Last summer, while celebrating a friend’s birthday at Applebee’s, I ordered their Bahama Mama on a whim. One sip of that vibrant, fruity concoction and I was instantly transported to the beaches of the Caribbean – even while sitting in a suburban restaurant on a Tuesday night. I became determined to recreate that tropical escape at home, testing various combinations until I perfected this copycat recipe that captures the same island magic in every glass.
Transport yourself to a tropical paradise with this Applebee’s Bahama Mama drink. Sip on a symphony of flavors as coconut rum, banana liqueur, and fruit juices blend into a refreshing and exotic delight. This easy copycat recipe captures the essence of the original, allowing you to enjoy vacation vibes from the comfort of your home without the restaurant price tag.
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What Makes the Applebee’s Bahama Mama Cocktail So Good?
Do you want to escape to the islands but can’t afford to take the time off from work? Then, break out your bar cart and start mixing. A few sips of Applebee’s Bahama Mama will make you feel like you are lounging on a white sand beach with a tropical cocktail.
But what does a Bahama Mama taste like? If you’ve never had one, you are in for a special treat. Applebee’s Bahama Mama recipe combines oranges, bananas, coconuts, limes, lemons, pineapples, and pomegranate for the ultimate tropical fruit punch with a strong alcohol kick. This drink captures the tropical flavors of Applebee’s recipe.Â
Why You Should Try This Recipe
So, what flavor is a Bahama Mama? Well, with almost endless versions of this classic cocktail, each bar tends to put its spin on the recipe, so a definitive answer to the question is a bit hard to answer. But generally, all the recipes for Bahama Mamas include a mixture of various rums and fruit juices.
But what is a Bahama Mama at Applebee’s? Well, it’s pretty unique. The recipe eschews the often-used dark rum and coffee liqueur that appears in several odd recipes for a Bahama Mama.
This recipe adds banana liqueur to the mix, giving the drink a much more Caribbean vibe. But that’s not the only tweak Applebee has made. The chain’s master mixologists also reduced the amount of fruit juice and replaced it with lemon-lime soda.
The result is a cocktail that is sweeter, less tart, and easier to drink than other Bahama Mamas you may have tried.
You don’t have to be a professional bartender to make this summer cocktail on one of those hot summer days.
Bahama Mama Ingredients
To make this copycat Applebee’s Bahama Mama recipe, you’ll need:
- Ice cubes – Provide necessary chilling and slight dilution
- White rum – Creates the cocktail’s clean, spirits-forward foundation
- Coconut-flavored rum – Adds tropical coconut notes and sweetness
- Banana-flavored liqueur – Contributes smooth, tropical fruit character
- Grenadine – Adds pomegranate sweetness and signature red color
- Pineapple juice – Provides tropical tanginess and natural sweetness
- Orange juice – Contributes citrus notes and balances the sweetness
- Lemon-lime soda – Adds effervescence and brightens the flavor profile
- Orange slice – Garnish that adds visual appeal and aroma
- Maraschino cherries – Traditional garnish that adds a pop of color
Ingredient Notes
Believe it or not, good ice makes a better drink. Make sure to make the ice fresh and use filtered water. Old ice can pick up flavors from your freezer.
Grenadine is responsible for the deep reds of many cocktails, but it can also flavor the glass. For the best-tasting Bahama Mama cocktails, spring for all-natural grenadine syrup.
There are three types of spirits in this Bahama Mama drink recipe:
- White Rum. Also known as light or silver rum, white rum is clear and aged for a short time and has a milder flavor than dark rum. Bacardi Superior White Rum is a great, inexpensive brand that is perfect for this cocktail. Â
- Coconut-flavored Rum. You can find many flavored rums, but coconut is one of the most popular. In its famous white bottle, Malibu Original should be your go-to here.
- Banana-flavored Liqueur. Banana-flavored liqueur runs from cheap, high-proof but harsh-tasting bottles to high-priced sippable options. But your best bet here is the ever-popular Bols Creme de Banana, a very decent-tasting and well-priced choice.Â
How to Make a Bahama Mama Drink
To make a single Bahama Mama cocktail:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour in the white rum, coconut rum, banana liqueur, grenadine, and the two juices.
- Cover the shaker and shake for 15 to 20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is ice-cold.
- Strain the drink into a glass filled with fresh ice. Applebee’s prefers a standard pint glass, but a hurricane glass is a little more fancy and traditional.
- Top off the cocktail with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish the drink with half of an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. Slide in a straw and a tiny cocktail umbrella if you want.
What to Serve With Applebee’s Bahama Mama
You can’t fully enjoy any cocktail without something to nibble on. Since this drink falls squarely into the beach drink category, any dish using seafood as a main ingredient will pair well. Here are three shareable dishes that you may want to serve with Bahama Mama cocktails:
- Joe’s Crab Shack Coconut Shrimp. These shredded coconut shrimp are just scrumptious when dipped in this to-die-for pineapple and plum sauce.
- Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops. The mild sweetness of the tender sea scallops contrasts nicely with the savory, crispy bacon.
- Oysters. Nothing’s fresher or tastier than an oyster on the half shell. Enjoy them au naturel, or add a little fresh lemon juice or hot sauce on top.
Love Applebee’s? Try these copycat recipes!
Favorite Fruity Cocktail Recipes
- Blue Hawaiian
- Captain Morgan Island Rum Punch
- Fuzzy Navel
- Kool Aid Drink
- Pineapple Sangria
- Key Lime Martini
- Sunset Drink
- Watermelon Sangria
Check out my tasty cocktail recipes and the best restaurant copycat recipes on CopyKat!
Applebee’s Bahama Mama Copycat
Ingredients
- 1 ounce rum
- 1/2 ounce Malibu coconut rum
- 1/2 ounce banana liqueur
- 1/2 ounce grenadine
- 3/4 ounce pineapple juice
- 3/4 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce lemon-lime soda
- 1/2 orange slice to garnish
- 1 maraschino cherry to garnish
Instructions
- Shake the rum, coconut rum, banana liqueur, grenadine, pineapple juice, and orange juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour into a pint glass and top with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with half an orange slice and a cherry.
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