This easy Miami Vice recipe is an easy frozen drink, which combines 2 delicious cocktails (Strawberry Daiquiri and Pina Colada) into the perfect summer cocktail!
JUMP TO RECIPEA staple of beach bars everywhere, this Miami Vice recipe is the quintessential summer frozen cocktail! Half Strawberry Daiquiri, half Pina Colada, and all parts delicious, this tasty drink is served layered in a tall glass, and screams summer vacation. With the perfect blend of tropical flavors, this tropical cocktail is always a good idea!
This recipe makes 2 separate drinks, but can easily be scaled up! You can't go wrong with this classic cocktail, loaded with juicy strawberries and delicious Pina Colada flavors! This slushy drink is next level on a hot summer day!
Ingredients
This easy, classic Miami Vice drink takes a bit of prep and a high powered blender, but is super simple to whip up on a hot summer day! Here's what you'll need to make them:
- 3 ounces white rum, divided. I use Bacardi. If you like, you can also use gold rum or dark rum. I prefer the clean flavor of the white rum for this recipe.
- 1 cup fresh strawberries or frozen strawberries, chopped into small pieces. Cutting them up into bite sized pieces makes for smooth blending. Strawberry puree or strawberry syrup also work great in a pinch!
- 1.5 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice. For best results, use fresh limes, rather than bottled lime juice.
- 1 ounce simple syrup. You can make your own simple syrup by cooking equal parts sugar and water until all sugar is fully dissolved! It will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
- 2 ounces sweetened cream of coconut, such as Coco Real.
- 2 ounces pineapple juice.
- Garnish: fresh pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves.
How to make a Miami Vice frozen drink
Part frozen piña colada, part strawberry daiquiri, this fruity drink is a tropical paradise in a glass! Here's how to make it:
In a blender, blend ice and Strawberry Daiquiri ingredients until smooth. Pour the Strawberry Daiquiri mixture into 2 hurricane glasses, and set in the freezer while you work on the Pina Colada layer.
Rinse the blender well, and pat dry before proceeding with the Pina Colada layer to ensure the color is not affected.
In the clean blender, add Pina Colada ingredients, and blend until smooth. Pour Pina Colada layer carefully over the back of a spoon over the Strawberry Daiquiri to create a layered effect. (see recipe card below for full directions and ingredients).
Substitutions and Additions
Make it a Mocktail! Swap the rum for equal parts Strawberry juice or Coconut milk in each layer to make this a non-alcoholic drink!
Skip the sugar. Use honey or agave nectar in place of the simple syrup.
Adjust the level of sweetness. When using unsweetened coconut cream, be sure to add about an ounce of honey, simple syrup or agave to the Pina Colada mix to sweeten it up a bit.
Add a rum float. To make this drink extra boozy, add a little float of rum on top just before serving. For more info, see FAQ below.
Tools for the perfect Miami Vice
Here are the tools you'll need for the most perfect frozen drink!
- A high powered blender.
- Hurricane glasses, for the classic Miami Vice look. The Hurricane Glass is the perfect shape for this cocktail!
- Crushed ice, for a smooth consistency. If you can't find or make crushed ice, you can always crush it in an zip top bag with a rolling pin or meat tenderizer.
- Your freezer. Letting the Strawberry Daiquiri layer firm up for a few minutes in the hurricane glasses in the freezer makes for optiomal layering of the Pina Colada layer.
Tips for perfect layering
To achieve the signature layered look for this cocktail, here are a few tips:
Chill your glasses
To keep the cocktails nice and cold, be sure to run your cocktail glasses under running cold water, then chill in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour prior to serving the drinks. For the classic Miami Vice look, use a Hurricane Glass.
Pouring technique
To achieve perfect and distinct layers in your cocktail, carefully pour into a glass each layer, slowly over the back of a spoon.
Garnishing the cocktails
These cocktails look great with a fresh pineapple wedge and a pineapple leaf, but if you don't have fresh pineapple on hand, you could also garnish with some strawberries and lime wedges!
Miami Vice Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- blender
- hurricane glasses
Ingredients
- 3 oz white rum, or choice of rum, divided
- 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, chopped into small pieces
- 1 ½ oz fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 2 oz sweetened cream of coconut, such as Coco Real
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- fresh pineapple wedge, pineapple leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a blender, add 1.5 oz of the rum, strawberries, lime juice, simple syrup and 1-2 cups of ice and blend until smooth. (Start with 1 cup crushed ice, and add as needed until desired consistency is reached). 2 Pour the strawberry daiquiri mixture into 2 hurricane glasses, and set in the freezer while you work on the Pina Colada layer. 3 Rinse the blender well, and pat dry. 4 In the clean blender, add the remaining 1.5 ounces of rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and 1 cup crushed ice (adding more as needed) and blend until smooth. 5 Pour Pina Colada into the hurricane glasses that already contain the Strawberry Daiquiri, creating a layered effect. If you like, you can pour carefully over the back of a spoon to ensure even layering. Note: If adding additional ice, you will have extra!
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Frequently asked questions
Can I make these cocktails ahead of time?
If making for a crowd, you could make a large batch of Pina Coladas, and a batch of Strawberry Daiquiris, and set them in the freezer ahead of time, then let them sit a bit at room temperature to loosen a bit before layering and serving. You could also make this for 2 ahead of time and store the chilled glasses in the freezer, then remove about 10 minutes prior to serving.
What's the best blender to use?
For a super smooth cocktail, be sure to use a high quality blender. I like Vitamix.
What food pairs well with a Miami Vice?
This refreshing and summery frozen cocktail goes great alongside some classic summer appetizers like Seafood Bruschetta, Crab and Shrimp Ceviche, or alongside a great dip like Whipped Ricotta!
More summery cocktails!
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