Mermaid Lemonade (with a cotton candy twist!)
Posted: 07/02/2021
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A sweet and fruity cocktail, shimmering blue Mermaid lemonade is perfect for summer parties and special occasions.
Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: It’s fun, festive and you’ll be smiling as you drink it!
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: glass, spoon, and ice
Servings: 1 but it can easily be made as a pitcher
Table of Contents
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This gorgeous cocktail starts with rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, lemonade, and blue Curaçao. But the fun doesn’t stop there! A cotton candy “bomb” filled with stunning turquoise luster dust is dropped into the glass, adding sweetness, shimmer and an extra pop of blue color.
Colorful tropical cocktails abound. A Bay Breeze, made with cranberry, pineapple and vodka, is one of my favorite beach cocktails, or a refreshing Aperol spritz. I think everyone loves a piña colada. My mom still talks about a “Coco Loco” she ordered on the beach at an all-inclusive. Apparently it made quite an impact on everyone.
To be sure, this stunning mermaid cocktail will make an impact as well. Stir up a pitcher or just a couple of cocktails for you and a friend. Whether you’re at the beach, sunning by the pool, enjoying a sunset on the deck, or maybe wistfully wishing for warmer weather, this festive and fun cocktail will add tropical luster, sparkle, and fun to your day!
About this Recipe
You won’t need any special equipment to make this lemonade: no blenders, cocktail shakers, or muddlers. It doesn’t take any magical powers or harmonic “mermaid-ish” singing. Oh, that reminds me of my sister when we were growing up and Disney’s The Little Mermaid was popular. She sang THAT MERMAID SONG incessantly and nearly drove the rest of my family crazy. It still echoes in my brain … ear worm alert!
You’ll find the complete printable recipe at the end of this post.
What You Need
- Pineapple Juice: Canned pineapple juice is widely available and is fine for this recipe.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice is preferable.
- White Rum: Use your favorite brand of white rum. Bacardi Silver is a good choice but there are lots of options.
- Blue Curaçao: This bright blue liqueur can be compared to triple sec or Grand Marnier in flavor. It is alcoholic, about 20-25%. Commonly used as a fun coloring agent, you may be familiar with blue Curaçao drinks such as Blue Motorcycle, Blue Lagoon, or Blue Hawaii. By the way, it’s pronounced “Cure-ah-souw”.
- Lemonade: Make your own, or buy a good quality refrigerated lemonade. I like Newman’s Own.
- Blue Cotton Candy: This is an optional add-in for this cocktail but it adds loads of fun. Blue cotton candy is available in grocery stores, Walmart, or Amazon. Pink cotton candy is fine, too.
- Turquoise Luster Dust, optional: Luster dust is an edible decorating product used to add sparkle or luster to cakes or cookies. It comes in a wide variety of colors and finishes, and is found in grocery stores with cake decorating supplies, or Amazon. For more information about luster dust, The Spruce Eats has a good article explaining what it is, how it’s used, and what to avoid. Just remember that luster dust is not the same as non-edible glitter, which is made of plastic.
- Pineapple Wedge and Maraschino Cherry, for garnish: Skewer a wedge of pineapple and a cherry together and prop it on the edge of the glass for a really tropical feel.
How to make It
You’ll want a tall glass for this pretty Mermaid lemonade. This recipe makes one drink but it’s easily doubled or tripled. Keep reading for instructions on how to make a pitcher.
Make sure all the ingredients are well chilled. You’ll be stirring in ice at the end so have ice on hand. Prepare the pineapple garnish.
Add the pineapple juice, orange juice, rum, blue Curaçao, and lemonade to each glass. If you like more of an ombre effect, begin with the blue Curaçao.
Spoon a bit of luster dust into the center of a small piece of cotton candy and gently wrap the cotton candy around it, shaping it into a small ball. Drop the cotton candy into the glass. It will dissolve quickly, releasing the luster. Give the drink a gentle stir to reveal the magical shimmer, then top with a bit of ice and add the garnish. The drink will shimmer when stirred but will settle if it sits.
So pretty and so sweetly delicious!
Remember, this is an adults only beverage and drink responsibly — or you may be transformed into a “tipsy mermaid!”
How to make this cocktail your own
- If desired, omit the cotton candy and luster dust.
- For lots of luster, increase the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. I don’t recommend more than that.
- Add a splash of club soda for a lighter, more bubbly cocktail.
Make-Ahead Ideas
Make a pitcher of mermaid lemonade and chill it in the fridge until it’s party time. For 8 servings, add to pitcher: 1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 1/2 cups white rum, 1/2 cup blue curaçao, and 4 cups lemonade. Prepare garnishes and cotton candy balls.
When ready to serve, continue with recipe directions, making luster dust/cotton candy balls, and adding ice. Encourage guests to add their own cotton candy balls. They’ll love it watching the candy dissolve, revealing the luster dust.
More fun cocktails
Cocktails can inspire so much creativity. Have fun combining mixers, juice, and spirits, and add beautiful garnishes. Looking for new glassware? Try your local thrift shop for inexpensive or unique finds. Here’s a few recipes to get you started:
- Raspberry Rosé Spritzer
- Watermelon Lemonade with Mint (with cocktail option!)
- Jack Frost Mimosa
- Sparkling Pink Lemonade (with cocktail option!)
- Vodka Lemonade
- Sparkling Pomegranate Punch — party perfection!
- Classic Gin and Tonic Recipe — tips to make the best!
- Pear Hibiscus Brunch Cocktail
- Frosé Recipe — the best frozen Rosé
- Frozen Sangria Slushie Recipe
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @rachelcooksblog on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
cocktail
A sweet and fruity cocktail, shimmering blue Mermaid lemonade is perfect for summer parties and special occasions.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- ½ ounce orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 1½ ounces white rum
- ½ ounces blue Curaçao
- 4 ounces prepared lemonade
- 4- inch round piece blue cotton candy optional
- ¼ teaspoon turquoise luster dust optional
- Ice
- Pineapple wedge for garnish
- Maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Chill all ingredients. Add the pineapple juice, orange juice, rum, blue Curaçao, and lemonade to a tall cocktail glass.
- Spoon the luster dust into the center of the cotton candy and gently wrap the cotton candy around it, shaping it into a ball. Drop the ball into the cocktail and let it dissolve.
- Give the drink a stir to reveal the shimmer, then top with ice and add garnishes.
Notes
- Pitcher: For 8 servings, add to pitcher: 1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 1/2 cups white rum, 1/2 cup blue curaçao, and 4 cups lemonade. Chill. When ready to serve, continue with recipe directions, making luster dust/cotton candy balls, and adding ice. Encourage guests to add their own cotton candy balls. They’ll love watching the candy dissolve, revealing the luster dust.
- If desired, omit the cotton candy and luster dust. For lots of luster, increase the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. I don’t recommend more than that.
- Add a splash of club soda for a lighter, more bubbly cocktail.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 8oz. cocktail, Calories: 320kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 8mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 53g
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
