The best rum cocktails you’ll ever taste

With the holiday season on the horizon we asked Caribbean experts Pamela and John (@rumtherapy on X) how to make the best festive rum cocktails. Whether you want to whip one up on your Caribbean vacation or impress your guests at a Christmas party, these boozy drinks will get everyone in the holiday spirit.

10 great rum cocktail recipes

Authentic Rum Punch

(Makes one)

“1 of sour, 2 of sweet, 3 of strong, 4 of weak. This is the rhyme commonly used to recall the recipe for an authentic rum punch. Just try remembering it after trying one (or two!). I can’t quite remember where we sampled our first rum punch – I know we’ve enjoyed them on many islands and they all seem to have a completely different taste. By using the measurement in the rhyme above, it’s easy to make a large batch of this tasty rum concoction for parties and gatherings by multiplying the measurements.”

• 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 oz. simple syrup
• 3 oz. rum
• 4 oz. water
• Freshly grated nutmeg (optional in the authentic recipe, but we always use a sprinkle!)

Method: Pour all ingredients over ice and stir. Sprinkle with a little freshly grated nutmeg and garnish with a lime or orange slice.

Cruzan 9 Tanned

(Makes one)

“We put together this recipe using Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum and think it could be a hit this holiday season! It is simple but tasty and festive and sure to be on the menu at our house this season!”

• 1 ¼ parts Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum
• ¼ part Cruzan Rum Cream
• ¼ part whipped cream

Method: Layer in order in a tall shot or pony glass, then garnish with a cherry on top.

Gingerbread Rum Latte

(Makes two)

“Oh man. Can’t you just taste it? Gingerbread, coffee and rum mixed together in a delectable warm beverage. I enjoy an occasional expensive gingerbread coffee drink at this time of year and so when I found a recipe for a Gingerbread Latte and thought I’d give it a try – make a few changes AND add rum! Ahhh…the dark rum plays so nicely with the gingerbread and coffee. It’s awesome. But don’t take my word for it – give it a try!”

• 1 cup milk, steamed
• 1 cup very strong coffee (4 tablespoons coffee grounds to 1 cup of hot water)
• 1 tablespoon gingerbread syrup
• 1 oz. dark rum
• Whipped cream
• Nutmeg and Cinnamon

Method: Steam milk slowly over low heat and whip with wire whisk until frothy. Add gingerbread syrup and rum to milk while warm. Pour coffee in mugs, then add the milk, gingerbread, rum mixture. Top with a dollop of whipped cream. Sprinkle with nutmeg and cinnamon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Coconut Rum Punch

(Makes 4 – 8oz. glasses)

“We’re big fans of rum punch – all kinds, made with fruit juices or fruit and different rums. Such an easy drink to change up and play with different combinations of flavors. We ran across this Coconut Rum Punch recipe by Kimberly of A Night Owl and were initially attracted by the delicious looking picture, but after putting it together, the taste is equally delicious! We made a smaller version of the recipe than originally posted (we didn’t want to waste any!), but you can easily double it for adult get-togethers!

• 1/2 c. coconut rum
• 1 c. orange juice
• 1 c. pineapple juice
• 1 c. ginger ale
• 1/2 c. grenadine (or cherry syrup)
• maraschino cherries for garnish

Method: Mix together the coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and ginger ale. Pour over ice in tall glasses. Slowly add equal parts grenadine to each glass. The grenadine will sink to the bottom creating a beautiful looking drink. Garnish with a skewer of maraschinos.

Banana Daiquiri

(Makes one)

• 1.5 – 2 oz light rum
• 1 tbsp triple sec
• 1 banana
• 1.5 oz lime juice
• 1 tsp sugar 1 cup crushed ice
• Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Method: Pour the ingredients into a blender, blend on low speed for a few seconds, then at high until smooth. Garnish with a cherry.

Cockspur-N-Cream

(Makes one)

• 1 – 1/2 oz Cockspur Fine Rum
• 1 – 1/2 oz condensed milk
• 1 – 1/2 oz cream
• 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup
• 3 drops of vanilla essence
• freshly grated nutmeg

Method: Shake well with ice and strain into a glass and sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg.

Pina Colada

“The official drink of Puerto Rico, the Pina Colada has long been a favorite vacation drink of mine. The taste just reminds me of digging my toes in the warm sand and basking in the tropical sunshine…”

• 4 oz. pineapple juice
• 4 oz. Coco Lopez
• cream of coconut 3 oz.
• light rum 2 c.
• crushed ice
• fresh nutmeg

Method: Pour pineapple juice, cream of coconut and rum into a blender with the crushed ice and blend until smooth. Add more ice if needed to thicken. Pour into a glass, sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish with a slice of orange or pineapple.

Bob Marley Shooter

(Makes one)

“We sampled our first Bob Marley Drink – a shooter which was actually lit on fire before we drank it (don’t try this at home!) during the Bob Marley Nine Mile Tour. We enjoyed several others as a frozen drink during our Jamaican getaway and have included a link to a recipe for that version too. Cheers!”

• 1 oz. Creme de Menthe
• 1/2 oz. banana liqueur
• 1/2 oz. Rum
• 1 oz. Grenadine

Method: Pour the grenadine into a shooter glass. Layer the rum and banana liqueur by carefully pouring it over the grenadine over the back of a spoon. Followed that with a layer of Crème de Menthe.

Dirty Mojito

(Makes one)

“Dirty up your mojito by using a gold rum instead of a white and changing the simple syrup or white sugar to raw sugar or Demerara sugar. Tonight we’re gettin’ dirty and making mojitos that look a little darker and taste just a little rummier. Mmmm… we love mojitos!”

• 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
• 2. tsp. raw sugar
• 9-10 mint leaves
• 2 oz. gold rum (we used Mount Gay)
• Club Soda
• Crushed Ice

Method: Muddle lime, sugar, mint in the bottom of a tall glass. Add the rum and then top it with crushed ice. Fill the remainder of the glass with club soda, stir gently and garish with lime and mint.

Good Ol’ Glass of Rum

“Barbados rums are some of the best in the world. Skip the mixers and try sipping these neat or with a single cube of ice: Cockspur 12, Doorly’s XO, Mount Gay Extra Old or Mount Gay 1703, St. Nicholas Abbey Rums – any you can get your hands on!”

Method: Pour and drink!

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Other useful resources

• The best Caribbean islands for families
• The best family resorts in Barbados
• 16 of the best festivals in Barbados