Food Recipes Mai Tai Cocktail 3.4 (10) 4 Reviews Learn how to make the best mai tai recipe for a day on the beach. By Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean Paige Grandjean is an associate editor at Food & Wine magazine. Since joining the Dotdash Meredith team in 2015, Paige has tested and developed more than 2500 recipes. Her work has been shared in more than 15 magazine brands, including Real Simple, Southern Living, Eating Well, and Food & Wine. Highlights: * More than five years of experience developing and testing recipes in the test kitchen * Member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals * Earned a level 2 with distinction accreditation from the Wine & Spirits Education and Trust in Spirits * Folio: Eddie & Ozzie Award finalist in 2021 Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 31, 2022 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Hands On Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Yield: 1 cocktail This pretty Mai Tai cocktail is fruity and refreshing. If you're wondering how to make the best Mai Tai (or what's in a Mai Tai), you've come to the right place. Each Mai Tai ingredient adds depth and flavor to the tropical cocktail. The tart lime juice balances the sweet pineapple juice, and orgeat syrup (a sweet almond-flavored syrup) offers a base note to anchor the flavors together. Feel free to replace the orgeat with simple syrup and a drop of almond extract, which will mimic the almond undertones. Though we call for dark rum in the recipe, we tested it with white rum, and it was just as delicious. Make this easy Mai Tai recipe while you're relaxing on the beach—or if you just want to pretend you are. Ingredients ¼ cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons white rum 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime) 1 tablespoon (½ oz.) dry orange Curaçao 1 tablespoon orgeat syrup or simple syrup 1 teaspoon maraschino cherry juice 1 tabelspoon (½ oz.) dark rum Mint sprig, maraschino cherry, pineapple slice, for serving Directions Combine pineapple juice, rum, lime juice, Curaçao, orgeat, and cherry juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Top with dark rum, and garnish with mint, cherry, and pineapple. Antonis Achilleos Print