The Frozen Daiquiri recipe
as in Havana
Place the coupe in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes.
Add the rum, lime juice, and sugar syrup to the blender.
Weigh out 150 grams of crushed ice and add it.
Blend for 15 to 20 seconds on the highest setting, until you can no longer hear any chunks of ice clattering.
Scoop the Frozen Daiquiri directly into the chilled coupe, place a lime slice on top, and serve with a short straw.
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The story
It is not certain who made the Frozen Daiquiri first, but its fame lies in Havana. The Catalan immigrant Constantino Ribalaigua Vert began working as a bartender at bar La Florida, later El Floridita, in 1914, and became its owner in 1918. In the early 1930s, he made a name for himself with daiquiris full of finely crushed ice, which is why he is often called the inventor of the frozen version. Some sources point to bartender Emilio González of Havana's Plaza Hotel as the first. According to cocktail writer David Embury, El Floridita was known as the cathedral of the Daiquiri in 1948. Ernest Hemingway reportedly drank double servings there without sugar, giving rise to the Hemingway Special. It was only later, with the slush machines that followed the first machine for the Frozen Margarita, that frozen drinks became sweet iced beverages dispensed from a tap in many places.
The right glass
In Havana, the frozen version is served in a stemmed glass, and at home a coupe of 22 to 26 cl works best. With 150 grams of ice, you get about 23 cl of frozen daiquiri, enough to fill the glass slightly above the rim. The stem is more important here than with almost any other cocktail: your hand does not touch the bowl, so the ice melts less quickly. Place the glass in the freezer for fifteen minutes; otherwise the drink melts against the sides immediately. If you want a larger serving, use a margarita glass. View our daiquiri glasses.
RCR Timeless Champagne Glass / Coupe 26 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco America'20S Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 79,90.
The right tools
For a Frozen Daiquiri, besides the glass, use a jigger to measure precisely, a citrus juicer and glass straws. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
With crushed ice, you drink through a straw.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 99,80.
What do you make a Frozen Daiquiri with?
For a Frozen Daiquiri, you need rum. Well-known bottles include Havana Club, Bacardi and Planas. On every drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
In Havana, the frozen version with 0.75 cl of maraschino liqueur is known as Daiquiri Number 4 or Floridita Daiquiri; the liqueur adds a light, nutty sweetness. Replace some of the ice with frozen fruit and you have a Strawberry Daiquiri, Mango Daiquiri or Banana Daiquiri. With grapefruit juice and maraschino and no syrup, you arrive at the Hemingway style. For a tequila version with a salt rim, see the Frozen Margarita.
Serving tip
Put the bottle of rum in the freezer for a few hours before blending. The colder the liquid, the less ice melts while blending and the longer the frozen daiquiri keeps its fine texture. Always serve immediately: after five minutes, the ice begins to separate from the drink.
Good to know
The ice-to-drink ratio
The recipe revolves around one ratio: about 150 grams of crushed ice to 8.5 cl of liquid, roughly two parts ice to one part drink. Weigh the ice the first time, because it’s easy to misjudge by eye. Too little ice produces a thin slush that separates in the glass immediately. Too much ice makes the drink bland and so cold that you can barely taste the rum or lime. That’s why the frozen version doesn’t need less syrup than the shaken version: cold dulls sweetness, and 1.5 cl is the minimum to keep it balanced.
Which ice and which blender
Use crushed ice or ice cubes that you have first broken up in a tea towel with a rolling pin. Whole cubes need to be broken up first, and during that time the drink warms up from the friction of the blades. A blender of around 800 watts or more can finely crush 150 grams of ice in fifteen seconds; with a weaker blender, it is better to work in short pulses. An immersion blender or smoothie cup cannot achieve that texture: you will be left with chunks. Never make more than two servings at a time, because a full blender jug turns unevenly and takes too long.
Why your frozen daiquiri becomes watery
There are three causes. The first is blending for too long: after twenty seconds, friction from the blades starts melting the ice, and once the mixture has melted, it will not thicken again. The second is liquid at room temperature. Rum and lime juice that are not cold melt some of the ice before the blender gets properly going. So chill the rum and juice the lime fifteen minutes beforehand, so the juice can chill in the refrigerator. The third is a glass that has not been chilled: the drink melts against the sides and separates. As soon as the blender sounds even, it is ready.
Frozen daiquiri with frozen fruit
Frozen fruit is the easiest way to flavor a frozen daiquiri because the fruit also replaces some of the ice. Use 100 grams of frozen strawberries, mango, or banana instead of half the ice, and keep the rest of the recipe the same. The fruit chills the drink as well, so it becomes less diluted and the flavor stays fuller. Do taste it before serving: strawberries are more acidic than mango, and a ripe banana makes the drink sweeter. You can find the detailed recipes for the Strawberry Daiquiri and the Mango Daiquiri.
Frozen daiquiri without a blender
Without a blender, you can make a granita version. For each person, mix 4.5 cl rum, 2.5 cl lime juice, 1.5 cl simple syrup, and 6 cl cold water in a shallow container and place it in the freezer. After an hour, scrape the mixture loose with a fork and repeat every half hour, three or four times. The water is necessary because otherwise the alcohol keeps the mixture too liquid to freeze. You will get coarser ice crystals than with a blender, but the same refreshing flavor. One advantage: you can make it hours in advance for a whole table.
Frozen daiquiri for a group
For six people, mix 27 cl white rum, 15 cl lime juice, and 9 cl sugar syrup in a bottle and refrigerate for at least two hours. Blend 17 cl of the mixture with 300 grams of crushed ice for every two glasses. Two servings is the maximum for a regular blender; blending more at once means running it longer and produces a watery drink. Put all the coupes in the freezer beforehand and keep a cooler with crushed ice next to the blender. This way, you can make six glasses in five minutes, all with the same fine texture.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Daiquiri and a Frozen Daiquiri?
The ingredients are the same: 4.5 cl white rum, 2.5 cl lime juice, and 1.5 cl sugar syrup. You shake a regular Daiquiri with ice and serve it straight up. You blend a Frozen Daiquiri with 150 grams of crushed ice, making it ice-cold and spoonable, so it takes longer to drink.
How much ice goes into a Frozen Daiquiri?
About 150 grams of crushed ice per glass, roughly two parts ice to one part drink. Less ice produces a thin slush that separates quickly, while more ice makes the drink bland. Weigh it the first time and do not blend for more than twenty seconds.
Can you make a Frozen Daiquiri alcohol-free?
Yes. Replace the rum with 4 cl cold water and 1 cl extra lime juice, or use a non-alcoholic rum substitute. Without alcohol, the mix freezes harder, so use slightly less ice, around 120 grams, and blend for less time. Add frozen fruit for a refreshing slush that children will enjoy too.
Which glass do you use for a Frozen Daiquiri?
A coupe glass holding 22 to 26 cl, pre-chilled in the freezer for at least fifteen minutes. A stemmed glass is customary in Havana, and for good reason: your hand stays away from the ice, and a cold glass prevents the drink from melting against the sides. For a large serving, use a margarita glass.
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