
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 193mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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