The New Orleans Hurricane Drink is the quintessential NOLA cocktail that always get the party started. Perfectly sweet, tropical, and highly addictive, they bring a little bit of The Big Easy right to your home!! Serve this classic drink with Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp Po Boys, Etouffee, Gumbo, Low Country Boil and Beignets!
NEW ORLEANS HURRICANE COCKTAIL RECIPE
If you know me, you know about my love for all things New Orleans. Just in the last year I have traveled to NOLA over half a dozen times (and I’m still thinking about my next trip). The energy of the city is truly like none other. The live jazz on every corner, the smell of fresh Cafe du Monde beignets and the bustling antique stores all work together to make an incredible experience.
When in The Big Easy, I love to allow myself the chance to truly relax and take in the city. For as long as I’m there, whether it’s a weekend or a day, I explore the city and eat my heart out.
But what better way to end the exploration than with a refreshing cocktail? A Hurricane is my kind of drink: sweet but not too sweet and served in a fun glass.
Today, I’m bringing NOLA to you! Let’s take a little trip together, shall we?
WHAT IS A HURRICANE DRINK?
A Hurricane is a fruity, tropical inspired cocktail that is specific to the French Quarter of New Orleans. Locals and tourists alike enjoy this refreshing drink while strolling down Bourbon Street. A drink in one hand, a beignet in the other and two feet free to dance. Sounds like a good time to me!
Hurricanes are notoriously strong cocktails with a tangy sweetness that hides the pungent kick of the rum. Sip slowly, you’ll thank me later.
HISTORY OF HURRICANE COCKTAIL
The hurricane drink was invented in New Orleans by bar owner Pat O’Brien during World War II when the supply of whiskey nearly ran dry. To increase liquor sales, salesmen forced bar owners to purchase 50 cases of rum for every 1 case of whiskey. Pat formulated this cocktail to use up his store of rum and boy, was it a hit!
The name for the drink came from the glass it’s served in that is shaped like a hurricane lamp.
Today, you can still sit in Pat’s legendary courtyard and try out the original recipe. In fact, you can find a Hurricane almost anywhere around the city or use my recipe to have one at home!
NEW ORLEANS HURRICANE INGREDIENTS
So, what goes into making this iconic drink? Check out the list below!
- 2 oz light rum
- 2 oz dark rum
- 2 oz passion fruit juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- 1 tbsp grenadine
- Garnish: Orange Slice and Cherry
The combination of these ingredients creates a delightfully tropical-flavored drink. Both rums cut through the sweetness to add a delicious spiced heat. I like to play around with this recipe by swapping out different kinds of juice/citrus. You can make this cocktail out of just about anything you’ve got on hand!
HOW TO MAKE A HURRICANE DRINK AT HOME
Am I the only one who feels kinda cool when you mix a cocktail at home? I’m by no means a professional bartender but I do love to shake up a drink on a Friday night.
Hurricanes are super simple to make and very fun to sip on! All you need is a cocktail shaker, ice, and the ingredients mentioned above. Don’t have a shaker? No problem. Use a large mason jar fitted with a lid or a similar type of container.
Shake everything up with a bit of ice, pour into your glass of choice, and get your party on people!
MAKE THE NEW ORLEANS HURRICANE DRINK YOUR WAY
There are many variations of a New Orleans Hurricane Drink Recipe so you shouldn’t be afraid to get creative with yours. I love to experiment with the juices that I use in my cocktail. Instead of passion fruit juice try pomegranate, guava or even pineapple.
Using a flavored rum, muddling in fresh fruit or blending your cocktail to make a frozen treat can upgrade your Hurricane to the next level!
HURRICANE DRINK GLASS
As mentioned before, hurricanes are traditionally served in a glass shaped like a hurricane lamp. These glasses are not necessary but they sure are fun to have around!
If you’re hosting a party, or looking to add some fun glasses to your bar collection, check out the glasses linked below. Both are gorgeous and great for not only this recipe but just about any other cocktail you can think of.
GRANDBABY CAKES’ BEST COCKTAIL RECIPES
I’m calling it now, this is the drink of the Summer y’all! So be prepared! Shake up a few for yourself, then go ahead and try a few more of GBC’s BEST drink recipes.
- Pomegranate Orange Champagne Cocktail
- Rum Punch
- Honey, BlackBerry, and Sage Refresher
- Mint Julep
- Tropical Wine Slushie
New Orleans Hurricane Drink Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
Ingredients
- 2 oz light rum
- 2 oz dark rum
- 2 oz passion fruit juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp simple syrup
- 1 tbsp grenadine
- Garnish: Orange Slice and Cherry
Instructions
- Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Strain into a hurricane glass then garnish with orange slice and cherry and serve.
I have been experimenting with ingredients trying to make a hurricane forever I am a huge New Orleans fan and first had a hurricane when I was a college student on vacation with my parents. Every hurricane I have made is just not the same. Out of curiosity, what kind of passion fruit juice do you use. This is the 1 ingredient I can’t seem to fiure out.
I believe I purchased it at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s perhaps.
I love hurricanes!!! I got a hurricane glass at hard rock cafe a while ago. Unfortunately, it broke 🙁
Hard Rock Cafe was my first experience with a Hurricane too! Great memory!
Sorry your glass broke.
I will be out first thing tomorrow to buy the rum and pineapple juice. I think I’ll put a little grenadine in it too. Can’t wait and thanks.
There’s no pineapple juice in this recipe, or in a hurricane at all. Maybe you’re wanting a Malibu Sunset instead. Yum.
fun, classic cocktail and love the bright colors, especially this time of year with all of the wintry drab, so thank you
I love a good fruity cocktail and your NO Hurricane looks so good!!
Sounds absolutely delicious and refreshing! A perfect party drink..I love the citrus and passion fruit together as well!
It sounds so refreshing. Making it this weekend!
This is such a refreshing drink. And I love the bright orange color too, especially during these dark dreary winter days. 🙂
This NOLA Hurricane Drink looks absolutely refreshing! I love Tropical flavored drinks and this definitely sounds and looks amazing!
This sounds so wonderfully fresh! I would love to try this out!