Mai Tai Punch Cocktail
Servings: 2 cocktails
Calories: 300kcal
Mai Tai Punch is a classic tiki cocktail made with two types of rum, orgeat syrup, and a combination of citrus flavors. Pouring this classic mai tai cocktail into glasses reminiscent of a bygone tiki bar era makes this classic rum cocktail the real thing and the perfect drink for summer parties or get-togethers.
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Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- tiki glasses or Collins glasses
Ingredients
Demerara Simple Syrup (Make 20 Minutes in Advance)
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) demerara sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) water
Mai Tai Cocktail
- 3 large limes squeezed to extract 3 ounces (90 milliliters) of juice. Reserve two of the lime shells for garnish.
- 1/4 cup (2 ounces or 60 milliliters) orange curaçao
- 3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces or 45 milliliters) demerara simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce or 15 mililliters) orgeat
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 120 milliliters) white rum
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces or 120 milliliters) dark rum
To Serve
- mint sprigs
- crushed ice
Instructions
Make the Demerara Simple Syrup (Can Be Made Up to 1 Week Ahead)
- In a small 2-quart pot, stir together the Demerara and cold water. Bring this mixture to a boil while stirring to encourage the sugar to melt.
- Remove the pot from the stove once the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar dissolves. Allow the simple syrup to cool completely before using it.
Mix the Mai Tai Punch Cocktails
- Pour the fresh lime juice into a large cocktail shaker. Add the orange curaçao, an orange liqueur, and the orgeat to the shaker with the lime juice. Add both rums to the shaker, cap it, and shake it vigorously.
Prepare the Glasses and the Garnish
- Fill two tiki glasses to the top with nugget ice and divide the shaker's contents equally.
- Use a toothpick to pierce a hole on one side of the lime shells you reserved earlier. Insert a sprig of mint into the hole you made with the toothpick and place the garnish on top of the drink.
- Insert bamboo straws to sip your Mai Tai Punch Cocktails responsibly.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- Turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) or dark brown sugar are good substitutes for Demerara sugar.
- Orange juice, triple sec, pineapple juice, or Cointreau if you don't have orange curaçao.
- This recipe can be made with any Caribbean rum or rum from the Hawaiian islands.
- Replace the orgeat with falernum.
- To make virgin mai tais: omit the rums and orange curaçao. Replace them with ginger beer or club soda.
- You can use crushed ice if you don't have nugget ice.
- Garnish your mai tais with lime wheels instead of the lime and mint sprig islands.
Tips and Techniques:
- Because simple syrup contains sugar, it's best to store it in the fridge and not at room temperature.
- Don't overdo it on the orgeat as its sweetness can overwhelm the drink.
- Avoid replacing the orange curaçao with Grand Marnier since it's an orange brandy-based liqueur and not as sweet.
- Nugget ice is the best to add to tropical cocktails because it dilutes all that liquor.
- For stronger Mai Tai Punch: float 1/2-ounce more dark rum over the drink after you pour it over the ice.
- If your mai tai is too strong, dilute it by floating 1/2-ounce of your favorite fruit juice over the drink instead.
Pitcher Mai Tai Punch Cocktails:
- Quadruple (or more) the recipe and add it to a large pitcher or a punch bowl.
- Have the tiki glasses set out for your guests along with fun cocktail accouterments like lime slices, pineapple wedges (or other fresh fruit), and/or paper umbrellas.
- Keep the nugget ice in an ice bucket and allow the guests to scoop it into their glasses before ladling the mai tai punch into them.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg