The famous Zombie Cocktail is one delicious yet super potent mixed drink! It’s often said that if you consume multiple servings, you’re guaranteed to turn into a zombie…
I have become extremely fascinated (bordering obsessed) with tiki culture since attending a Coconut Club event. I often joke with my husband that if we ever move to state that has homes with basements, I’m converting said basement into my own personal tiki lounge!
The mark of a great tiki bar is dependent on the quality of their zombie cocktail. This classic tiki cocktail that has countless variations. It is traditionally made with three types of rum, tropical juices, and falernum.
Learn how to easily make this fabulous drink at home! Zombie cocktails are a wonderful introduction to tiki cocktails. It’s a sweet, well balanced mixed drink that tastes great but also packs a punch! Cheers!
Ingredients
My version of the zombie cocktail is a little less potent than the traditional cocktail. Instead of three rums, I’m using two: an aged rum and a spiced rum. Along with that you’ll need orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, cinnamon simple syrup, a touch of grenadine, and falernum.
Use fresh squeezed juices for the best flavor. Fresh squeezed orange juice and fresh squeezed lime juice will truly make the cocktail shine. Canned 100% pineapple juice is fine.
Homemade cinnamon simple syrup is easy to make. Bring water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks to a boil. Cook until sugar has dissolved. Steep cinnamon to extract flavor. That’s it!
Use the cinnamon syrup to sweetened cocktails, teas, coffees, and more. Alternatively, you may use store-bought cinnamon simple syrup.
There are two kinds of falernum: one with alcohol and one without. It is a sweet spiced Caribbean syrup used to enhance the citrus flavors of rum-based tiki cocktails. I prefer the one with alcohol, specifically this brand by John D. Taylor. It’s mentioned by name in numerous tiki books.
Tiki Mug Options
I purchased the zombie head mugs used in this post from Disneyland Hotel’s Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. My other favorite places to procure tiki barware include: Golden Tiki Las Vegas, Tiki Farm, Trader Vic’s, and Etsy.
Of course, you may use your preferred cocktail glass of choice. Double highball, Collins glass, or hurricane glass are great options.
Garnishes
Garnishes are very important when it comes to tiki drinks! They enhance both visual appeal and sensory experience of the drink.
Fruits and herbs featured in the cocktail are used as garnishes to hint at the flavors within the drink. Additionally, non-edible decorations such as pineapple fronds, paper umbrellas, and swizzle sticks are popularly used.
More Tiki Drinks
- Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum Cocktail
- Blackberry Pineapple Rum Drink
- Passion Fruit Pineapple Rum
- Citrus Rum Punch
Zombie Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 oz rum (aged or golden)
- 1 ¾ oz spiced rum
- ¾ oz John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum liqueur*
- 1 oz cinnamon syrup, recipe follows
- 1 ½ oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz orange juice
- ¾ oz lime juice
- ¼ oz grenadine syrup*
Cinnamon Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cinnamon sticks
Garnishes:
- maraschino cherries
- orange slices
- fresh mint
Instructions
- Add all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice and stir to combine. Strain liquids into serving glass filled with ice. Garnish with maraschino cherries, orange slice, and fresh mint.
Cinnamon Syrup:
- Bring water, sugar, and cinnamon to a boil. Remove from heat and cover pot. Allow cinnamon to steep for 30-45 minutes (according to preferred taste). Strain out cinnamon. Keep cinnamon syrup in an airtight container in the fridge. Keeps for 2 weeks.
Notes
- I prefer to use John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum liqueur, however you can also find a non alcoholic version by different companies/brands.
- I am very picky with my grenadine. I highly recommend this one by Small Hands Foods.
- Use fresh squeezed fruit juices for the best flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I’m a little bit (OK a lot) of a Tiki snob, and this is not the recipe for the original Zombie that Don the Beachcomber made BUT … i think this one is better! my problem with the original Zombie is that I dont really like anise and it calls for pernod. I’ve tried leaving the pernod out, but it’s still too booze-y for me. rum is my drink, so that’s saying a lot! I found your page because I was looking for a zombie that still used falernum — I put a lot of work into making my own syrups and I don’t want to pour them out when they go bad, so I try to use them up! this recipe uses more falernum than the original, which I like. I love the flavor of homemade falernum. I’m going to try out a few more recipes, but this is the one to beat so far! It’s a teeny bit sweet for me so I keep the dash of bitters that the original calls for, and that really evens out the sweetness. Beachbum Berry also says to process the drink for a few seconds with ice in a blender and that makes a big difference, too!
Ha, I’m a bit of Tiki snob as well. Thank you for trying out the recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it :) Cheers!
This looks like the perfect cocktail for me this weekend!
This is so creative! My husband and I love doing things like this for adult get togethers at Halloween time!
Halloween is perfect time to have fun with recipes and you chose such a fun drink to share for the season: I LOVE that mug!!
Ha, that is groovy – your creativity is awesome!
What a fun idea for a Tiki party…I love that pour shot you took in your post. That is totally cool.
What are the two leaves in the drink (not mint)? Love the photo!
Thanks! Those are pineapple leaves :)
GIRL! You are so cute and creative. I’m obsessed with this!
What a fun drink for Halloween parties!