Miami Vice Drink Recipe
Blending the piña colada and strawberry daiquiri separately, then pouring them into the glass at the same time from opposite sides, is what keeps the two colors distinct instead of turning into one muddy pink slush. Both mixtures need to be the same thick, just-pourable consistency so neither one sinks or overpowers the other.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 2
Ingredients
- 3 oz white rum, divided
- 3 oz cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)
- 3 oz pineapple juice
- 1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
- 2 oz strawberry daiquiri mix or simple syrup
- 3 cups ice, divided
- 2 each pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries, for garnish
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 223
- Protein
- 0g
- Carbs
- 30g
- Fat
- 2g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1In a blender, combine 1.5 oz (45 ml) of the rum, the cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and 1.5 cups (about half) of the ice. Blend until completely smooth and thick enough to hold its shape when poured, about 30-45 seconds.
- 2Pour the piña colada mixture into a large measuring cup or pitcher and rinse out the blender.
- 3Add the remaining 1.5 oz (45 ml) rum, frozen strawberries, daiquiri mix or simple syrup, and the remaining 1.5 cups ice to the blender. Blend until smooth and similarly thick.
- 4Tilt two tall glasses at an angle. Pour the piña colada mixture into one side of each glass, filling it about halfway.
- 5Slowly pour the strawberry daiquiri mixture down the other side of each glass at the same angle, letting it settle next to the piña colada layer rather than on top of it.
- 6Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry, and serve immediately with a straw.
Tips & variations
- If the two mixtures end up different thicknesses, add a splash more ice to the thinner one and re-blend rather than trying to fix it in the glass.
- Swap coconut rum for white rum in the piña colada half for a stronger coconut flavor.
- For a kid-friendly version, omit both portions of rum and add an extra splash of pineapple juice and daiquiri mix to keep the volume the same.
- Use fresh strawberries plus a handful of extra ice instead of frozen strawberries if that's what's on hand; the texture will be slightly less thick.
Storage & reheating
This drink is meant to be blended and served immediately; it separates and loses its slushy texture within about 15 minutes at room temperature. It doesn't hold well in the freezer once blended, since the two mixtures will refreeze into a solid block rather than a scoopable slush.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Chilling the glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes beforehand helps both layers hold their slushy texture longer once poured.
- A squeeze bottle or measuring cup with a spout gives more control over the pour than tipping the blender jar directly, which helps keep the layers distinct.
FAQ
What alcohol is in a Miami Vice?
White rum, split between the piña colada half (rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice) and the strawberry daiquiri half (rum, strawberries, daiquiri mix).
How do you keep the two layers from mixing together?
Both mixtures need to be blended to the same thick consistency, and poured in at the same time from opposite, tilted angles so neither one displaces the other.
Can I make a Miami Vice without alcohol?
Yes, omit the rum from both halves and add a small splash of extra pineapple juice and daiquiri mix or strawberry syrup to make up the lost volume.
What's the difference between a Miami Vice and a Bahama Mama?
A Miami Vice is specifically a half-piña-colada, half-strawberry-daiquiri layered drink, while a Bahama Mama is a single blended cocktail built on dark rum, coconut rum, and mixed fruit juices.