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Bushwacker Drink
This creamy Bushwacker drink recipe combines rum, Kahlua, and creme de cacao for a frozen cocktail that tastes like a…
This creamy Bushwacker drink recipe combines rum, Kahlua, and creme de cacao for a frozen cocktail that tastes like a chocolate milkshake meets piña colada! Here are my expert tips for the perfect consistency every time.
If you love cocktails with sweet, chocolaty flavor, the Bushwacker is your signature drink! This lusciously creamy drink is like the lovechild of a chocolate milkshake and a classic piña colada, with rich coffee and coconut notes that make it absolutely irresistible.
As a cookbook author and drink expert who’s tested countless cocktail recipes over the years, the Bushwacker is one of the top frozen drinks I like to recommend. It’s perfect for sipping poolside as a summer cocktail, or as a dessert drink any time you’re dreaming of sun.
Bushwacker ingredients
The Bushwacker is a frozen cocktail made with rum, Kahlua, creme de cacao, cream of coconut, and milk, known for its creamy texture, sweet flavor, and boozy kick. Invented in the 1970’s in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands, it has since become popular in Florida and the American South. This frozen boozy milkshake relies on these ingredients blended to perfection with 3 cups of ice:
- Rum (2 oz): I typically use aged rum for its subtle vanilla and caramel undertones, but white or dark rum work well too.
- Kahlua (2 oz): The smooth sweetness of Mexican coffee liqueur Kahlua is perfect for this recipe. You can use leftovers in my classic Mudslide recipe.
- Creme de cacao (2 oz): The popular chocolate liqueur creme de cacao is available in both white and dark varieties. The original Bushwacker had dark creme de cacao, but white is easier to find and what gives the drink its signature flavor.
- Cream of coconut (2 oz): This is crucial—make sure you buy cream of coconut (the sweetened syrup for drinks), not coconut cream. It’s easy to find in squeeze bottles at liquor stores or online.
- Milk: (2 oz): Any milk works here. I use 2%, but you can easily substitute oat milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version.
Tip: If you accidentally buy coconut cream, you can still save your Bushwhacker! Use 1 oz coconut cream and 1 oz simple syrup in place of the 2 oz cream of coconut.
The story behind this tropical classic
The Bushwacker has a charming origin story. It was created in 1975 at the Ship’s Store Pub in St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands a tropical spin on the White Russian by bartender Angie Conigliaro and manager Tom Brokamp. Apparently they named it after a guest’s dog, an Afghan hound named Bushwack!
5 star reader review
“This is so delicious! I wanted something different than a variation of rum punch or with soda So glad to have tried this! Other recipes online used many other ingredients but this is simple and tastes even better.” -Isabella
Tips for making a Bushwacker drink
Once you’ve got your specialty liquors, mixing up the Bushwacker drink is a breeze! Here are a few tips:
- Pour into a glass and garnish with a straw. Garnish with a maraschino cherry for a classic presentation.
- Stir it with a straw if it separates. The drink tends to separate, which is normal: just stir it up with your straw while drinking!
- It’s easily made dairy-free: There’s no dairy in any of the liqueurs in a Bushwacker drink, so it’s easy to convert it into a dairy free or vegan cocktail using any type of non-dairy milk, like oat milk or coconut milk.
Storage and make ahead tips
The Bushwacker drink is definitely best fresh, but here are some tricks I’ve learned for planning ahead:
- Immediate Storage: If you need to step away, store your blended Bushwacker in the freezer for up to 30 minutes. Just give it a good stir before serving.
- Make-Ahead Prep: You can pre-measure all the liquid ingredients and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Add ice and blend when ready to serve.
- Batch Making: For parties, you can make double or triple batches; whatever fits in your blender!
- Leftovers: Any leftover Bushwacker can be frozen in ice cube trays to use in future drinks.
Frequently asked questions
The dominant flavors are chocolate and coconut, with hints of coffee and rum. The creaminess adds a luxurious mouthfeel, and the overall taste is sweet and refreshing. It’s not a strong drink, but there’s enough alcohol that it should be enjoyed responsibly.
While both are creamy and tropical, a Piña Colada features rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut. The Bushwacker adds coffee liqueur, dark crème de cacao, and skips the pineapple juice, resulting in a more chocolatey and coffee-forward flavor.
Dark rum is the traditional choice, offering a deeper flavor compared to lighter rums. You can also aged rum (anejo) with great results. White rum works but has a more straightforward flavor.
Creme de cacao is a chocolate liqueur. It’s possibly one of the first alcoholic beverages, made in the 1600’s by monks after cocoa beans were brought back to Europe from America (source).
Use it to make creme de cacao drinks like the Brandy Alexander, Chocolate Martini, or Grasshopper.
Cream of coconut is a sweetened syrup for drinks, made with coconut cream and sugar. You can use up leftovers in coconut cocktails like the Piña Colada, Chi Chi, Painkiller, or Coconut Martini.
Coconut cream is unsweetened, very thick, and has a strong coconut flavor. It’s typically sold in cans next to the coconut milk.
Read more at Cream of Coconut vs Coconut Cream.
There are many Kahlua drinks! Try it in a Mudslide, Espresso Martini, B-52, Kahlua Coffee, Mind Eraser, Colorado Bulldog, Black Russian or White Russian.
Classic Bushwacker
Pin Recipe
Print RecipeThis creamy Bushwacker drink recipe combines rum, Kahlua, and creme de cacao for a frozen cocktail that tastes like a chocolate milkshake meets piña colada! Here are my expert tips for the perfect consistency every time.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 drinks
- Category: Drink
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 ounces (¼ cup) aged, white or dark rum*
- 2 ounces Kahlua
- 2 ounces creme de cacao (white or dark; we used white)
- 2 ounces cream of coconut
- 2 ounces 2% milk
- 3 cups ice
- For the garnish: Shaved chocolate or grated nutmeg, cocktail cherry (optional)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Garnish with shaved chocolate or grated nutmeg, if desired. Add straws and serve. (You can stir with the straw when the drink starts to separate.)
Notes
*We like using aged rum in this drink, since it brings oak and vanilla undertones. But either white or dark rum work as well.
More sweet & frozen drinks
The Bushwacker is one in a family of sweet cocktails and frozen alcoholic drinks. Here are a few related drinks you might enjoy:
- The Pina Colada, Painkiller and Chi Chi are variations using pineapple juice and cream of coconut.
- The best Strawberry Daiquiri is homemade, made from frozen strawberries!
- This Frozen Margarita is the icy version of everyone’s favorite, the margarita.
- Try a Frozen Mojito for a minty frozen version of the Mojito.
