Imagine this: it's the start of August, and you're reclining in a chair outside, or at least near the window. You want to enjoy a summer drink, one that'll remind you that you still have beach visits and sunny days ahead of you. Or maybe it's the dead of winter and you just want to recapture that summer vibe. Enter the unsung hero of your liquor cabinet: banana liqueur. Find your favorite of these banana liqueur drinks and unpeel a delicious cocktail.
Banana Daiquiri
Sweeten up the traditional tart daiquiri with a thimble of banana liqueur to make this classic cocktail one that's even more of a summer dream without a banana peel in sight.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces aged rum
- ¾ ounce banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, banana liqueur, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Dirty Banana
This drink may look frozen at first glance, but it's actually all thanks to an overripe banana and some heavy cream. It's like a creamy, boozy coffee banana smoothie. Yum!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces rum
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
- 2½ ounces chilled heavy cream
- 1 overripe banana, peeled and sliced
- Banana chunk for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a blender, add rum, banana liqueur, coffee liqueur, heavy cream, and banana.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into highball glass.
- Garnish with banana chunk, if desired.
Banana Cream Pie Martini
Shake, don't bake...your banana cream pie, that is. Indulge in a sumptuous dessert martini that tastes just like a banana cream pie.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vanilla vodka
- 1 ounce banana cream liqueur
- ½ ounce Irish cream
- ½ ounce heavy cream
- Ice
- Banana chunk for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, banana cream liqueur, Irish cream, and heavy cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with banana chunk, if desired.
Chunky Monkey
Are you bananas for chocolate? Try a chunky monkey, funky monkey--or however the Beastie Boys song went. This drink stands the test of time, just like their music.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops chocolate ice cream
- 1½ ounces banana liqueur
- 1 ounce brown crème de cacao
- Chocolate syrup and whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add chocolate ice cream, banana liqueur, and brown crème de cacao.
- Blend until smooth.
- Pour into highball glass, stopping halfway.
- Drizzle with chocolate syrup.
- Top off with remaining chunky monkey mix.
- Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.
Chocolate Banana Martini
Banana and cocoa make a rich dessert indulgence, and the chocolate banana martini is no exception.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce banana cream liqueur
- 1 ounce white crème de cacao
- Ice
- Chocolate sprinkles for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vodka, banana cream liqueur, and white crème de cacao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
Bananas for Margarita
Sometimes you think you've tried all the flavors the world of classic margaritas offers. Worry no more, there's another iteration: the banana margarita.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce agave
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lime wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, banana liqueur, lime juice, and agave.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with lime wheel.
Today's BBC Cocktail
No other cocktail spells out the ingredients for you like the BBC: banana, (Baileys) Irish cream, and coconut. Although this recipe adds a little more than its usual ingredients and skips the blender, don't judge a book by its cover.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce Irish cream
- 4 ounces coconut milk
- Ice
- Banana chunk for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, banana liqueur, Irish cream, and coconut milk.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into highball glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with banana chunk, if desired.
River Breeze
Pull up a chair, slather on sunscreen, and enjoy a cocktail brimming with fruit juices, filling your day with vitamin D and C.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce vodka
- 2 ounces orange juice
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- Pineapple chunk for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, banana liqueur, vodka, orange juice, cranberry juice, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with pineapple chunk.
Banana Old-Fashioned
Banana lover seeks a new old-fashioned...could you be the one for me? Get ready to meet The One with this beautiful drink. If you skip your usual simple syrup for a sweet banana liqueur, then your banana old-fashioned is already done.
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, bourbon, banana liqueur, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange slice and cherry.
Bananas Foster Cocktail
Ever seen somebody cook bananas with sugar and rum, set it on fire, and dump it on ice cream? This is a whiskey lover's version of that, but without the danger of setting your hair aflame. The cocktail is as far from creamy as you can get, it's not a fire hazard, and it's the perfect way to get your Manhattan-loving dad to try something new.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey
- ½ ounce caramel liqueur
- ½ ounce banana liqueur
- ¼ ounce sweet vermouth
- 2-3 dashes walnut bitters
- Ice
- Dehydrated orange wheel and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a mixing glass, add ice, whiskey, caramel liqueur, banana liqueur, vermouth, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with dehydrated orange wheel and mint sprig.
