Ingredients
- .5 oz Almond Liqueur
- .5 oz Rum
- .5 oz Peach Schnapps
- 2 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1 oz Cream
- 2 oz Orange Juice
- 1 oz Sours
Instructions
Combine Ingredients:
- Put .5 oz almond liqueur, .5 oz rum, .5 oz peach schnapps, 2 oz cranberry juice, 1 oz cream, 2 oz orange juice, and 1 oz sours into a blender.
Add Ice:
- Add ice to the blender and blend until smooth, adding more ice as needed to achieve a smooth consistency.
Pour and Serve:
- Pour the mixture into a tall glass.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
When did cocktails decide they needed to be blended, creamy, and taste like a fruit stand exploded? The Amaretto Cruise feels like a product of the 80s or 90s, a time when drink names got playful and the ingredient list grew long. No clean attribution exists, but you can bet it started life somewhere sunny.
This drink belongs to the "tropical blended" family, right alongside a Miami Vice or a Piña Colada, though it swaps coconut for cream and brings in the distinctive almond liqueur. It's a party drink, not a quiet sipper, designed for maximum flavor impact.
You'd find this one at a resort bar, a cruise ship lounge, or a backyard BBQ where someone brought out the serious blender. It's built for warm weather, good company, and forgetting about your troubles for an hour or two.
What it tastes like
First sip hits with a wave of sweet fruit from the cranberry and orange, quickly followed by the distinct nutty warmth of almond liqueur. The peach schnapps adds another layer of fruit, while the cream smooths everything out into a rich, decadent texture that makes it dangerously easy to drink.
With about 0.44 ounces of pure alcohol in a 7.5 ounce drink, the Amaretto Cruise clocks in around 6% ABV. That's lighter than your average IPA, putting it firmly in the "sessionable" category. You can cruise through a couple of these without hitting the wall too hard.
The technique
Building this one means getting friendly with your blender. Dump the almond liqueur, rum, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, cream, orange juice, and sours into the blender first. Then pile in the ice.
The trick here is getting that silky-smooth consistency. Start blending, and if it's too thick, add a little more ice until it flows like a dream. You want it thick enough to hold its own but not so thick it's a struggle to drink through a straw. Pour it into a tall glass and serve it fast.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Almond Liqueur
- Use
- Disaronno, Lazzaroni, or any quality amaretto.
- Skip
- Almond extract. It's not the same, and it'll taste like baking gone wrong.
- Why
- This liqueur gives the drink its name and its signature nutty, sweet backbone. Without it, you've just got a creamy fruit punch.
Rum
- Use
- A light, unaged rum works best here. Bacardi Superior, Cruzan Aged Light.
- Skip
- Dark rum, spiced rum. Their strong flavors will fight with the fruit and almond.
- Why
- The rum provides the essential alcoholic kick without dominating the many other flavors. It's the silent workhorse.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink.
Tropical Cruise
- Swap the cranberry for pineapple.
- Replace the cranberry juice with 2 oz pineapple juice for a more overtly tropical vibe.
Creamy Dream
- Boost the creaminess.
- Add an extra .5 oz of cream for a richer, more dessert-like texture.
Peach Paradise
- Double down on the peach.
- Increase the peach schnapps to 1 oz and reduce the almond liqueur to .25 oz to highlight the stone fruit.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Try a hazelnut liqueur like Frangelico for a different nutty note.
A dash of peach syrup and a little extra rum can stand in.
Coconut cream or even a splash of milk will work in a pinch, though the texture will change.
You're out of luck for a proper Amaretto Cruise. This drink demands a blender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Amaretto Cruise?
It contains almond liqueur, rum, peach schnapps, cranberry juice, cream, orange juice, and sours.
Is the Amaretto Cruise a strong drink?
No, it's quite light, around 6% ABV, similar to a session beer.
Can I make an Amaretto Cruise without a blender?
Not really. The blended, smooth consistency is key to this drink.
What kind of rum should I use?
A light, unaged rum works best to let the fruit and almond shine.
Can I use different juices?
Sure, pineapple or passion fruit juice could sub for the cranberry or orange for a different tropical twist.
Is this a dessert drink?
It's certainly sweet and creamy enough to qualify, making it a good after-dinner treat.
What's the best way to serve an Amaretto Cruise?
In a tall glass, ideally with a straw, right after blending.
What does "sours" refer to in this recipe?
It typically means a pre-made sour mix, a blend of lemon/lime juice and simple syrup.
More Like This
More drinks in the same family.
