Medjool Daiquiri Recipe

Muddle dates

Place the 2 pitted, chopped Medjool dates in the base of a cocktail shaker. Add the 0.25 oz simple syrup (or date syrup) and 0.25 oz of the pineapple juice to help extract the date flavor. Use a muddler to press and crush the dates until they form a paste and release their sugars (about 20–30 seconds).

Add spirits & citrus

Add 2 oz Zacapa rum, 0.5 oz Cynar, and 0.75 oz fresh lime juice to the shaker with the muddled dates. Add the remaining pineapple juice (about 0.75 oz if not added earlier) so the total pineapple juice measures 1 oz.

Shake with ice

Fill the shaker with about 6 oz of ice, cap it, and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is well chilled. Vigorously shaking helps integrate the viscous date paste into the cocktail.

Double strain

Place a fine mesh strainer over a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Pour the cocktail through the shaker strainer and then through the fine mesh strainer to remove date solids and small ice shards, producing a smooth texture.

Garnish & serve

Garnish with a pineapple leaf or a lime wheel on the rim. Optionally express a lime peel over the drink for additional citrus oils. Serve immediately.

If dates are very dry, soak them in warm water for 5–10 minutes, drain, and then chop before muddling. For a stronger date presence, increase muddled dates to 3 and compensate with an extra 0.25 oz simple syrup if needed.

Taste before straining: if the cocktail needs more sweetness, add up to 0.25 oz more simple syrup; if too sweet, add 0.25 oz more lime juice. Cynar adds bitter herbal notes—adjust to preference but keep around 0.5 oz to preserve balance.