Bushwacker recipe is a summer staple and is often compared to a frozen pina colada with a chocolate element added to it. This cocktail was a favourite at the sapphire pub and its popularity quickly spread to the rest of the virgin islands and gradually to the rest of the states. The drink became so popular that in 2020 the Bushwacker spirits company started mass producing it.
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What is a Bushwacker?
The Bushwacker is a frozen, creamy, delicious cocktail that was invented in 1975 at the sapphire pub in the St Thomas Virgin islands by the bartender Angie Conigliaro and the restaurant manager Tom Brokamp and it was named after Bushwack the Afghan hound that belonged to a guest at the pub. Their original recipe used vodka, Kahlua, dark chocolate liqueur, and cream of coconut with a little bit of triple sec and milk and then garnished with nutmeg.
What are the ingredients needed for Bushwacker Recipe?
- Aged rum: Aged rum is matured rum that gains a lovely deep and oaky flavor from the casks that they are aged in.
- Kahlua: Kahlua is a type of coffee liqueur that is made using sugar, rum, and coffee
- Creme de cacao: Creme de cacao or chocolate liqueur is available in white and dark varieties, though the original Bushwacker recipe uses dark creme de cacao, you can also make a Bushwacker using the white variety.
- Cream of coconut: Cream of coconut is different from coconut cream in that cream of coconut is a sweetened liquid that is mixed with drinks and is made with coconut cream and sugar.
- Milk: Any kind of milk can be used
- Ice: Any type of ice can be used
The Original Bushwacker Recipe
Ingredients to make Bushwacker Recipe
- Aged rum 2 oz
- Kahlua 2 oz
- Creme de cacao 2 oz
- Cream of coconut 2 oz
- Milk 2 oz
- Ice 3 cups
For the garnish
- Grated nutmeg
- Chocolate shavings
- Cocktail cherry
Equipment needed for Bushwacker Recipe
- Blender
How to Make Bushwacker Recipe?
- Pour the rum, Kahlua, and cream of coconut into a blender.
- Now add in the creme de cacao, milk, and ice.
- Blend all the ingredients until it is smooth.
- Pour into a glass and garnish with the grated nutmeg, shaved chocolate, and cherry and serve.
Important Points to Remember for Bushwacker Recipe
- If you accidentally buy coconut cream instead of cream of coconut, you can still go ahead and make this delicious drink by mixing 1 oz of coconut cream with 1 oz of simple syrup.
- Use Tia Maria if you do not have Kahlua, both are coffee liqueurs and will give the same results.
- While aged rum is an important ingredient for this cocktail, you can also use white or dark rum if aged rum is not available.
- Due to the addition of milk in this frozen cocktail, you may notice that the drink tends to separate, this is normal. Just stir it with a straw while drinking.
The popularity of this frozen adult milkshake resulted in several variations to the original such as:
Peanut Butter Bushwacker
This variation makes an already creamy and tasty cocktail even tastier with the addition of peanut butter and a few other ingredients.
Ingredients to make Peanut Butter Bushwacker
- Dark rum 1 oz
- Vodka 1 oz
- Kahlua 1 oz
- Amaretto 1 oz
- Dark creme de cacao 1 oz
- Baileys 2 oz
- Cream of coconut 4 oz
- Pineapple juice 2 oz
- Peanut butter 2 tbsp
- Ice 20 cubes
For the garnish
- Chocolate sauce
Equipment needed for Peanut Butter Bushwacker
- Blender
How to make Peanut Butter Bushwacker Recipe?
- In a blender, pour in the rum, vodka, Kahlua, amaretto, and Baileys.
- Now add in the creme de cacao, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, peanut butter, and ice.
- Blend for at least 30 secs on high.
- Pour into a glass and drizzle a little chocolate sauce if needed and serve.
Cinnamon and Vanilla Bushwacker
This delicious variation uses vanilla bean ice cream resulting in a creamy, frozen, tasty drink while also having the addition of spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It is also really simple to make and does not use too many ingredients.
Ingredients to make Cinnamon and Vanilla Bushwacker
- Rum 2 oz
- Vodka 2 oz
- Cinnamon ½ tsp
- Grated nutmeg ¼ tsp
- Vanilla bean ice cream 6 scoops
- Ice 2 cups
For the garnish
- Sprinkle of nutmeg
- Cinnamon stick
Equipment needed for Cinnamon and Vanilla Bushwacker
- Blender
How to make Cinnamon and Vanilla Bushwacker Recipe
- Pour the rum and vodka into the blender.
- Now add in the ice cream, ice and cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Blend on high.
- Pour into a glass and garnish with the cinnamon stick and nutmeg if needed and serve.
Summary
There you have it, our take on the classic Bushwacker recipe. We hope you enjoyed making and sipping on this tropical cocktail. If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Cheers to a great drink and a good time!