Bahama Mama: A Fun Tropical Rum Cocktail

Bahama Mama Cocktail Recipe

 The Spruce

  • Total: 3 mins
  • Prep: 3 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 1 serving
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
160 Calories
5g Fat
18g Carbs
1g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 serving
Amount per serving
Calories 160
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 4g 21%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 5mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 18g 7%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 1g
Calcium 21mg 2%

One of the best tiki cocktails you can mix up, the Bahama Mama is a fruity rum drink that is perfect for any summer party. It's easy to make at home and one taste will instantly transport you to a faraway tropical beach.

The Bahama Mama is a very popular cocktail and, just like many tiki drinks, there are many recipes available. You should expect two types of rum, a little coconut and coffee, and a healthy dose of pineapple. While those are the keys to any good Bahama Mama, from there various ingredients are added.

For example, the first recipe is one of the more basic and common ways to make this drink. It has all the essential ingredients with an accent of lemon juice. The second recipe adds orange juice and grenadine, creating a slightly sweeter mix.

Both drinks are delicious, they simply show the range that you can find in the Bahama Mamas of the world. The Bahama Mama you order at your local tiki lounge may be entirely different than the one you had on your Caribbean vacation. Yet, with all variations, you should expect those same base ingredients and a wonderful fruity cocktail.


Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Bahama Mama: A Fun Tiki Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

    Bahama Mama: A Fun Tiki Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce
  3. Bahama Mama Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce
  4. Strain into a collins or hurricane glass filled with cracked ice.

    Bahama Mama Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce
  5. Garnish with a strawberry or cherry.

    Bahama Mama Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce
  6. Serve and enjoy!

    Bahama Mama Cocktail Recipe
     The Spruce

A Coconut Rum Bahama Mama

Rather than use a coconut liqueur, you can use a coconut-flavored rum. While it can replace the liqueur in the first recipe, this version of the Bahama Mama also adds orange juice and grenadine to the mix. The result is a slightly sweeter cocktail with a more complex blend of fruit flavors.

To make the drink, pour 1 ounce coconut rum, 1/2 ounce each dark rum, coffee liqueur, and grenadine, and 2 ounces each pineapple and orange juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and strain into a hurricane glass filled with cracked ice. Garnish with an orange wedge and strawberries.

Go Ahead, Blend It

While the Bahama Mama is typically served over cracked ice, it also makes a great frozen cocktail. To do so, simply add all of the ingredients to a blender with 1 cup of ice and blend until smooth.

You may find that this is not quite enough ice. If the drink is too thin, add a small amount of ice and blend again. Should you get it to a point where it becomes too thick, add a splash of one of the liquids and blend.

There is a chance that you'll have more than one frozen Bahama Mama by the time you shut down the blender. If this is the case, pour a drink for a friend or store the remainder in the freezer until it's time for a second round.

How Strong Is the Bahama Mama?

You have many options when it comes to the spirits you pour into the Bahama Mama, so it's hard to give a precise estimate of how strong the drink is. Yet, we can make a few assumptions and give you a good idea of how these two recipes stack up.

Let's assume you're using Malibu for the coconut liqueur, Brinley when a coconut rum is called for, and Kahlua for the coffee liqueur. Add in an 80-proof dark rum and make sure you have the 151-proof rum in the mix as well.

With all that, you can expect the first Bahama Mama to have an alcohol content somewhere around 11 percent ABV (22 proof). The second recipe has just a little less liquor at a lower proof, so it weighs in at just 8 percent ABV (16 proof).

While the Bahama Mama is a relatively light cocktail, it can be easy to have one too many. This is particularly true if you're enjoying a few rounds in the hot summer sun. Remember that heat and the sun can exacerbate your drunkenness, so drink plenty of water while partying.