Mele Kaliki Maka ya bunch of haoles! Check out this holiday riff on a classic tiki recipe that can add some tropical flare to any Christmas party. At the very least you’ll get drunk of the Christmas Mai Tai. If you’re lucky, you may even enjoy the political commentary of your weird-ass uncle.
It Looks Like All You Did Was Add A Cinnamon Stick
Hey nobody likes the cocktail police you loser. I did way more than just “add a cinnamon stick”. I also added cinnamon syrup and some evergreen shrubberies in the background.
But yeah ok, the main difference here is throwing my homemade cinnamon syrup into this instead of orgeat syrup. Less nut (giggity) and more spice. Listen, the Christmas Mai Tai isn’t about tasting like Christmas. It’s about tolerating your extended family at Christmas. And to that end, it’s a useful tool in your cocktail arsenal. Drink and be merry. Eating optional.
How To Make A Christmas Mai Tai
We start with our basic Mai Tai recipe, and we add some holiday cheer in the form of heavy doses of cinnamon. Now the rum I prefer is already pretty molasses-heavy and lends itself well to holiday drinks, so really we’re just rounding out the festive nature of this bad boy with some cinnamon syrup. Easy peasy.
Christmas Mai Tai Recipe
- 1oz dark rum (if you’re near Maryland, Lyon‘s is the way to go!)
- 1oz higher proof aged rum (I use Lyon’s Sailors Reserve)
- 1oz lime juice
- 1oz cinnamon syrup
- .5oz homemade orange liqueur
Add everything to a shaker, fill 3/4 with ice and shake for about 20 seconds, or until the ice starts sounding slushy. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a couple of maraschino cherries and a cinnamon stick. Enjoy!