The Best Rum to Use For Daiquiris Plus 6 Recipes That Will Make You Vacation-Happy Without Leaving Home

Cold, sweet and spiked just right, a daiquiri is like a party in a glass — one sip, and you’ll feel like you’re on a tropical getaway. While many associate it with a fruity slushy-like drink, the traditional daiquiri is actually simply a mix of three basic ingredients: rum, citrus juice and sugar. And it’s just as strong as a martini! Whether you want to give the original a go or have a hankering for a fruity frozen concoction, keep reading for our favorite recipes, plus find out what is the best rum for a daiquiri that’s guaranteed to be delicious:

What’s the best rum to use in a daiquiri?

Rum is distilled from sugarcane, so it makes sense that it has a sweet flavor, with hints of toasted sugar. There are many varieties, but when it comes to a daiquiri, white rum is the classic choice. Also called silver or light rum, it’s typically aged in stainless-steel barrels. It has a clean, light flavor, which makes it perfect for mixing in cocktails like a daiquiri. Even better? It’s often the most affordable style of rum, so you can cheers without banking the bank. Some brands we like include Bacardi ($11), El Dorado ($13), Quakenbush ($26) and Cutwater White Rum ($26).

For a fun and delicious twist, you can also use a gold or dark rum, which has been aged. Since it’s richer and deeper in flavor, we like to pair it with extra-sweet fruits such as pineapple, banana or mango for a perfectly balanced daiquiri. Brands we like include Cruzan ($15), Kraken ($15), Mount Gay ($25) and Plantation ($30). 

How to make a traditional daiquiri 

For a traditional daiquiri that packs a boozy punch, simply follow this recipe to make one serving:

Ingredients:

• 1½ oz. white rum
• ¾ oz. lime juice
• ½ oz. simple syrup

Directions:

1. Add ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker. Cover; shake until chilled.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass. If you prefer a sweeter drink, increase the simple syrup to ¾ oz. Garnish with lime peel, if desired.

5 fun daiquiri recipes

Ready to treat yourself to a taste of the tropics? Just grab your pick of rum, then choose your favorite from our daiquiri recipes. Tip: For the best frozen daiquiris, we first add the liquids to the blender, followed by fruit, then ice. This ensures it whirls up to a perfectly even consistency.

1. Strawberry-Peach Daiquiris 

This tasty tipple uses frozen limeade mix for extra sweetness and tang — and our big-batch recipe makes enough to treat a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups white rum
• 1 cup frozen limeade mix, from 12-oz. cont. 
• ½ cup peach schnapps 
• 8 cups frozen strawberries 
• 2 cups ice cubes 
• Fresh strawberries, for garnish 

Directions:

1. Working in 3-4 batches, in blender, combine rum, limeade mix, and peach schnapps; top with frozen strawberries and ice cubes. Cover and pulse until smooth. 
2. Transfer strawberry mixture to large freezer-proof container; cover. Freeze until slushy, 2 hrs. 
3. If desired, moisten rims of glasses with water; dip into coarse sugar and invert. Carefully pour cocktails into glasses. Garnish with fresh strawberries. 

2. Dreamy Lime Daiquiris

With the help of Marshmallow fluff and heavy cream, this adults-only drink tastes like dessert in a glass. 

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbs. Marshmallow fluff 
• ½ tsp. grated lime zest 
• ¾ cup lime sorbet
• 4 oz. white rum
• 1 cup chilled lime seltzer
• Lime zest, lime wedges and mint (optional) 

Directions:

1. In bowl, mix cream and marshmallow fluff until smooth; whisk until soft peaks form. Stir in zest. If desired, chill until ready to serve. 
2. Just before serving, in blender, combine sorbet and rum. Cover; blend until smooth. Divide between 2 glasses; top each with ½ cup seltzer. Dollop fluff mixture evenly over each. If desired, garnish with lime zest, wedges and mint. 

3. Mango Daiquiris 

We added in raspberries for an extra-treat in this mango sip, but you can use whatever berries you prefer.

Ingredients:

• 4 oz. white rum
• 4 oz. simple syrup
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 5 oz. frozen mango puree
• ½ cup raspberries
• Crushed ice

Directions:

1. In blender, combine rum, simple syrup and lemon juice. Top with mango puree, raspberries and crushed ice.
2. Blend until smooth and divide between 2 glasses.  

4. Berry-Melon Daiquiri 

This refreshing pool-side treat gets a sweet boost thanks to seedless watermelon. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. lime juice
• ¼ cup sugar 
• 6 oz. white rum
• 2 cups sliced strawberries 
• 2 cups chopped seedless watermelon 
• 2 cups ice 
• Lime slices (optional)

Directions:

1. In blender, add all ingredients; blend until smooth.
2. Divide among 2 glasses. If desired, garnish with lime. 

5. Banana Split Daiquiri 

Cool off with a banana daiquiri that gets a frozen and creamy twist! 

Ingredients:

• 2 bananas 
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup honey 
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract 
• ¼ cup dark rum 
• Banana slices (optional) 

Directions:

1. Cut bananas into ½”-thick slices; freeze until solid, about 2 hrs.
2. In blender, combine frozen bananas, milk, honey, cinnamon and vanilla; cover. Puree ingredients together until thick and smooth.
3. Stir in rum; divide evenly among 4 glasses. If desired, garnish with a banana slice. 

Want to try your hand at even more cocktails? Click through for the recipes that make it easy to be a master mixologist right at home:

Not Just ‘Another Tequila Sunrise’—How To Take This Classic Drink To the Next Level

The Lemon Drop Martini Is Like a Sip of Sunshine — Here’s How to Make It

Cool off with Refreshing Watermelon Slushie Cocktails & Mocktails