Rum Runner — a fruity and tropical cocktail, but not in a strawberry daiquiri doesn’t-do-much kind of way. This delicious Rum Runner recipe (complete with my secret ingredient!) packs a punch that can sneak up on you!
Rum Runner Drink Recipe
There’s nothing better than being on a sailboat, floating out on the ocean and looking at all the natural beauty…and everything looks much more beautiful with a Rum Runner in my hand!
For those of you who don’t know the backstory, I live in San Diego full time but spend two to three months per year in Aruba. When I’m there, sunset sailing is a favorite activity. My five-year-old probably loves them more than my husband or I do and begs us wanting to know when we’re going again.
An open bar filled with as many virgin Pina Coladas and Shirley Temples as she can drink while dancing to hot tracks like Kokomo and the Macarena is her idea of perfect.
And the views aren’t too shabby either!
The only thing better than watching her jam out is sitting back with a Rum Runner in hand. I love this Rum Runner drink so much. And they go down so fast. Too fast. Especially in the heat.
What’s in a Rum Runner?
On our last sailing adventure, I made sure to ask the bartender what’s in his Rum Runner that makes his so good. He gave me the drink recipe and told me the secret ingredient that makes their version so special — it’s amaretto.
Of course, there are a million versions and drink recipes for Rum Runners and really, any time you start combining rum and juice, you’re in for good times. But this is the version I adore!
Plus, I have a thing for amaretto. An amaretto sour was the first drink I ever ordered in a bar — extra cherries, please.
The rest of the Rum Runner ingredients you’ll need for this easy cocktail recipe are:
- Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
- Bacardi Light Rum
- Malibu Rum
- Disaronno Amaretto
- Pineapple juice
- Grenadine
- Maraschino cherries or orange wedges, for garnishing
How to Make a Rum Runner
This is one of the easiest cocktails you can make! Exact Rum Runner ingredient ratios depend on preference, but I like to make mine by adding one part of each of the rums and one part of the amaretto into a glass filled with ice.
Add four parts pineapple juice to the glass, followed by the grenadine.
Shake or stir the Rum Runner to combine the ingredients, then garnish with orange wedges and/or maraschino cherries. So simple, right?
If you were counting, that’s a four-shot drink. I recommend using a half-filled shot glass of each type liquor, so the final drink ends up being a two-shot drink. But feel free to play around with the ratios to suit your own tastes!
Can I Make This Into a Pitcher Cocktail?
Yes! This Rum Runner cocktail recipe is for one drink, but you can easily turn this into a pitcher cocktail.
If you want to serve this to a crowd, I recommend stirring the ingredients together in a large pitcher and pouring it over ice when guests are ready to enjoy their drink. If you make the pitcher cocktail with the ice in it, your Rum Runners will become diluted as the ice melts.
What’s the Best Rum for a Rum Runner?
I used a blend of three types of rum to make this Rum Runner drink recipe: Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Bacardi Light Rum, and Malibu Rum.
Tips for the Best Rum Runner
I’ve called for pineapple juice in this cocktail recipe, but mango or orange juice would also work nicely with the rum. Or you could do a combination of fruit juices! This is a flexible recipe, and rum pairs nicely with any tropical juice.
When adding the grenadine, drizzle in a little at a time and taste to see when it’s sweet enough for you. Grenadine can quickly overpower the rum, so I don’t like to add a lot. You want just enough to complement the rum and pineapple juice, and no more.
I always garnish my cocktail with orange wedges and maraschino cherries, just because!
Pin This Recipe
Rum Runner
This Rum Runner recipe makes a fruity and tropical cocktail. Three types of rum make up this cocktail, plus my secret ingredient!
Ingredients
- 1 part Captain Morgan Spiced Rum*
- 1 part Bacardi Light Rum
- 1 part Malibu Rum
- 1 part Disaronno Amaretto
- 4 parts pineapple juice
- Grenadine, drizzled generously
- Maraschino cherries or orange wedges, for garnishing
Instructions
- In a glass over ice, add the three types of rum and the amaretto.
- Add juice to taste, and shake or stir to combine. At this stage you can add the grenadine as well. For a prettier look, stir in the grenadine (but I actually prefer the taste when the grenadine is shaken in).
- Garnish with maraschino cherries and orange wedges, as desired.
