A classic daiquiri is made with rum, lime juice and sugar that’s shaken over ice and strained into a chilled glass. Frozen daiquiris take it up a notch by blending the rum, lime juice and sugar with ice cubes and fruit, creating a sweet, frothy drink. Our frozen banana daiquiri recipe goes one step further, leaning into tropical flavor with the addition of rich coconut milk. It’s one of those creamy frozen cocktail recipes that’s sweet enough to satisfy your dessert cravings and refreshing enough to cool you down on a hot day.
Banana Daiquiri Ingredients
- Banana: If you already freeze bananas for smoothies, feel free to use them in this cocktail recipe. They taste as good as fresh bananas and help thicken the frozen daiquiri.
- Rum: Bartenders recommend using white rum when making rum cocktails like daiquiris. Its crisp and refreshing flavor helps to offset the sweetness of the drink’s other ingredients. You can use dark rum to add rich notes of caramel, molasses and spice, but the banana flavor may get a little lost.
- Coconut milk: When it comes to coconut cream vs. coconut milk, both products work for frozen drinks. Coconut cream is much thicker, though, so we like using coconut milk to make it easier to sip this banana daiquiri drink. It’s best to avoid cream of coconut, which has added sugars and can make the drink taste too sweet.
- Simple syrup: This sweetener is made with equal parts sugar and water. You can find it at the liquor store or make simple syrup at home.
- Lime juice: Tart lime juice balances out the sweeter elements to help the drink taste more balanced.
- Ice: Crushed ice blends more easily than regular ice, giving a slushier texture.
- Maraschino cherry: The cherry on top is optional, but it gives a bar-worthy finish.
Directions
Step 1: Blend
Place the rum, coconut milk, simple syrup, lime juice, crushed ice and banana in a blender. Cover and process until smooth.
Editor’s Tip: If you make a lot of smoothies, you may already know all of our top tips for making frozen drinks. But if you’re new to frozen cocktails, make sure to use a strong blender and start with the lowest setting to break down the ingredients. Stepping the blender from low to high prevents over-blending and creates cocktails with the smoothest texture.
Step 2: Serve
Pour the daiquiri into a chilled glass. If desired, garnish with a cherry and additional banana slices.
Recipe Variations
- Use another fruit: Replace the banana with other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, mango or pineapple. If you use frozen fruit, you can reduce (or omit) the ice.
- Change the liquor: Halve the rum and replace it with 1 ounce of peach schnapps or triple sec. Or use another liquor instead of rum, like vodka or tequila.
- Make virgin banana daiquiris: Skip the alcohol to make a mocktail version of this slushy treat.
Can you make banana daiquiris ahead of time?
To make banana daiquiris ahead of time, combine all the ingredients (except the ice) in a resealable jar. Store the mixture in the refrigerator for up to three days. Once you’re ready to whip up the drinks, add the mixture to a blender with ice and blend as directed.
Banana Daiquiri Tips
Can you make banana daiquiris without fresh bananas?
Fresh bananas add a luscious texture to frozen banana daiquiris, but you can make this cocktail with banana liqueur instead. At the liquor store, the bottle may be labeled crème de banana or banana schnapps—they’re all the same thing. Each brand varies in strength and flavor, so start with a 1/2 ounce and experiment with the quantity until you achieve the right flavor.
How do you make a shaken banana daiquiri?
You can’t make shaken banana daiquiris with fresh bananas, so you’ll need to substitute banana liqueur for the bananas. Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker, including the ice. Cover and shake until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker, 10 to 15 seconds. Pour the contents into a tall glass and enjoy!
