Cuban Daiquiri (Original Recipe & A Revised Classic) (2024)

One of my favorite parts of crafting homemade co*cktails over the last 10 years is learning about the history of the co*cktails. Maybe it’s the former teacher in me, but I just love learning about where classic co*cktail recipes came from and how they experienced a rise in popularity over the years. As someone who loves a rum-based co*cktail, one drink that never goes out of style is the daiquiri. This classic Cuban daiquiri recipe is a nod to an iconic drink that is beloved by many.

One great thing about this recipe is that it is so easy to make your own! After all, the best daiquiri is the one YOU like! Even better: I’m including the original recipe for the Cuban daiquiri in the recipe card below. (Aside from the Cuban rum, which is…ahem…difficult to find in America. 😅) The original Cuban daiquiri recipe uses granulated sugar. But I played around with the classic and decided to make a little change and include demerara simple syrup, which deepens the flavor of the classic Cuban co*cktail.

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💕 why you'll love this Cuban daiquiri recipe

🏛️classic & timeless. This co*cktail has been enjoyed as one of the earliest published drinks since the 1940s, making it a true classic! Before that, it was popular among locals and tourists alike on the beaches and in the bars of Cuba. I don’t know about you, but if it’s perfect for beach drinking, it’s perfect for me! 😎

🎛️super customizable.While this Cuban daiquiri is a recreation of the historic recipe, it’s incredibly easy to make your own. You can swap out any ingredient in the recipe to make it totally your own!

🤌refreshing & easy.One reason that the daiquiri is so popular is that it is so easy to make and has a perfect balance of flavor. It only requires three simple ingredients, and it is perfect for any time of year.

🛒 ingredients

Original Recipe

The original written daiquiri recipe made a batch large enough for a pitcher.

• white rum - the original recipe calls for Bacardi “Carta Blanca” rum. In today’s terms, that’s the same as Bacardi silver rum.
  
• lemon juice - that’s right, the original written recipe called for lemon juice, not lime juice! 😱Limes and lemons were sometimes used interchangeably, and a ripe lime is actually....YELLOW! It's possible limes were in the original recipe, but lemon is what appears on the recipe card!
  
• sugar - unlike modern-day daiquiri recipes, the original recipe for a Cuban daiquiri contained granulated sugar. When shaken vigorously in a co*cktail shaker, the sugar will dissolve. It is possible that some sugar granules will remain and they will settle in the bottom of the glasses. If you are remaking the classic, you can use granulated white sugar or a darker sugar like demerara sugar.
  
• mineral water - the original recipe for the Cuban daiquiri contained “2 small cups of mineral water.” This is likely to dilute the “6 Bacardi cups” of carta blanca the recipe called for!
  
• ice - you’ll need plenty of ice for shaking the co*cktails. If you like, you can also serve the co*cktails over crushed ice, which is the classic way of the original.

Updated Original

The updated version of the original Cuban daiquiri recipe is super simple and only contains three ingredients. Because of the simplicity quality and freshness are key. If you can, whip up a batch of demerara simple syrup. This syrup is deeper in flavor than a standard simple syrup, playing up the toasty flavors of darker brown sugars. If you can’t find demerara sugar, you can use brown sugar in a pinch!

• white rum - also known as silver rum or blanco rum, this is a rum that is aged for 3 years or less. It doesn’t have any coloring added, naturally from aging in barrels or added coloring. Since it isn’t aged long and has nothing added to it, it is very light in flavor, making it perfect for co*cktails where you want fresh ingredients to shine. I like using Bacardi rum or an aged rum from Cuba like Havana Club 7 Year.
  
• demerara simple syrup - the original daiquiri recipe called for granulated sugar, which was possibly even a darker or less refined sugar like demerara sugar or turbinado sugar. My variation calls for demerara simple syrup instead of sugar granules because it’s so much easier to incorporate into beverages. Demerara simple syrup imparts a deeper, toasty flavor to this daiquiri.
  
