Passionfruit is a tropical delight that brings a unique flavor to cocktails. Its sweet and tangy profile makes it a favorite in many drinks, especially tiki-style cocktails.
We're going to go over the 8 Best Passionfruit Cocktails. While passionfruit obviously has roots in tropical and tiki-style drinks, as our list will reveal, you can use it in various cocktails with base spirits outside of rum.
➑ The Right Stuff
The Right Stuff is a refreshing cocktail that showcases the spicy notes of rye whiskey paired with the tropical sweetness of passionfruit. This cocktail is perfect for those who enjoy a whiskey sour with a twist.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- 1½ oz rye
- ½ oz elderflower liqueur
- ½ oz lemon juice
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain over ice into a rocks glass
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and enjoy!
➐ The Port Light
The Port Light gets its name from the port light on a ship. The distinctive red glass used for this drink mirrors the color of the ship's port light.
The Port Light cocktail from Ebby Kurian (@ebbydranks) combines two of his favorite cocktails: the Whiskey Sour and the Gold Rush. Honey and passionfruit are a match made in heaven, and perfectly complement bourbon's natural vanilla and caramel notes in this versatile sipper.
Ingredients
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- 2 oz bourbon
- ¾ oz honey syrup
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg white
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to cocktail shaker and dry shake
- Add ice and shake again
- Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora Glass
➏ Divorce Papers
This cocktail has an intriguing name and an even more intriguing flavor profile. Combining gin with passionfruit provides a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness,
It was a bittersweet ride hun, but you've been served!
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- 1 ½ oz gin
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz Aperol
- barspoon honey syrup
Instructions:
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe
➎ Porn Star Martini
The Porn Star Martini originated in the UK. It's a wonderful presentation of a bright and vibrant drink, accompanied by a sidecar of sparkling rosé. The cocktail is visually striking, with a sweet and tart sour flavor balanced by the dry rosé. This adds a unique interactive element; you can either add all the rosé to the cocktail or sip it alongside. It's a fun and playful cocktail experience.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- ¼ oz vanilla syrup
- 2 oz vodka
- ½ oz lime juice
- 1 ½ oz sparkling rosé
INSTRUCTIONS
- Shake all but rosé with ice for 10 seconds
- Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish
- Serve sparkling rosé in a sidecar glass
➍ Brasserie Special
The Brasserie Special showcases how versatile passionfruit syrup is, and how whiskey can go tiki.
This cocktail is a lighter twist on the classic whiskey sour, enhanced by the fruity notes of passionfruit syrup. It's perfect for warm weather and can be enjoyed year-round.
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- 1 ½ oz bourbon whiskey
- ¾ oz orange liqueur
- ½ oz lemon juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 20 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe
➌ Saturn
The Saturn cocktail is a tiki classic. This drink was invented by Popo Galsini in 1967. Though it didn't win the World Cocktail Exhibition, it has since become one of the most classic tiki cocktails. Its uniqueness lies in its use of gin instead of rum, bourbon, or other full-bodied spirits. This magical combination of passion fruit, lemon, and gin makes for a truly delightful cocktail. We hope you give it a try!
Ingredients:
- ½ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- ¼ oz Almond Orgeat Syrup
- 2 oz gin
- barspoon falernum
- ¾ oz lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled rocks glass
- garnish with Saturn and rings! (reference photo)
➋ Lost Lake Cocktail
Coming in at the number two spot is the Lost Lake Cocktail. Crafted by Paul McGee and his team at the Lost Lake Bar in Chicago, this drink epitomizes the modern tiki recipe.
Although the bar has since closed, the cocktail remains a testament to their legacy. The Lost Lake Cocktail perfectly balances the Jamaican rum funk with bright, acidic tropical fruits like pineapple and passionfruit. It also incorporates unique, bitter, and funky notes from Maraschino liqueur and Campari, making it a standout in the world of tiki drinks.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- 2 oz Jamaican rum
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ½ oz pineapple juice
- ¼ oz maraschino liqueur
- ¼ oz Campari
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker
- Add 1 cup of crushed ice and shake for 10 seconds
- Strain over crushed ice into a tiki or highball glass
➊ HURRICANE
The number one passionfruit cocktail on our list is the Hurricane.
The Hurricane is famous for its origins at Pat O'Brien's bar in New Orleans. It began being made in the 1940s when the bar had difficulty sourcing bourbon. Distributors required the purchase of large quantities of rum to obtain whiskey. With an excess of rum, they needed a way to sell it, leading to the creation of this delicious drink.
The original recipe used lemon juice and fassionola syrup, though passionfruit is also well-documented as an ingredient. The Hurricane was known for its strength, which likely boosted its popularity.
Our version uses passionfruit juice, lemon juice, and sometimes a split base. No matter how it's made, it's a delicious blueprint for a fantastic tiki cocktail. It's the classic passionfruit drink.
Ingredients:
- ¾ oz Tropical Passionfruit Syrup
- ¼ oz Real Grenadine
- 2 oz dark rum
- ¾ oz lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all ingredients except Real Grenadine to a cocktail shaker
- Add ice and shake hard for 5 seconds
- Strain into a highball glass filled with crushed ice
- Top with Real Grenadine
Passionfruit is a really versatile ingredient. It's often referred to as "bartender's ketchup" because its flavor complements a wide range of base spirits. These cocktails demonstrate the vibrant and diverse ways you can enjoy the unique taste of passionfruit.
Cheers!
Get an inside look by watching our YouTube video.