Notes
*For me, 1 part equals half of an average-sized shot glass, making this a two shot drink.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1124Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 29mgCarbohydrates: 170gFiber: 5gSugar: 131gProtein: 5g
More Easy Cocktail Recipes:
Tropical Strawberry Lemonade Party Punch — This Tropical Alcoholic Punchis one of my all-time favorite party drinks! Feel free to leave the alcohol out if desired, this punch tastes delicious with out without it!
Tequila Sunrise — Not only is it pretty to look at, but a Tequila Sunrise is also refreshing, nostalgic, and the grenadine sweetens it up enough that you may not even notice it packs quite a punch!
All-Natural Homemade Margaritas — Nothing fake, neon green, and no sugary chemicals! This is the best homemade margarita recipe I’ve tried and it’s the easiest!
Strawberry Pineapple Sangria — This is the perfect thirst quencher and it goes down very easily. Grilling brings out the natural sugars in the pineapple in a wonderfully sweet way that works so well in the sangria.
Malibu Sunset — A fun, fruity, easy Malibu drink recipe!! Because there’s really no wrong way to do pineapple, orange juice, coconut rum, grenadine, and cherries!
Kiss On The Lips Cocktail — Frozen mango, rum, vodka, peach schnapps, and a KISS of drizzled grenadine!! Fruity, tropical, and they go down way too easily!!
Pomegranate Mojito – Everyone will love this fruity twist on a classic mojito recipe! The tart pomegranates and lime blend beautifully and are paired with simple syrup, mint, and white rum for a refreshing cocktail that’s perfect all year long!
I generally don’t leave comments but your rum runner sounds super yummy! Would like to suggest one addition that would kick it up a tiny notch. It is called a cherry bomb and boy is it good.
One jar of maraschino cherries with stems on. One bottle of fireball liquor (cinnamon flavor and hot). Drain the liquid from the cherries–save to flavor other drinks if desired. Replace/fill the jar of cherries with the fireball liquor. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before garnishing drinks with them. The longer they sit the more cinnamon flavor/heat they acquire. When you garnish a drink with them they impart a very subtle cinnamon flavor to the drink.
You had a new, loyal subscriber at rum runner, girlfriend.
Oh that’s awesome to hear. This drink is…the bomb. It packs a wonderful punch :)
Sounds so good, I will have to try!!! I have a ton of amaretto just sitting here waiting. When you mention Malibu rum, do you mean the coconut rum? How do you get so lucky as to spend so much time in Aruba? Lol were all pea green with envy!!!
Malibu rum, yes coconutty rum, the one I linked to in the post is the one I used for the drink. Enjoy!
there is a bar here on cape cod called “rum runners”
i don’t drink but i LOVE cooking with rum and cognac
After the long week I’ve had, I could use one or three of these! Fortunately for me, my bar contains all of the ingredients you’ve listed above, so….I think I know how I’ll be spending my Saturday evening! :-) LOVE the addition of the Amaretto.
You have a better stocked bar that I was. Get this, I walked to the corner (urban) liquor store at 11am the morning I photographed this recipe. I was buying all this booze along side some interesting characters in the middle of the day :) Enjoy the drink & LMK if you try it!
It’s no wonder we get along so well, amaretto sours were (sometimes still are!) my beverage of choice- before discovering the mojito. Okay, so I kind of like all the girly, sweet cocktails. :D
This rum runner recipe sounds perfect. Amaretto will always have a special place in my heart.
Oh wow, wish we could have an amaretto sour together while listening to some Tori or vintage beats. The fun we would have!
After i read the recipe, i thought it sounded more like a mai tai drink, so i googled it. A rum runner has blackberry and banana liqueurs in it. A Mai tai has two types of rum and pine apple orange juice, almond syrup (which amaretto is a sweet almond liqueur, so you could use that instead for more umph), and a splash of grenadine.
Interesting! Well, hey, I wrote down what the bartender told me and what he poured in my cup and whatever name it has…it sure tastes good! It doesn’t taste like a mai tai though. I do love mai tai’s and this doesn’t taste like one. Similar, but not exactly. I’ll have to pick his brain on my next trip there.
I have never had a rum runner… but I do love me some rum… and I do have some classy travel size bottles that I need to make use of ;) Im seeing one of these bad boys in my near future.
Perfect way to put those travel bottles to use!
I need a rum runner today. It is five degrees where I am on the coast of Maine today. Triple ick.
