Ingredients
- 2 oz Milk
- 1.5 oz Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz Coconut Cream
- .5 oz Creme De Cacao
- .5 Banana(s)
Instructions
Blend Ingredients:
- Pour all the ingredients—2 oz milk, 1.5 oz coffee liqueur, 1 oz coconut cream, .5 oz crème de cacao, and .5 banana—into a blender.
Puree the Mixture:
- Cover the blender and puree the mixture until smooth.
Pour into Glass:
- Pour the drink into a chilled hurricane glass.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy the creamy, tropical flavors.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
This isn’t a drink with a century of history behind it. The Banana Monkey Cocktail feels like a modern creation, likely born in a resort bar or a casual spot looking to offer a fun, blended dessert option. It's the kind of drink that catches your eye on a menu after a long day in the sun, a sweet escape rather than a classic.
It sits comfortably in the family of blended, creamy tropical drinks, much like a Piña Colada or a Miami Vice. What sets the Banana Monkey Cocktail apart is the distinct combination of fresh banana with coffee liqueur and creme de cacao, moving it beyond just fruit and rum into a richer, more dessert-oriented profile.
You'd find this drink at a poolside bar, a casual beachside restaurant, or on the menu of a spot known for its indulgent after-dinner drinks. It’s also a solid choice for a home bartender who wants to impress with something fun and relatively straightforward to make for friends.
What it tastes like
From the first sip, the Banana Monkey Cocktail hits with the natural sweetness of ripe banana and the creamy richness of coconut. This quickly blends into the robust, slightly bitter notes of coffee liqueur, balanced by the subtle chocolate undertones of creme de cacao. The texture is smooth and velvety, finishing sweet with a lingering hint of tropical coffee.
With roughly 0.4 ounces of pure alcohol in a 5 ounce drink, the Banana Monkey Cocktail clocks in around 8 percent ABV. This puts it at about the strength of a strong craft beer, and significantly less potent than most standard spirit-forward cocktails. It's a mellow sipper, designed for enjoyment rather than a quick buzz.
The technique
Building a Banana Monkey Cocktail is straightforward. Get all your liquid ingredients and that half a banana into a blender. Give it a good, hard blitz until everything is completely smooth and no chunks remain. Then, pour that creamy goodness into a chilled hurricane glass and get it to your guest immediately. Time is not your friend once it’s blended.
The single most important technique here is making sure you blend it thoroughly. If you skimp on blending time, you’ll end up with a watery drink full of banana lumps, and nobody wants that. A proper blend emulsifies all the ingredients, giving you that uniform, creamy texture this drink is known for.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Open the Builder →Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Coffee Liqueur
- Use
- Kahlua is the classic choice, but Mr. Black or Tia Maria also work well, offering slightly different coffee profiles. Aim for a standard 20-23% ABV product.
- Skip
- Coffee syrup. While it provides coffee flavor, it lacks the depth, richness, and alcoholic kick that the liqueur brings, making the drink fall flat.
- Why
- Coffee liqueur provides the foundational coffee flavor and a significant portion of the drink’s alcoholic content, balancing the sweetness from the fruit and cream.
Banana
- Use
- A ripe, fresh banana is ideal for sweetness and texture. For an extra cold and thick drink, use half a frozen banana.
- Skip
- Relying solely on banana liqueur. While it adds banana flavor, it misses the natural sweetness, body, and creamy texture that fresh fruit contributes when blended.
- Why
- The banana is load-bearing for the drink’s namesake flavor, natural sweetness, and contributes significantly to the smooth, thick texture once blended.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
Spiked Monkey
- Add a shot of rum or tequila for more kick.
- For a bit more oomph, add 1.5 oz of dark rum or an añejo tequila to the blender. It gives the drink more backbone without overpowering the tropical and coffee notes.
Chocolate Monkey
- Boost the chocolate for a richer dessert.
- Increase the creme de cacao to 1 oz or add a drizzle of chocolate syrup to the blender. This pushes the drink further into a decadent, milkshake territory.
Dairy Free Monkey
- Swap dairy for plant-based alternatives.
- Substitute the milk with an equal amount of oat milk, almond milk, or coconut milk. Ensure your coconut cream is also dairy-free to keep it entirely plant-based.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Oat milk or almond milk are solid stand-ins, though they might slightly alter the richness and texture of the final drink.
A strong shot of cold brew coffee mixed with 0.5 oz simple syrup and a 1 oz shot of vodka or rum can mimic the effect, though it won’t be identical.
The thick, creamy part from the top of a can of full-fat coconut milk can work, but you might need to adjust for sweetness as it’s less sugary.
A small splash of chocolate syrup or a different chocolate liqueur can provide a similar chocolate undertone.
A large goblet, a pint glass, or even a sturdy rocks glass will work. Just make sure it’s chilled and large enough to hold the blended drink.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Banana Monkey Cocktail?
A Banana Monkey Cocktail contains milk, coffee liqueur, coconut cream, creme de cacao, and fresh banana, all blended together until smooth.
Is the Banana Monkey Cocktail strong?
No, at about 8% ABV, it’s relatively mellow, comparable to a strong craft beer rather than a potent, spirit-forward cocktail.
Can I make this dairy free?
Yes, you can substitute the milk with plant-based alternatives like oat milk or almond milk, and ensure your coconut cream is dairy-free.
Can I use frozen banana?
Absolutely. Using a frozen banana will make the drink colder and give it an even thicker, more milkshake-like consistency.
What kind of coffee liqueur should I use?
Kahlua is a classic choice, but other brands like Mr. Black or Tia Maria will also work well, each offering a slightly different coffee flavor profile.
Why is it called Banana Monkey?
The name likely comes from the prominent banana flavor combined with a playful, tropical vibe. It’s a fun, easygoing name for a fun, easygoing drink.
What glass should I use?
A chilled hurricane glass is traditional for this type of blended, tropical drink, but any large, chilled glass will do the job.
Can I make this ahead of time?
It’s best to serve the Banana Monkey Cocktail immediately after blending. Blended drinks tend to separate and lose their optimal texture if left to sit.
More Like This
More drinks in the same family when the night calls for them.
