Bay Breeze is a beautiful tropical cocktail that has only 3 ingredients! There are three different liquor options to choose from here. Once you pick your poison, you mix it with both cranberry and pineapple juice. Then, you just sit back, relax, and enjoy the breeze!
For most summer favorite cocktails, try my Bahama Mama and Sex On The Beach.
Table of Contents
This tropical cocktail is probably the easiest one you can make in just a few minutes! The only way to make it easier would be to have someone else make it and bring it to you. And while I do love ordering a bay breeze at a pool bar, it’s nice to easily make it at home and not have to tip anyone for their service!
Bay Breeze has a few other names like “Malibu Bay Breeze,” “Tropical Bay Breeze,” “Hawaiian Sea Breeze,” and a few others I’ve seen in the local bars. All of these cocktails feature either vodka or rum mixed with cranberry juice and pineapple juice. A Malibu Bay Breeze, of course, uses Malibu rum and a Tropical Bay Breeze usually features coconut rum.
Many recipes and bartenders might argue that only one specific liquor can go into a Bay Breeze… But I disagree. There are three different options for this drink, and you decide based on what you like! A cocktail can match your mood and change the atmosphere. One day you may want to relax after a long day at work, while other days you want to feel like you are on a Caribbean island. Once simple switch between vodka and coconut rum can do just that.
Ingredient Notes
Liquor – You can use coconut rum, light rum, or even vodka in this incredibly versatile recipe.
Cranberry Juice – Have any leftover? Use it to make a Cosmopolitan! You can also opt for diet cranberry juice if you’d like.
Pineapple Juice – You can use canned or bottled 100% pineapple juice. Both options will work fabulously here. Use leftovers in Painkiller or Pineapple Martini.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make A Bay Breeze
You’ll feel like quite the mixologist once you’ve mastered this beginner-friendly cocktail recipe! Just think “two, two, two.” I found that equal parts of each juice and liquor is the best balance of flavors and you don’t feel like it’s just another glass of juice.
Add ice and cranberry juice to a glass (1). Pour in pineapple juice to the glass as well (2).
Add your choice of liquor to the glass (3). Give it a good stir with a bar spoon (4), garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
The most common types of liquor in a Bay Breeze cocktail is either vodka, light rum, or coconut rum.
Vodka is going to give you the least amount of additional taste and will result in the milder tasting cocktail.
Light rum will give you that rum flavor but it won’t be as tropical as coconut rum.
Coconut rum will give you the most tropical experience. This is our favorite option when we want to be mentally transported to a beautiful beach.
Bay Breeze cocktail combines pineapple juice and cranberry juice, while a Sea Breeze is a combination of cranberry juice and grapefruit juice. Sea Breeze is also made with vodka, while the other one can have a choice of vodka or rum.
Depending on which liquor you use will affect the sweetness. For example, using coconut rum will make your cocktail more sweet but using silver rum of vodka will make it less sweet.
You can also make the vodka and silver rum option more sweet by adding 1/4 to 1/2 oz. of simple syrup.
More Summer Cocktail Recipes to Try:
If you’ve made my Bay Breeze recipe and found a lot of good information here, PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below as well. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter!
Bay Breeze Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz coconut rum, or vodka, or light rum
- 2 oz cranberry juice
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with crushed ice.
- Pour in 2 oz. of cranberry juice, 2 oz. of pineapple juice, and 2 oz. of vodka or rum.
- Use a bar spoon to stir the cocktail and garnish it with a lime wedge. Sit back and enjoy!
Notes
You can also make the vodka and silver rum option more sweet by adding 1/4 to 1/2 oz. of simple syrup. Is this cocktail Gluten Free? To make sure your Bay Breeze is gluten free, use a gluten free vodka like Tito’s, Gray Goose, Ocean, Ciroc, and more. Most rums are already gluten free but make sure to double check the brand before consuming.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in May 2020.
Cheryl says
This drink is sooo good!
LyubaB says
Thanks, Cheryl! Glad you liked it!
Donna Chouinard says
Where do I find this vodka? I like to follow recipes exactly!!! It looks so delicious! Can’t wait to try it!
LyubaB says
Hi Donna,
You can just use your favorite vodka… 😉