Whether visiting New Orleans during Mardi Gras season or any other time of year, a trip would be remiss without stopping by Pat O’Brien’s bar in the French Quarter to try their famous bright red hurricane drink. The story has it that Pat O’Brien, the founder of the bar, created the drink during the post-World War II years when spirits such as vodka or bourbon were hard to come by, but there was a surplus of rum to use up. The result is a fruit-forward and sweet cocktail that boasts 4 ounces of rum, making it a boozy favorite amongst tourists and locals alike.
Thanks to this easy hurricane recipe, you don’t need to be on Bourbon Street to enjoy hurricane cocktails. It’s surprisingly easy to make at home: white rum and dark rum are shaken together with citrus juices, passion fruit juice, grenadine, and simple syrup before being poured into a hurricane glass full of cubed or crushed ice. Top with orange slices and maraschino cherries and serve to friends and family for rave reviews! If you’re looking for more summer cocktail recipes, try my rosé sangria recipe, Aperol spritz recipe, or caipirinha recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
White & Dark Rum – these are the most important hurricane cocktail ingredients! After all, this drink wouldn’t be what it is without the generous 4 ounces of rum in each serving. Reach for your favorite brands of white rum (or light rum) and dark rum; high quality isn’t necessary, but the flavor is always better with a rum you could sip on its own.
Passion Fruit Juice – with notes of pineapple, kiwi, and melon, passion fruit juice gives this classic cocktail its tropical and fruity base. This juice is available at most large supermarkets. Passion fruit syrup can be substituted if necessary, though you will likely want to halve or omit the simple syrup to keep the drink from being overly sweet.
Lime Juice – for the brightest and freshest flavor, use freshly squeezed lime juice.
Grenadine Syrup – a red juice made from pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice or orange flower water, this syrup gives the cocktail its signature bright red color. Find premade grenadine syrup at the liquor store and some well-stocked grocery stores.
Simple Syrup – a mixture of equal parts sugar and water, this clear syrup finishes off the hurricane cocktail recipe with a touch of sweetness. Use premade simple syrup or make your own, following my instructions in the pro-tips section below!
How to Make A Hurricane Drink
1. Fill a hurricane glass with cubed or crushed ice.
2. Pour the white rum, dark rum, lime juice, orange juice, passion fruit juice, grenadine syrup, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker.
3. Fill the shaker with ice.
4. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds, or until the outside of the shaker is frosty and cool.
5. Strain the drink into the ice-filled glass.
6. Garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry, and serve!
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- Strain the ice out when pouring. Scooping fresh ice into the serving glasses keeps the drink cool and fresh, as none of it has melted during the shaking period. It also makes for a crisp and clean presentation!
- Optional: make your simple syrup. Homemade syrup is a budget-saver while being easy to make! Just stir together equal amounts of boiling water and granulated sugar together in a heat-safe bowl or saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the water is clear. Store excess syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or use it in other favorite cocktail recipes, such as gimlets, mojitos, and gin fizzes.
- Use fresh citrus juice. Squeeze lime juice by hand with a citrus juicer or reamer; the freshness of this juice makes a world of difference in the end result. Though bottled orange juice can suffice, squeeze fresh oranges for the recipe if possible.
- Can’t find passion fruit juice? If you are lucky enough to have fresh ripe passion fruits, you can strain the seeds out of the pulp and use it in the cocktail. Or, defrost frozen pulp. You can also substitute it all together with mango, guava, or pineapple juice to still give the cocktail a tropical flair.
- Use hurricane glasses for other beverages! If you want to buy these cocktail glasses but aren’t sure how else to use them, they work really well for serving up a homemade milkshake, Colorado Bulldog, or Bloody Mary.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is called hurricane drink because of the hurricane glass that it is served in. The glass is shaped like a hurricane lamp, or an oil lamp with a wide base and long glass chimney to protect the flame from wind (or even a hurricane!).
You can use almost any other larger drinking glass or tall cocktail glass for this drink. Great options are high ball glasses, pint glasses, or even red wine glasses.
Yes, you can certainly make a large batch. To make a pitcher of hurricanes that will serve 8 people, combine 2 cups of light rum, 2 cups of dark rum, 2 cups orange juice, and 1 cup each lime juice, passion fruit juice, grenadine syrup, and simple syrup in a large pitcher. Stir well and chill for up to 12 hours or until serving time. Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with ice right before serving. Or skip the ice and pour it straight into ice-filled glasses and garnish with orange wheels and maraschino cherries!
Enjoy a hurricane drink as-is to see why it’s the official cocktail of New Orleans, or make any of the following variations. Finish off the drink with a splash of club soda or lemon-lime soda for a fizzy finish. Use blood orange juice to cut the sweetness and add an extra deep red-orange color. Add 1 ounce of pineapple juice for a tropical fruit-forward flavor, or substitute ½ ounce of Rose’s lime juice for the simple syrup to enjoy enhanced citrus notes.
Yes, make this recipe into a mocktail by omitting the rum or using a non-alcoholic rum alternative in its place. You can also substitute all four ounces of the rum with more fruit juice or a citrus soda.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Hurricane Drink recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Hurricane Drink
Equipment
- Hurricane cocktail glass
- cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 2 ounces dark rum
- 2 ounces orange juice
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce passion fruit juice
- 1 ounce grenadine syrup
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- Orange slices and maraschino cherries for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a hurricane glass with ice.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the rums, passion fruit juice, orange, juice, lime juice, grenadine, and simple syrup. Fill with ice.
- Shake until the outside is frosty, about 20 seconds. Strain into the hurricane glass and garnish with an orange slice and cherry.
Notes
- Strain the ice out when pouring. Scooping fresh ice into the serving glasses keeps the drink cool and fresh, as none of it has melted during the shaking period. It also makes for a crisp and clean presentation!
- Optional: make your simple syrup. Homemade syrup is a budget-saver while being easy to make! Just stir together equal amounts of boiling water and granulated sugar together in a heat-safe bowl or saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the water is clear. Store excess syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months or use it in other favorite cocktail recipes, such as gimlets, mojitos, and gin fizzes.
- Use fresh citrus juice. Squeeze lime juice by hand with a citrus juicer or reamer; the freshness of this juice makes a world of difference in the end result. Though bottled orange juice can suffice, squeeze fresh oranges for the recipe if possible.
- Can’t find passion fruit juice? If you are lucky enough to have fresh ripe passion fruits, you can strain the seeds out of the pulp and use it in the cocktail. Or, defrost frozen pulp. You can also substitute it all together with mango, guava, or pineapple juice to still give the cocktail a tropical flair.
- Use hurricane glasses for other beverages! If you want to buy these cocktail glasses but aren’t sure how else to use them, they work really well for serving up a homemade milkshake, Colorado Bulldog, or Bloody Mary.