My favorite drink to make at home is a mojito, with lots of fresh mint and lime, a sprinkle of sugar, a shot of rum and bit of seltzer to top it off. But if I’m out, I tend to order a frozen margarita or a drink I don’t have ingredients to make at home.
The beach and crystal clear blue water sounds amazing right now. It has been thirty five and below in Seattle the past couple of days. Since, I cant afraid a plane ticket this drink will do. Maybe, Ill get drunk enough to imagine I am somewhere warm.
I actually never drink alcohol and that is ONLY because I just feel terribly if I do. But, my hubby likes to have his drinks every now and again and I bet he would enjoy this. I think that ANY drink on that gorgeous water and on a sailboat would be fantastic! :-)
The older I get, the more I really am a one and done girl :)
Oh my gosh I want to jump into those pictures! Gorgeous!
tequila. i am so a tequila girl. the beaches are killing me. i am in freezin’ cold WI.
I grew up in MN and then Chicago and I KNOW what -10F and the like feels like…ugh!
Oh yes, I do have a favorite vacation drink, it’s Brazilian… :) I want to dive into that water for a change! I need vacations, and I need one of your drinks, and Brazilian one too. :)
Brazilian. Sounds like a wax :) I am curious about this drink now!
I knew you’d think it, it came to my mind too when I first heard of it.. :) You’ve had that drink, I am sure, that’s what they serve on the beaches in Brazil, and it’s made with Cachaça with most common name being Caipirinha. :)
Averie,
I need a rum runner, a beach towel, and a front row seat to that amazing view! This girl needs a little sunshine right now!
I can only imagine how COLD it is right now up there! Another reader just wrote in from Wisc and yes, I remember those long, long, long winters up there from growing up in MN!
All of your photos are gorgeous and the drink looks delicious!
Thanks, Amber!
Those pictures are stunning! Wish I was there. I have never had a rum runner and I haven’t had a drink at all in awhile. I think a trip to the party store is in order. I’ll be making it with half shots though, I’m a bit of a lightweight. BTW, I made Rice Krispies treats in my 8 inch pan like you suggest and they were fantastic! Thanks for the tip.
I was able to buy all that liquor for the cost of 1 round at a bar out! They charge like $14 per drink, so for under $25, I can make drinks til 2015 now at home :) I’m such a lightweight that it will last me…a long time!
I am glad you love the 8×8 pan! And I hope you doubled the butter, too, like I suggested :)
Oh gosh, amaretto. I need to get me a bottle of that.
Amaretto is magic, I used to LOVE it when I drank. It was a requirement at any party!
That’s right, you don’t drink anymore. Well, I barely do. Really, am such a lightweight and am so BUSY that I cannot afford to be out of commission so to speak! Need to be operating on all cylinders!
Oh my goodness. I so want to be in that blue…that looks like a drink of I’d like to take a big gulp of! Okay, not really, but the sky, sand and sea looks heavenly!
I am not much of a fancy mixed drink person ( more red wine kind of gal :) ) but this sounds amazing. And I don’t mind a bit a little trip to Aruba in the middle of January. Even if only in my mind! Gorgeous, Averie!
My favorite vacation drink is anything with rum in it! Your Aruba pictures are just gorgeous. I was there with the family in 2006. We loved it. Have to try to get back there soon ….
That looks wonderful, can’t wait to make this for my next get together with my neighbor. I live in Rancho Cucamonga and it has been chilly lately, this is just the thing to warm things up!
Posting these photos in January is just mean… :-)
In the Bahamas, we drink Goombays: light rum, dark rum, coconut rum, and apricot brandy, with a bit of pineapple juice. SO good. SO dangerous. :-)
apricot brandy must just send it into heaven! Wow..that sounds like a stellar drink. I want that! like now and all these drinks are yes, so dangerous. They go down so fast in the heat!
Ooh, I love the addition of amaretto!! So pretty, and I can definitely see how they go down too fast!
I need one of these asap! I’m dreaming of a warm beach in the tropics – one of these may just transport me there for a few blissful moments!
