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Looking for a refreshing summer cocktail with a nostalgic twist? The Rocket Pop Rum Runner combines those classic red, white, and blue popsicle flavors with a grown-up kick, making it just right for warm weather gatherings.

This easy-to-make cocktail only needs a few simple ingredients: white rum, blue curaçao, grenadine, and lemon-lime soda. You get a layered drink that looks as good as it tastes—honestly, it’s a showstopper at summer holidays and pool parties.

The Rocket Pop Rum Runner brings a sweet, fruity flavor with a nice tangy edge. Tropical rum, cherry, and citrus all come together for a balanced drink that works for both cocktail fans and casual sippers—pretty versatile, really.

Rocket Pop Rum Runner Cocktail Recipe

This colorful cocktail mixes rum with fruit flavors to make a drink that looks just like a classic rocket popsicle. Those red, white, and blue layers? They’re pretty much made for summer holidays and parties.
John
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Serving Size 1

Equipment

  • Tall hurricane or collins glass
  • Jigger (for measuring)
  • Bar spoon for layering
  • Blender (optional)
  • Ice cube tray
  • Straws

Ingredients

Base Spirits:

  • 1 oz white rum
  • 1 oz coconut rum
  • 1 oz blue curaçao

Mixers:

  • 1 oz grenadine
  • 2 oz pineapple juice
  • 2 oz lemon-lime soda
  • Crushed ice

Garnish (optional):

  • Cherry
  • Pineapple wedge
  • Small paper umbrella

Instructions

  • Fill your glass about a third of the way with crushed ice.
  • Pour the grenadine over the ice—that’s the bottom red layer.
  • In a separate cup, mix the white and coconut rums with pineapple juice.
  • Hold a spoon (curved side up) over the red layer and slowly pour the rum mixture over the back of the spoon. That’s your white middle layer.
  • Add a little more crushed ice on top.
  • Mix the blue curaçao with lemon-lime soda.
  • Using the back of a spoon again, slowly pour the blue mixture to make the top layer.
  • Garnish if you want, and serve right away.

Notes

This cocktail clocks in at about 3 oz of alcohol, so it’s a standard-strength drink. If you want a non-alcoholic version, try blue sports drink instead of curaçao, cream soda for the rum mix, and keep the grenadine.
The layers will start to mix as you drink, which actually creates some cool color blends. Serve with a straw, and tell people to stir if they’d rather have all the flavors together.
If you’re making these for a bigger crowd, you can prep the three mixtures in advance. Just layer each drink to order because the visual effect fades pretty fast.
Leftover mixtures? Pop them in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

Must Have Ingredients

Tasting Notes

The Rocket Pop Rum Runner packs a bold punch of fruit flavors with tropical rum in the background. That first sip is all sweet berry from the grenadine, then you get a little tart kick from the blue curaçao.

Once you mix it up, it really does taste a lot like the popsicle it’s named after. The layers give you different flavors as you go, which is kind of fun.

Flavor Profile:

  • Top layer (red): Sweet cherry, maybe a little pomegranate vibe
  • Middle layer (white): Coconut rum, some light citrus
  • Bottom layer (blue): Tangy blue curaçao, subtle orange

It starts off sweet, then you get a slightly tart finish. The rum is there, but it doesn’t take over—it just ties the whole thing together.

Sweetness is pretty balanced. Grenadine brings the sugar, but the citrus keeps it from getting cloying.

The booze is noticeable but not overwhelming. At around 15% ABV, it’s stronger than wine but not as punchy as straight spirits.

Texture & Mouthfeel:

  • Smooth and cooling
  • Light fizz if you use lemon-lime soda
  • Refreshing every sip

The layered look makes for a fun drinking experience as everything slowly blends together. Serve it super cold for the best refreshment—trust me, it’s worth it.

Substitute

Don’t have all the ingredients for a Rocket Pop Rum Runner? No worries—you can still whip up this colorful cocktail with a few easy swaps.

For the rum, just about any white rum will do the trick. Bacardi, Captain Morgan, or even a coconut rum can stand in for the classic version.

If you’re out of blue curaçao, try grabbing any blue liqueur you’ve got on hand. Or, honestly, regular curaçao with a drop of blue food coloring works in a pinch.

Common Substitutions:

  • Grenadine: Cherry syrup or pomegranate juice
  • Blue Curaçao: Blue raspberry syrup with vodka
  • White Rum: Vodka or tequila
  • Lemon-Lime Soda: Club soda with a splash of lemon juice

If you want to make it non-alcoholic, swap the rum for lemon-lime soda. Fruit syrups can step in for the liqueurs, and honestly, the kids or non-drinkers won’t feel left out with those bright layers.

Trying to cut back on sugar? Go for diet soda and sugar-free syrups. You’ll still get that eye-catching look, just with fewer calories.

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Hey there, I’m John Watson—a guy who’s spent over 20 years proving that a good drink can fix just about anything (well, almost anything). Whether it’s cocktails that wow or mocktails that mock boredom, I’m all about crafting sips with stories. Founder of ThirstyTales and full-time drink nerd, I’m here to help you shake things up, one glass at a time. Let’s mix, laugh, and maybe spill a little—cheers to the adventure!

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