• lime juice - limes tend to be more acidic than lemons, which helps to balance things out in this co*cktail that only has alcohol and a liquid sweetener. You can use regular limes or key limes, depending on what you can find. Try your best to use fresh lime juice. Since this co*cktail only has a few ingredients, it’s best to use the freshest and highest quality you can find!

🍳 instructions

Step 1: Chill your preferred glass by filling it with ice or placing it in the freezer for up to 30 minutes.

Step 2: Add ½ ounce of demerara simple syrup to the co*cktail shaker.

Step 3: Juice fresh limes to get 1 ounce of juice. Add the lime juice to the co*cktail shaker.

Step 4: Measure out two ounces of rum and pour it into the co*cktail shaker.

Step 5: Shake the mixture vigorously to combine all ingredients.

Step 6: Shake the mixture vigorously to combine all ingredients.

Step 7: Strain your daiquiri into a co*cktail coupe.

Step 8: Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel, and serve immediately.

Hint: Want to make a large batch of daiquiris? Simply mix all the ingredients in a pitcher and store it until you’re ready to serve!

💡tips & tricks for getting it right

🍽️ serving tips

how & when to serve Cuban daiquiris

These daiquiris are perfect for happy hour or a welcome co*cktail at a party. They pack quite a punch, so they are best for moments when you can really take your time to sip them. Daiquiris are best over conversations with friends and family!

choose your glass

It's traditional to serve a daiquiri in a small chilled coupe glass or a small martini glass. If you don’t have either co*cktail glass, you can also serve it in a small juice cup. The key is to use a small glass here, because the drink itself is about 4-5 ounces in size, unless you’re making a double. 😏

to ice or not to ice?!

The original Cuban daiquiri was served over whole ice cubes. Over time, the drink evolved to be served over crushed ice. Eventually, it wasn’t served over ice at all. And to make things even more confusing, sometimes it was poured over a molded circle of shaved ice. There are even tales of it being served blended with a small amount of ice. The moral of this story? Serve it however you like!

• large cube - Serve your daquiris over a large cube of ice in a rocks glass for a fun presentation.
• shaved ice molds - Create your own molded bowls of shaved ice and pour your daiquiri overtop for an impressive presentation.
• no ice - Strain into a chilled martini glass for a classic presentation. Small ice chips in the daiquiri are a-okay! They help balance the drink out more as they melt!

ℹ️ troubleshooting tips

As mentioned a bajillion times before, the key to this co*cktail is simplicity! But that doesn't mean things can't go wrong. Citrus in general can be tricky to work with since the flavor can vary so much. Try these troubleshooting tips below if you run into any issues when mixing up your daiquiris!

• too tart - if your Cuban daiquiri is too tart, add in a bit more sweetness with simple syrup or sugar. Using simple syrup makes it easier to tweak the sweetness.
  
• too strong - this co*cktail is a sipper for sure! If you find that it’s too strong for your taste, serve it over crushed or shaved ice to help dilute it. You can also add some mineral water as the original recipe called for, or you can add more juice and simple syrup and less rum.
  
• too sweet - if your daiquiri is too sweet for your taste, you can add more lime juice or rum to balance things out.

⚖️ scaling tips

This co*cktail scales up perfectly for a party! It’s super easy to make a big batch of daiquiris and pour them from a pitcher as your guests arrive. If you are going to be preparing them in advance, make sure to choose a glass that holds the appropriate 4-5 ounces of the co*cktail so you aren’t accidentally over-serving your guests.

When I make a batch of daiquiris, I prefer to serve them over crushed ice or shaved ice molds so that the ice dilutes into the co*cktails. This is a nice touch because you skip the shaker when you’re making a big batch of daiquiris!

🔆 top tip

Customize your daiquiris to your liking by switching out the simple syrup for a flavored one! You can also swap out the rum from silver to aged rum or dark rum for another variation!

♻️ substitutions & variations

♻️ substitutions

Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!

• rum - you can use aged rum or spiced rum in a daiquiri— it’s such a simple co*cktail but it has so many possibilities! You can even use a flavored rum or an infused rum for an even more flavorful daiquiri.
  
