Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Rum Cocktails

Dirty Banana

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Published 07/5/22
Dirty Banana cocktail
Image:

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

Who can resist a sweet, creamy cocktail? From Piña Coladas to Bushwackers, there’s no better poolside companion. If you’re a banana lover, this combination of aged rum, banana, coffee liqueur, and half-and-half might just become your new favorite frozen drink. It’s unclear where and when the Dirty Banana first originated, but today the tropical-leaning drink is popular at many Caribbean resorts. Lacking vacation days? It’s equally delicious served from your blender as it is at a swim-up pool bar. 

For the backbone of the drink, you’ll want to opt for an aged rum: It adds caramelly depth to the mix and plays off the fruitiness of the banana. You might also try a spiced rum to add some complexity to the creamy sweetness. While you can swap in a light rum in a pinch, it’s best saved for your Daiquiris and Mojitos, as it will produce a crisper, less rich drink. 

The cocktail’s fruity flavor comes from both real banana and banana liqueur. Don’t toss the browning bananas on your countertop: Their concentrated sweetness is ideal for the recipe below. As for the liqueur, Giffard Banane du Brésil or Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane are industry favorites for their authentic banana flavor. This drink only calls for one ounce, however, so feel free to reach for a cheaper or more widely available option, such as Bols or even 99 Bananas, if you dare. A coffee liqueur such as Kahlúa lends its rich flavor and an additional boozy kick to the Dirty Banana; it also helps differentiate the drink from a frozen Banana Daiquiri. 

Adding half-and-half and ice to the blender essentially renders this drink a boozy milkshake. Some recipes even add chocolate syrup to the mix, emphasizing the “drinkable dessert” concept. Whichever way you make it, you’ll go bananas over the results.

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces rum

  • 1 ounce banana liqueur

  • 1 ounce coffee liqueur

  • 2 ounces half-and-half (or one ounce heavy cream and one ounce whole milk)

  • 1 banana, slightly overripe, cut into chunks

  • Garnish: banana chunk, with peel

Steps

  1. Add all ingredients into a blender with a small (6 ounce) scoop of ice and blend until smooth.

  2. Pour into a Collins glass.

  3. Garnish with a banana chunk.