Coconut Rum Sunrise Cocktail is a gorgeous layered tropical cocktail that contains cream of coconut, orange juice, Malibu rum, and grenadine.
This sweet and refreshing tropical drink is perfect for hot summer days when you are grilling and it is a stunning drink to serve when you are entertaining.
If you love rum punch cocktails like the Malibu Sunrise Cocktail and the Malibu Sunset Cocktail you will certainly love this sunrise cocktail that is loaded with tropical flavors but doesn't contain any pineapple juice.
One of the best things about this great drink is the combination of flavors goes so very well with each other. Orange and coconut are the heart of this drink and the sweetness of the rum perfectly smoothes the flavor of orange juice.
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Plus, you don't need a cocktail shaker to make this delicious drink that will make you feel like you are relaxing on a tropical island.
You might think making layered drinks is hard, but I promise you it is not hard at all!
My Twist on a Classic Cocktail
This cocktail is based 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 white cream of coconut at the bottom of the glass gives extra sweetness and beauty to this drink. The combination of flavors is deliciously refreshing with the sweetness of the rum balancing the acidity of the orange juice.
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.
This easy drink recipe can be made with as much ice as you like but you will need at least 3 inches of crushed ice to keep the drink cold.
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 layered tropical drink you will need these 4 ingredients plus lots of crushed ice:
- Cream of Coconut - This is a creamy coconut syrup that 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 orange juice is always best!
- Malibu Coconut Rum - is a coconut-flavored, sweet light rum.
- Grenadine Syrup - is a sweet cocktail mixer with a brilliant red color that contains pomegranate juice, sugar, and lemon juice.
Optional Garnishes - Maraschino cherries a slice from an orange are simple and beautiful garnishes for this drink. You can also use a cute umbrella if you prefer an all-out tiki look.
Instructions
Step 1 – Squeeze the cream of coconut into the bottom of a highball glass, hurricane glass, or any 16-ounce glass, to make the white layer of the cocktail. Gently fill the glass with crushed ice or ice cubes. Do not mix or stir the cream of coconut with the 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 from an orange or a maraschino cherry 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, Captain Morgan, 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 types of rums for the Malibu to personalize your Coconut Sunrise. However, I personally don't recommend a plain white rum or a dark rum for this drink.
Substitute Pineapple-Orange Juice. If you love a sweeter drink you can substitute pineapple-orange juice for the orange juice.
Substitute Maraschino Cherry Juice. You can substitute maraschino cherry juice for the grenadine syrup. They are both delicious and are approximately the same weight to form that gorgeous red layer.
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
This recipe is for a single serving but you can easily make a big batch 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
You can serve this drink any time during the day by itself or with any meal. It pairs very well with salty foods and snacks like chips and Simple Guacamole or a Chili Cheese Dip.
It is also a terrific brunch cocktail and is delicious with scrambled egg dishes like Pizza Eggs.
For extra fun, I like striped paper straws for this cocktail, but any straw will do and you can also add a bright paper cocktail umbrella.
More Delicious Cocktail Recipes!
📖 Recipe
Coconut Rum Sunrise Cocktail
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 2 Ounces Cream of Coconut
- Crushed Ice
- 2 Ounces Malibu Coconut Rum
- 4 Ounces Orange Juice
- 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 highball glass, hurricane glass, or any 16-ounce glass, to make the white layer of the cocktail. Gently fill the glass with crushed ice or ice cubes. Do not mix or stir the cream of coconut with the ice.2 Ounces Cream of Coconut, Crushed Ice
- Mix Malibu coconut rum and orange juice together and pour over the crushed ice.2 Ounces Malibu Coconut Rum, 4 Ounces Orange Juice
- 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!1 ½ Ounces Grenadine Syrup
- Garnish the drink with a slice of an orange or with a marashino cherry and add a straw.Slice of an Orange and/or Maraschino Cherries
Video
Encharted Cook 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.
