A Refreshing Pineapple Basil Cocktail

Are you ready for a yummy Hawaiian luau themed menu?? It’s recipe day for my dinner club group, and we’ve got some great ones for you. I made a refreshing pineapple basil cocktail I can’t wait to share with you!

If you are coming over from Stacy at Bricks N Blooms, welcome! I’m so glad you are here and didn’t her Pineapple Dump Cake look so good??

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Also, Libby from A Life Unfolding is joining us as guest host this month. You don’t want to miss the recipe for her delicious pineapple fried rice.

And in case you missed my luau party themed tablescape on Thursday, you can see it here.

menu for a Hawaiian luau party

A Refreshing Pineapple Basil Cocktail
Fresh and Easy Pineapple Salsa
Pineapple Fried Rice
Oven Roasted Vegetables
Huli Huli Chicken with Grilled Pineapple
The Best Pineapple Dump Cake

ingredients for pineapple basil cocktail

Fresh pineapple (pureed)
Basil Simple Syrup
Vodka
Topo Chico or Club Soda

basil simple syrup

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar (Most simple syrup recipes call for 1 part sugar, 1 part water. I don’t like my cocktails really sweet so I cut the amount of sugar in half. This is obviously a personal preference, so I would try it with less sugar and add more if you want it sweeter.)

1 cup fresh basil leaves

Combine water, sugar, and basil leaves in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil, and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.

Simmer for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and let steep for about 30 minutes or until cooled.

After the syrup has cooled, strain into a glass jar and discard the basil leaves.

This can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

directions for pineapple basil cocktail

First, you will need to cut up your fresh pineapple. I used a pineapple corer to make this process super easy.

Put pineapple chunks into a blender or food processor and add about 1/2 cup water. (see variations later in the post)

Blend the pineapple until it is pureed and no chunks remain.

For an 8 ounce glass….
Add 1/2 cup pineapple puree, 2 tablesoons of simple syrup, and 3 tablespoons vodka to a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake well, pour into glass and top with topo chico or club soda.

Garnish the glass with a sprig of basil or a pineapple chunk on the side of the glass.

For a 4 cup pitcher….

If you prefer to make a larger batch you can add 2 cups pineapple puree, 8 tablespoons simple syrup and 1/2 cup vodka to a small pitcher.

If you chill your pineapple puree and vodka before making your cocktail, it will be cold and you can omit the shaker step.

Otherwise, you will probably want to add ice to the glass before pouring the cocktail.

variations for pineapple basil cocktail

• If you use pineapple juice in the blender instead of water, it will make the puree a bit sweeter.
• If you prefer a “non fizzy” drink, omit the soda.
• As I mentioned above, most simple syrups call for 1 part sugar to 1 part water. I prefer my cocktails a little less sweet so I cut the sugar in half.
• Again, if you chill your pineapple puree and vodka before making a pitcher of the cocktail, you won’t need to use the cocktail shaker or ice.
• The sweeter and more ripe the pineapple is, the sweeter the drink will be.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of vodka to your liking.
• If you don’t grow your own basil, it is usually readily available in the produce section of the grocery store.
• Lastly, this would be super fun and cute served in a hollowed out pineapple.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this recipe for a refreshing pineapple basil cocktail. I would love to hear if you try it!

Next up on the menu is Jen from Midwest Life and Style with a fresh and easy pineapple salsa.

It looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it!

Be sure and click on the name at the bottom of each photo to see all of the amazing recipes.

Be sure and Pin It to remember it….

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