Coconut Rum Sunrise Cocktail is a gorgeous layered cocktail that contains cream of coconut, orange juice, Malibu rum, and grenadine. This sweet, refreshing drink is perfect for hot summer days when you are grilling. Plus it is a stunning drink to serve when you are entertaining.
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Don't you just love layered cocktails like the Lava Flow and stacked drinks like the B-52? I know I sure do!
So, I invented the Coconut Rum Sunrise, my own creation of a delicious, light, boozy drink that has beautiful layers of color and flavors. You might think making these types of drinks is hard, but I promise you it is not hard at all!
My Twist on a Classic Cocktail
This cocktail is an update on the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail and my twist on this classic cocktail is to use lots of coconut. Coconut rum is substituted for tequila and a layer of cream of coconut at the bottom of the glass gives extra sweetness and beauty to this drink.
I like moving my straw up and down through the layers of the cocktail. Sometimes I just want to taste the orange and coconut layer and sometimes I like just a tiny sip of the cream of coconut. Some people like to stir the layers and mix the cream of coconut into their drink.
How to Make a Layered Cocktail
The trick to making a layered drink is to put heavy-weighted liquors or liquids on the bottom and lighter ones on top. This is why this cocktail starts with a layer of cream of coconut at the bottom of the glass. It is the heaviest of the ingredients.
The next layer is the orange juice mixed with coconut rum. It is lighter and stays on top of the cream of coconut.
Grenadine syrup is the last ingredient added to this cocktail. The grenadine syrup is poured slowly and because it is heavier than the orange juice and rum it falls to the bottom of the cocktail on top of the cream of coconut. It's like magic!
What is Malibu Coconut Rum?
Malibu Coconut Rum is a sweetened and flavored rum from the brand "Malibu" and contains Caribbean silver rum mixed with a sweet coconut liqueur. Technically, because it is a sweetened spirit it is considered a liqueur and not a true rum.
I like using Malibu rum because it is not too sweet and gives a nice punch of coconut flavor to any mixed drink. Containing just 21% alcohol, it is perfectly suited for fun tropical drinks like this one.
Ingredients
To make this fruity tropical drink you will need 4 ingredients plus crushed ice:
- Cream of Coconut - is made with coconut, sugar, and emulsifiers to create a thick and sweet "coconut cream" that is similar to sweetened condensed milk in thickness and sweetness.
- Orange Juice - Fresh is always best!
- Malibu Coconut Rum - is a coconut flavored, sweet light rum.
- Grenadine Syrup - is a cocktail mixer with a brilliant red color that contains pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Crushed Ice - Crushed ice keeps the drink extra cold.
- Optional Garnishes - a slice of a fresh orange and maraschino cherries are simple and beautiful garnishes for this drink.
Instructions
Step 1 – Squeeze the cream of coconut into the bottom of a 16-ounce glass to make the white layer of the cocktail. Gently fill the glass with crushed ice. Do not mix or stir the cream of coconut with the crushed ice.
Step 2 – Mix Malibu rum and orange juice together and pour over the crushed ice.
Step 3 – Add the grenadine syrup in a slow steady stream. The grenadine syrup will fall to the bottom of the glass and rest on top of the cream of coconut to make the red layer of the cocktail. Do not stir!
Step 4 – Garnish the drink with a slice of an orange or with marashino cherries and add a straw.
My Top Tips
Refrigerate the Ingredients - Keep all of your ingredients in the refrigerator so your drink will stay nice and icy cold. You can also keep coconut rum in the freezer.
Do Not Stir - To get that beautiful layered look, do not stir this cocktail while making it.
Substitutions and Variations
Switch Up The Coconut Rum - There are many other mainstream brands of coconut rum like Bacardi, Cruzan, and Parrot Bay and each one is slightly different in flavor and contains an alcohol content ranging from 21% to 40%. You can substitute any of these for the Malibu to personalize your drink.
Mocktail Version - Omit the rum and increase the orange juice to 6 ounces. Add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract to the orange juice for the coconut flavor.
Aperol Version – If you would like a less sweet drink, substitute Aperol for the grenadine syrup.
Make it in Advance for a Party
Since this recipe is for a single serving it can be easily scaled up to multiple servings by multiplying the amount of each ingredient by the number of guests. You also can do the following steps in advance:
- Cut the orange garnish or plan to use maraschino cherries.
- Mix the orange juice and coconut rum.
- Squeeze the cream of coconut into glasses.
Now you can quickly make this drink at a party as needed! Add the crushed ice to the prepped cream of coconut glasses and then pour the combined orange juice and rum into each glass. Lastly, pour the grenadine syrup and garnish each drink.
What to Serve With It and When
Because this drink is lightly alcoholic it can be served anytime of the day by itself or with any meal. It pairs very well with salty foods and snacks like chips and guacamole.
It also is a terrific brunch cocktail and is delicious with scrambled egg dishes like Pizza Eggs and if you are hosting a party, Chili Cheese Layered Dip is simple and quick to make.
More Delicious Cocktail Recipes!
- Bahama Mama
- Strawberry Frosé Slushies
- Lillet Bellini Cocktail
- Maple Beam & Cream Cocktail
- Elderflower & Lemon Mimosa
📖 Recipe
Coconut Rum Sunrise Cocktail
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 2 Ounces Cream of Coconut
- Crushed Ice
- 4 Ounces Orange Juice
- 2 Ounces Malibu Coconut Rum
- 1 ½ Ounces Grenadine Syrup
Garnishes
- Slice of an Orange and/or Maraschino Cherries
Instructions
- Squeeze the cream of coconut into the bottom of a 16-ounce glass to make the white layer of the cocktail. Gently fill the glass with crushed ice. Do not mix or stir the cream of coconut with the crushed ice.
- Mix Malibu coconut rum and orange juice together and pour over the crushed ice.
- Add the grenadine syrup in a slow steady stream. The grenadine syrup will fall to the bottom of the glass and rest on top of the cream of coconut to make the red layer of the cocktail. Do not stir!
- Garnish the drink with a slice of an orange or with marashino cherries and add a straw.
Video
Notes
- Cut the orange garnish or plan to use maraschino cherries.
- Mix the orange juice and coconut rum.
- Squeeze the cream of coconut into glasses.
Nutrition Per Serving
All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