Thanks, Laura, and glad you like it and thanks as always for the pin!
i LOVE rum runners! I haven’t had one in ages. And I don’t think I’ve ever made one for myself. My kitchen “bar” (if you can call it that) consists of vodka, tequila, and margarita mix. Sometimes wine, but mostly margarita. I want to be on a yacht right now – far, far away. It’s dull, crappy, dark, and gloomy outside in Baltimore. Just “sad” looking. This would bring some pep in my step. And one too many would have me on the floor but I’m not complaining. I love fruity cocktails!! PS: I forgot about your pina colada dip. heavenly. amazing. must make.
The day that I made these, I realized that I didn’t have any of the alcohol on hand except the Captain. So I went to the corner liquor store at 11am and bought all these pint-ish size bottles. I was in line with some real characters in an urban corner liquor store at 11am. But I’m stocked up now and at the rate I drink at home, I probably will be well supplied for like 5 years. Lol These types of drinks are just so much better on a sailboat!
You’ve TOTALLY got me wanting to run back to Aruba. Those views are amazing. And yes, I could see how these rum runners would go down really fast! haha.
Glad you saw this post and hopefully you guys will get back there one day sooner rather than later!
A four-shot drink? Me likey!
PS. Gorgeous photos – they make me long for a beach and beautiful clear waters!
I went somewhere lovely in my head looking at the photos included in this post. I wish I could stay there and sip one of these cocktails. I’ve never actually had a Rum Runner but something tells me that’s about to change…
Wish we could have one together! On a beach somewhere!
I am DEFINITELY on board with this.
I am not much of drinker, but right now in Australia the beach is the place to be and this drink will be perfect. Spice, coconut and almond reminds me of Queensland coast. Could this combination work with a black raspberry liquor or other fruity liqour?
I’m sure it could. Black raspberry liquor or other fruity liqour sounds good to me!
Oh man, talk about a headache induce the next day ;-) My husband likes spiced rums. I like them more in a daiquiri. There was this one drink I loved (too much) called the krechma (sp?). Tasted like chocolate covered cherries. Let’s just say it’s a table-top inducing type of thing b/c it goes down way too easily.
Ohhhhhh. Amaretto! That does snazz things up. I really dig an amaretto sour… this Rum Runner makes me want BEACH. Your photos are so gorgeous, by the way. That is the bluest blue I have ever ever ever seen.
I love amaretto sours, too. And yes, the water there is stunning. It’s truly my happy place!
My favorite vacation drink is probably sangria or an amaretto sour. I’ve never had a rum runner but pineapple juice, amaretto and rum sounds good together..and it’s a fun vehicle for maraschino cherries! I’m a lightweight with alcohol, so I’ll have to do a little downsizing on the rum amounts. My husband teases me about my low tolerance and says I don’t “train enough”. I am loving those Aruba photos (and the brightly colored drinks and goodies) right now–I think have the winter blahs and its not even Feb. yet! I have only been able to run ouside twice since Christmas and am already feeling like a little hamster running on my treadmill or in circles on the indoor track.
The worst part of winter in the midwest (or anywhere) is that outdoor fitness is next to impossible or very challenging and me and the treadmill are not friends. Even in San Diego, it’s been very chilly the past few weeks. In the 30s at night which is really cold for here! I used to ‘train enough’ but that all changed after becoming a mom. There’s just no time for the downtown/recovery after all that ‘training’ :) I am a total lightweight these days too!
What a beautiful drink!!! I’ve never had a rum runner, but this sounds utterly divine. Love the amaretto! Now if I could just get a sunset cruise on the side… :)
I want to go on another one – like, right now :)
Four parts booze to four parts pineapple?! Either I won’t be doing any running after this (maybe it’d be a ‘Rum Sleeper’ for me!) or the second glass would take significantly longer than three minutes prep time! And uou should post more Ariba photos, it’s such a stunning location :).
Well everything is to taste. You know how it is when you’re mixing a drink. You pour the booze in, top off with a splash of this or that, to taste, and enjoy. It’s hard when writing drink recipes to put an actual value to it, since everyone is different and there’s the water-down effect with the ice. But yes, it is fruity, but strong :) Or water it down with more juice. No rules here!
Oooooooh, golly I want to use my fancy luxardo cherries and make this! Amaretto makes things amazing. I just need the spiced and malibu rum.
My favorite drink of the moment is probably still the Sazerac:
http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2013/01/01/saz-me/
I looked up those luxardo cherries and they seemed to get mixed reviews. Some people said they weren’t worth the money but gosh, I sure want to believe they are :) They sound soooo good!