• sweetener- if you don’t have demerara simple syrup on hand, you can use regular simple syrup or a rich syrup made with a 2:1 ratio of sugar to water. You can even use agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup in your drinks. Check out this post on the best substitutes for simple syrup for inspiration! You can also make the drink with granulated sugar as noted in the recipe card. Simple syrup mixes more efficiently into the co*cktail without leaving any grainy residual sugar behind, making a more balanced co*cktail!
  
• citrus - The original written daiquiri recipe from the archives called for lemon juice instead of lime! The Papa Doble (Spanish for “Papa double,” with a nod to writer Ernest Hemingway’s nickname of “Papa”) called for using grapefruit juice! You can use whatever citrus you like— I love using key lime juice and key lime simple syrup to make an extra limey co*cktail! A seasonal variety using blood oranges or Meyer lemons would also be wonderful!

🎛️ variations

Feeling like a rebel?! 😈 Feel free to stray from the recipe card using these variations, or leave me a comment with your own!

• use a different liquor - while daiquiris have rum in them, you can have some fun! Try making a spin on a daiquiri by using vodka, gin, or even tequila in place of rum!
  
• add a liqueur - a variation of the daiquiri is the Hemingway Daiquiri. This version of a Cuban daiquiri recipe that includes maraschino cherry liqueur like Luxardo and grapefruit juice. You can experiment with your favorite flavors to make a custom daiquiri to your specific tastes! Try using ginger liqueur, orange liqueur, or even peach liqueur!
  
• use an infused simple syrup - if you’ve been around here a while, you know my love for simple syrups runs deep. Try making a daiquiri with an infused simple syrup to create unique flavor combinations!
  
• frozen - Instead of shaking it with ice in a co*cktail shaker, you can make this co*cktail into a classic frozen daiquiri! Pour all the ingredients into the jar of a blender and blending it with a cup of ice.

🧰 equipment needed & storage tips

🧰 equipment needed

• co*cktail shaker - you’ll need a quality co*cktail shaker for mixing your daiquiris. I love using this co*cktail shaker from Elevated Craft because it is easy to measure liquids in the lid of the shaker. It’s also double-walled, meaning your hands don’t get cold while shaking your co*cktails!
• coupe glass - a small coupe glass is the traditional co*cktail glass of choice for a Cuban daiquiri. You can also use a small martini glass.
• measuring beakers - I prefer using these OXO nesting measuring beakers instead of jiggers because you can use them for so many more recipes aside from drinks. They come in a graduated set perfect for measuring small amounts of liquid.

🫙 storage tips

Since the co*cktail uses fresh citrus juice, it’s best to consume it immediately after mixing.

You can prepare a batch of daiquiris in advance and store them for up to 48 hours in the fridge.

If you want to store them longer, you can pop the co*cktail into the freezer door for up to a week. 😉

💬 q+a

How is a Cuban daiquiri different than a regular daiquiri?

The original Cuban daiquiri recipe called for lemon juice and granulated sugar. Most modern day classic daiquiris call for lime juice and simple syrup. Additionally, Cuban daiquiris include Cuban rum, which is not for sale in the United States.

Where can you buy cuban rum in the United States?

It's not legal to import Cuban rum to the United States as of September 2020. Whenever we go to a tropical island outside the U.S., we like to stop by the duty-free to see if they have any special rums available that are legal to bring home. Rest assured, there are many quality rums available stateside that can be a great stand-in for Cuban rum in this co*cktail.

Who invented the Cuban Daiquiri?

Like the mojito, there is a lot of speculation about who invented the Cuban daiquiri. One thing most people agree on is that it was invented on Daiquiri beach and served to mine workers as a refreshing beverage during the hot working day. Many say that the El Floridita bar in Cuba is the birthplace of the daiquiri and Ernest Hemingway’s favorite spot to grab a “Papa Doble” daiquiri.

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🥣 recipe

🧯food safety & other information

Food safety is an important ingredient in any recipe for success! Here are some tips to keep you safe in the kitchen!

• Always consume alcohol in moderation, and never serve alcohol to anyone under legal drinking age. In the United States, the legal age for alcohol consumption is 21 years old.