Boozy Bananas Foster Shake
Don't worry dairy lovers...we've got a non-flammable bananas foster for you, too. Your blender has been sitting lonely on the shelf ever since you made that one smoothie six months ago. Give it renewed purpose with this boozy milkshake.
Ingredients
- 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
- 2 ounces banana liqueur
- 1 ounce caramel syrup
- ¾ ounce dark rum
- 1 ripe banana, peeled and sliced
- Caramel syrup and banana chunk for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a blender, add vanilla ice cream, banana liqueur, caramel syrup, dark rum, and banana.
- Blend until smooth or desired consistency.
- Pour into highball glass.
- Garnish with caramel syrup and banana chunk, if desired.
Bourbon Bananas Foster
No flambée, only flavor in the ideal after-dinner drink for when you don't want a creamy, overly rich martini but want something to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce bourbon
- ¼ ounce banana liqueur
- ½ ounce caramel liqueur
- ½ ounce spiced rum
- 3-4 dashes walnut bitters
- 2-3 dashes aromatic bitters
- Ice
- Orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, bourbon, banana liqueur, caramel liqueur, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange slice.
Banana Split Martini
This cocktail is so on point you'll want to slurp it right out of a bright yellow banana split boat. Instead, it comes in a cocktail glass, but if the final visual feels like it's missing a little something for you, don't be afraid to top it off with whipped cream and a cherry.
Ingredients
- Lemon wedge and grated chocolate for rim
- 2 ounces vanilla vodka
- ¾ ounce banana liqueur
- ½ ounce brown crème de cacao
- Ice
- Orange ribbon for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the chocolate on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the chocolate to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, vanilla vodka, banana liqueur, and brown crème de cacao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with orange ribbon.
Banana Alexander
Who said bananas can't be sophisticated? Add some brandy or cognac and cream, and you've got a shishi cocktail that's super easy. It's an updated look on the Brandy Alexander. Best part? It's a whopping three ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces brandy
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce heavy cream
- Ice
- Grated nutmeg for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a martini glass or coupe.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, brandy, banana liqueur, and heavy cream.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with grated nutmeg.
Banana Boulevardier
Be the person-about-town with the banana boulevardier. It still has all the bitter notes of the original, but with the soft sweetness of the banana liqueur.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce bourbon
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- ½ ounce sweet vermouth
- ½ ounce Campari
- Ice
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, bourbon, banana liqueur, sweet vermouth, and Campari.
- Stir rapidly to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peel.
Banana Split Cocktail
White Russians are pretty synonymous with The Dude. If he only knew that with a touch of imagination (and banana liqueur), he could have this cocktail and--well--things might have gone differently. It's definitely a drink to help you abide.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- 1 ounce banana cream liqueur
- ½ ounce coffee liqueur
- Ice
Instructions
- In a cocktail glass, add ice, vodka, heavy cream, banana cream liqueur, and coffee liqueur.
- Stir to mix.
Bazooka Joe Shot
Feel like a kid again with a blue that shot absolutely doesn't look like it would have banana liqueur, nor does it look like it'd taste like bubblegum. But isn't life (and cocktails) about expecting the unexpected?
Ingredients
- ½ ounce banana liqueur
- ½ ounce Irish cream
- ½ ounce blue curaçao
- Ice
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, banana liqueur, Irish cream, and blue curaçao.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into shot glass.
Banana Banshee
The banana banshee is an easy three-ingredient cocktail. Banshees only wish they invented this drink.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce banana liqueur
- ¾ ounce white crème de cacao
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- Ice
- Banana chunk for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a rocks glass, add ice, banana liqueur, white crème de cacao, and heavy cream.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with banana chunk, if desired.
Rum Runner
Take a sip, relax, and unwind with a classic and beloved rum runner. Perhaps not as famous as its other rum counterparts, this recipe may or may not add a little extra banana flavor...because bananas.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces light rum
- ½ ounce dark rum
- 1½ ounces banana liqueur
- ½ ounce blackberry liqueur
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce grenadine
- Ice
- Pineapple wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, light rum, dark rum, banana liqueur, blackberry liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, and grenadine.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into hurricane or cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with pineapple wedge.
Unpeel Banana Liqueur Drinks
Get yourself into something a little more comfortable and slip into a banana liqueur drink to unwind. Make yourself cozy and, possibly, the captain of the banana liqueur cocktail corner of the world.
