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!!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

Two hurricane cocktails ready to serve with limes, cherries and orange slices around

Table of Contents

The Heart and Soul of the Best New Orleans Hurricane Drink

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.

Cuisine Inspiration: New Orleans, baby! This tipple takes you right to the vibrant streets of the Big Easy.

Primary Cooking Method: Mixing – Shake it up, then let it flow!

Dietary Info: Contains Alcohol – For the 21+ crowd only. Enjoy responsibly.

Key Flavor: Sweet, fruity, and tangy – this drink dances on your tongue with flavors of passion fruit and rum.

Skill Level: Easy – If you can pour, you can make this happen!

Sweet Highlights:

Crowd-Pleaser: This iconic drink is a universal sign of a good time; one sip and you’re the host with the most!
Versatile: Perfect for your backyard BBQ, a Mardi Gras party, or any festivity calling for a splash of fun.
Quick Fix: No slow simmering or intricate steps; it’s a pour, shake, and serve kind of deal.
Customizable: Play with the fruit juices or adjust the booze; this drink is your canvas!
Vibrant Vibes: Its bright color promises a lively experience, matching the energy of any party scene.

An overhead of new orleans hurricanes ready to serve to guests

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.

Hurricanes are notoriously strong cocktails with a tangy sweetness that hides the pungent kick of the rum. Sip slowly, you’ll thank me later.

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!

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!

Simple syrup being added to a cocktail shaker for a drink

How to Make a Hurricane Drink

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.

Grenadine going into a shaker to make a cocktail

Shake everything up with a bit of ice, pour into your glass of choice, and get your party on people!

Variations

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!

What to Serve With

Serve this classic drink with Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp Po Boys, Etouffee, Gumbo, Low Country Boil and Beignets!

Drink Glasses

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.

Best Cocktails to Try

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.