This festive red, white, and blue cocktail layers a frozen strawberry daiquiri, creamy piña colada, and naturally blue butterfly pea flower tea into one show-stopping summer drink. It’s perfect for the Fourth of July, Memorial Day, or any backyard barbecue.
Now that my kids are older, our fourth of July traditions have evolved. Luckily they still live here in San Diego, and we get together when we can. We hang out by their aunt’s pool with their cousins, grill burgers and of course, see the fireworks later that evening.
We either keep it simple with plain burgers or go all and serve up lamb burgers or queso stuffed burgers. Maybe this year I’ll set up a hot dog board with a slew of hot dog toppings?
As for drinks, by July 4th, it gets hot here in San Diego so frozen drinks are a welcome treat. Gin lovers could enjoy a Strawberry Salty Dog, tequila lovers enjoy margaritas. And for rum lovers? You’ve got this layered frozen cocktail combining a few favorites together!
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Laura says :
Why this recipe works
- Festive and Fun: This eye-catching layered cocktail is the perfect drink for Fourth of July barbecues, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or any summer celebration.
- Easy to Customize: Make it with all strawberries or add raspberries for an extra berry flavor. You can even adjust the sweetness to your liking.
- No Butterfly Pea Tea? No Problem: Swap the blue layer for a frozen blueberry daiquiri to keep the patriotic colors without hunting down a specialty ingredient.
- Perfect for Entertaining: Make a single cocktail for yourself or blend a larger batch for your next backyard barbecue or pool party.
- Naturally Colorful: The beautiful blue layer comes from butterfly pea flower tea—not artificial food coloring—creating a stunning red, white, and blue drink naturally.
Ingredients needed
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- White rum: Both the red and white layers are made with white rum, which is basically plain clear rum like Bacardi.
- Lime juice: You can use fresh lime juice or bottled.
- Simple syrup: You will need to make the simple syrup ahead of time, if you don’t have any already. It is easy to make. Heat equal parts water and granulated sugar and cook for 5 minutes. Keep it chilled until ready to use.
- Frozen strawberries: For the red layer, I used strawberries. You can also use raspberries or cherries.
- Malibu rum: For extra coconut flavor in the piña colada layer, I add a bit of coconut rum.
- Cream of coconut: This is a staple ingredient when making piña coladas. I always use this brand.
- Pineapple juice: This is another staple ingredient when making piña coladas.
- Butterfly pea flower tea: You will need to brew this tea ahead of time. For brighter color, make sure you use extra flowers to brew a strong tea. Keep it chilled until ready to use.
- Ice: This is a layered frozen cocktail, so you will need to ice and a blender.
Step by step directions
- Make the red layer. Blend strawberry daiquiri ingredients until thick, but smooth. Store in freezer.
- Make the white layer. Blend piña colada ingredients until thick, but smooth.
- Assemble. Pour strawberry daiquiri in a tall glass until ⅓ full. Spoon the piña colada mixture gently over strawberry layer.
- Add the blue layer. Slowly pour the chilled butterfly pea flower tea over the piña colada layer to create a blue layer.
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Expert tips and recipe FAQs
If you can’t find butterfly pea flower tea, your blue layer can be a blueberry daiquiri. Just follow my directions for the strawberry layer and use blueberries instead.
The tea is naturally blue, so no need for artificial dyes here. It does turn purple when introduced with an acid, so it can become a deep indigo hue where it touches the piña colada.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: While entertaining and waiting, you can store pitchers of the daiquiri and piña colada in the freezer. But because it is a frozen drink, it best served fresh.
This tea doesn’t have a very strong flavor. It is aromatic and has floral tones, but the tea itself is similar to a green tea in taste. In this frozen cocktail, it just naturally adds a blue layer.
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The Stars and Stripes Cocktail
Ingredients
Strawberry Daiquiri Ingredients:
- ¼ cup white rum
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- 4 oz frozen strawberries
- 1 cup ice cubes
Pina Colada Ingredients:
- 1 ½ oz white rum
- ½ oz coconut rum
- 2 oz coconut cream
- 4 oz pineapple juice
- 1 ½ cups ice
Blue Layer Ingredients:
- 1 oz butterfly pea flower tea strongly brewed and chilled
Instructions
- Blend the strawberry daiquiri ingredients until smooth. Store in freezer.
- Blend the piña colada ingredients until smooth.
- Pour strawberry daiquiri into a tall glass until ⅓ full.
- Spoon the piña colada mixture gently over strawberry layer.
- Slowly pour the chilled butterfly pea flower tea over the piña colada layer to create a blue layer.
- Garnish as you like and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
