16 Fun Banana Cocktails You Won't Want to Miss

Dirty banana recipe — The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

Whether you have a bottle of banana liqueur or a bunch of fresh bananas, there are some amazing banana cocktails that you'll want to try. Alcoholic banana drink recipes are not numerous, and the fruit is more often associated with banana smoothies. However, banana finds its way into several rum and vodka cocktails, and it pairs very well with chocolate, coconut, coffee, pineapple, and strawberry. From daiquiris to martinis and tropical blends to party shots, you'll go wild over these yummy drinks.

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Banana Daiquiri

The Spruce Eats

The frozen banana daiquiri has to be the most popular banana-flavored cocktail. It is delicious, sweet, and a joy to blend up on a hot summer day. The recipe is also straightforward, and all you really need for the main flavor is a single banana.
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Banana Split Martini

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

You might expect the banana split martini to be creamy like the ice cream treat, but this recipe takes a lighter approach. The vodka martini uses banana liqueur and crème de cacao, and it's delightful to switch it up. Try it with caramel vodka, add coconut rum, or toss in a strawberry liqueur. You really can't go wrong in your experiments.

Banana Liqueur Options

Banana-flavored distilled spirits are few, but they are around. Liqueurs are the most common spirits to take on the flavor, and you'll also find them labeled crème de banane or banana schnapps. They tend to be pretty sweet, and the strength varies from mild to strong. Popular brands include 99 Bananas, Marie Brizard, Bols, DeKuyper, and Hiram Walker.
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Frozen Banana Split Cocktail

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If you can't imagine a banana split without the ice cream, this frozen banana spit cocktail is for you. It's essentially a spiked milkshake that plays off the banana split's most popular toppings. With its chocolate and strawberry vodka foundation, fresh banana, and pineapple juice, it's utterly delicious.
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Dirty Banana

The Spruce Eats / Ulyana Verbytska

The dirty banana is a favorite among sun-seeking Caribbean tourists, and it's easy to make at home. Simply toss banana and coffee liqueurs, your favorite rum, cream, and milk into the blender along with a ripe banana and whirl it up. One taste, and you'll be transported back to the islands. No passport needed!

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Banana Hammock

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The banana hammock is an impressive drink that makes good use of your favorite spiced rum. The key to this cocktail is the homemade banana syrup, which is simply a pureed banana added to a standard simple syrup. It's a great mixer that may find its way into more of your drinks.
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Yellow Submarine

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The sweet taste of bananas takes center stage in the yellow submarine. With a vodka and rum backdrop, it's quick and gives you the ease of a martini with a taste of the tropics.
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Banshee

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The banshee is a combination of banana and chocolate liqueurs. The creamy drink can handle a shot of vodka if you like. Some banshee recipes use citrus vodka, though strawberry, coffee, or nearly any other flavored vodka can give it little extra pizazz.

Homemade Banana Vodka or Rum

A few brands produce banana-flavored vodka or rum. They're not numerous or the easiest to find, and it's not unusual for them to be discontinued. However, it's easy to infuse your own with a favorite vodka or light rum: Mash a whole not-too-ripe banana, cover it with the liquor, seal the jar and infuse for about two days then strain thoroughly. Use the finished spirit to amplify a drink's banana flavor or in recipes with complementary fruits (e.g., banana-strawberry daiquiri, banana-kissed coconut martini).
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Talking Monkey

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The banana-chocolate combo is everywhere, and the talking monkey takes it up a notch. Its creamy mix of chocolate vodka and banana liqueur is accented with a dash each of espresso vodka and coffee liqueur. It's an indulgent dessert drink.

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Banana Cream Pie

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RumChata is one of the hottest liqueurs on the market. It's a fabulous choice for simple, delicious drinks like the banana cream pie. Just mix the cream liqueur with a banana liqueur, and you're ready to drink dessert.
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Rock Lobster

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You will fall in love with the sweet taste of the rock lobster. This fruity blend combines coconut rum, banana, pineapple, orange, and grenadine, making it seem like you're tossing random ingredients into the blender. And yet, a little splash of this or that never hurt a frozen cocktail, so go ahead and enjoy!
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Lava Flow Cocktail

The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

The lava flow cocktail requires a little extra blender work, but it's worth the effort. The base is coconut and light rums with strawberries, and that's topped with a frozen mix of banana, coconut, and pineapple juice.

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Irish Encounter

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

The only thing "Irish" about this drink is the Irish cream. Yet, the Irish encounter is a blended cocktail that adds a banana twist to the piña colada. Paired with coconut milk and aged rum, then topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut, it's a wonderful indulgence.

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Rum Runner

The Spruce Eats

The rum runner is a very popular tropical rum cocktail, and there are many ways to make it. The best recipes include crème de banane or another banana liqueur. No matter which you choose, all rum runner recipes are filled with an array of fruity flavors and an absolute joy to drink.
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Bazooka Joe Shooter

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Banana liqueurs are responsible for making some of the tastiest shots you can mix up. In the Bazooka Joe shooter, you'll mix it with Irish cream and blue curaçao. Its banana-citrus flavor and creamy smoothness goes down easily.
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Superman Shot

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Mixing up a round of Superman shots for your friends will grab their attention. This three-layered shooter shows off your bartending skills as you pour banana and cherry liqueurs with UV Blue Vodka to replicate "The Man of Steel's" signature colors. It not only looks great, but it's pretty tasty, too.
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Beam Me Up Scotty Shooter

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The Beam Me Up Scotty is a mix of coffee liqueur, crème de banane, and Irish cream. The trio comes together to create one of the best-known layered shots, and it's sure to satisfy any Trekkie.