This Hawaiian Sunset cocktail is a vodka-based tiki drink with a gorgeous pink color and a light, citrusy flavor. It's made with just five ingredients: vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup, and grenadine, all shaken together and strained into a chilled glass. If you love tropical cocktails but want something other than the usual rum punch, this one's for you.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission when you click on the links and make a purchase. I will never recommend a product that I don't support 100%.
This post shows you how to make a Hawaiian Sunset cocktail, a vintage tiki drink made with vodka instead of rum. It's for anyone who wants a tropical cocktail that's light, citrusy, and easy to shake up at home. You'll find the full recipe, ingredient breakdowns, substitutions, garnish ideas, and answers to the most common questions about this drink. It's ready in about five minutes and works just as well for one drink as it does for a party batch.
You'll love this Hawaiian Sunset Cocktail
It's easy to make. Everything goes into a shaker at once. No muddling, no layering, no special technique.
It's fun and tropical. The orgeat syrup gives it a soft almond flavor, and the grenadine turns it a beautiful sunset pink. It tastes like a vacation without needing a drop of rum.
It's great for a batched drink. Mix the vodka, juices, and syrups together ahead of time, then shake individual servings as your guests arrive.
Ingredients
Vodka. This is the base of the drink. A clean, mid-shelf vodka works best since it lets the citrus and orgeat shine through.
Lemon Juice. Use fresh-squeezed for the brightest flavor. Bottled juice works in a pinch, but fresh makes a real difference here.
Lime Juice. Fresh lime juice adds a second layer of citrus that balances the sweetness of the grenadine and orgeat.
Orgeat Syrup. This is a sweet almond syrup, and the ingredient that makes this cocktail taste like a classic tiki drink. Look for it near the cocktail mixers or order it online.
Grenadine. Just a teaspoon adds sweetness, a little tartness, and that signature pink sunset color.
How to make this Hawaiian Sunset cocktail
This one comes together fast with just a shaker and a few minutes.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add 1.5 oz vodka, 0.5 oz lemon juice, 0.5 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz orgeat syrup, and 1 teaspoon grenadine.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds, until the shaker feels ice-cold.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass and garnish.
How to make a big batch version of this Hawaiian Sunset cocktail
Making this for a crowd? It scales up easily. Here's what you need for 8 to 10 servings:
- 12 to 15 oz (1.5 to 2 cups) vodka
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) lemon juice
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) lime juice
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) orgeat syrup
- Grenadine, for individual glasses (about 1 teaspoon per drink)
- Mix the vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, and orgeat together in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Leave the grenadine out of the pitcher.
- When ready to serve, shake each drink over ice with a teaspoon of grenadine to keep the color bright rather than muddy.
- Strain into chilled glasses and garnish.
Substitutions and variations
Rum. Swap the vodka for light rum for a more traditional tiki flavor. It pulls the drink a little closer to a classic daiquiri-style tiki cocktail.
Lemonade. Short on fresh citrus? Use lemonade in place of the lemon juice and skip adding extra sweetener.
Citrus Vodka. Use a citrus-flavored vodka instead of plain vodka to add even more brightness to every sip.
Garnish ideas
- Lemon slice
- Lime slice
- Maraschino cherry
Keep it simple with a citrus wheel on the rim and a cherry dropped in the glass. It looks pretty and takes about ten seconds.
FAQs
What's in a Hawaiian Sunset?
A Hawaiian Sunset is made with vodka, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, orgeat syrup, and grenadine. It's shaken with ice and strained into a chilled glass, giving it a light, citrusy flavor and a rosy pink color.
What can I use instead of orgeat syrup?
Amaretto is the easiest swap since it has a similar almond flavor, though it's stronger, so use about half as much. You can also make a quick almond syrup by stirring almond extract into simple syrup.
Pin it for later!
Want more tropical cocktails?
Hawaiian Sunset Cocktail
This Hawaiian Sunset cocktail is a vodka-based tiki drink with a gorgeous pink color and a light, citrusy flavor. It's made with just five ingredients: vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, orgeat syrup, and grenadine, all shaken together and strained into a chilled glass. If you love tropical cocktails but want something other than the usual rum punch, this one's for you.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ oz vodka
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz orgeat syrup
- 1 barspoon (or tsp) grenadine
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add 1 ½ oz vodka, ½ oz lemon juice, ½ oz lime juice, ½ oz orgeat syrup, and 1 teaspoon grenadine.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds, until the shaker feels ice-cold.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass and garnish.
Notes
How to make a big batch Hawaiian Sunset Cocktail
Making this for a crowd? It scales up easily. Here's what you need for 8 to 10 servings:
- 12 to 15 oz (1.5 to 2 cups) vodka
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) lemon juice
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) lime juice
- 4 to 5 oz (½ to ⅔ cup) orgeat syrup
- Grenadine, for individual glasses (about 1 teaspoon per drink)
- Mix the vodka, lemon juice, lime juice, and orgeat together in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Leave the grenadine out of the pitcher.
- When ready to serve, shake each drink over ice with a teaspoon of grenadine to keep the color bright rather than muddy.
- Strain into chilled glasses and garnish.
Substitutions and variations
Rum. Swap the vodka for light rum for a more traditional tiki flavor. It pulls the drink a little closer to a classic daiquiri-style tiki cocktail.
Lemonade. Short on fresh citrus? Use lemonade in place of the lemon juice and skip adding extra sweetener.
Citrus Vodka. Use a citrus-flavored vodka instead of plain to add even more brightness to every sip.
Garnish ideas
- Lemon slice
- Lime slice
- Maraschino cherry
Keep it simple with a citrus wheel on the rim and a cherry dropped in the glass. It looks pretty and takes about ten seconds.
FAQs
What's in a Hawaiian Sunset?
A Hawaiian Sunset is made with vodka, fresh lemon juice, fresh lime juice, orgeat syrup, and grenadine. It's shaken with ice and strained into a chilled glass, giving it a light, citrusy flavor and a rosy pink color.
What can I use instead of orgeat syrup?
Amaretto is the easiest swap since it has a similar almond flavor, though it's stronger, so use about half as much. You can also make a quick almond syrup by stirring almond extract into simple syrup.
