The Grinch cocktail is an easy holiday cocktail to serve up at your next Christmas party. With fruity flavors like melon, lemon-lime, and cherry, this cocktail is flavorful and eye-catching!
Why you'll love this recipe
Flavor: The Grinch cocktail is flavored with Midori, a green melon liqueur, plus rum and lemon-lime soda. It has a fruity flavor that's light and sweet.
It's easy to make. It's made with just three simple ingredients plus a red maraschino cherry on top.
It's festive. There's nothing more festive than a red and green cocktail for Christmas.
Serve for: Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve. This cocktail is popular with readers all winter long.
Similar to: Grinch Mimosa and Grinch Punch (non-alcoholic)
Serve with: Grinch Dip or Grinch Oreo Balls for a full grinch-themed party.
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Ingredients and substitutions
Midori - A sweet, green, melon-flavored liqueur that gives this cocktail its green, Grinchy hue.
Rum - I recommend a clear rum so as to not muddy the green color of your cocktail. Readers have also made this recipe with triple sec, a citrus-flavored liqueur, instead of the rum with great results.
Lemon-lime soda - Any lemon-lime flavored soda, like 7up, Sprite, or a generic version, works in this recipe. The soda can also be substituted with lemon-lime club soda for a lighter cocktail.
Maraschino cherries - The maraschino cherry on top represents the Grinch's heart. A red garnish is a must for this grinch cocktail. A strawberry slice shaped into a heart would make a great alternative. I used heart-shaped strawberries in both my grinch mimosa and grinch punch recipes.
How to make a grinch cocktail
- Add ice to a lowball glass.
- Add melon liqueur and rum.
- Top with sprite (or other lemon-lime soda). For a lightened up version, substitute with lemon-lime club soda.
- Gently stir just enough to incorporate the ingredients, then top with a maraschino cherry.
Tips and tricks
Stir minimally after adding soda - Soda is carbonated and should be stirred minimally after adding to a cocktail. Do not use a cocktail shaker with carbonated soda because it will create a fizzy mess.
Want to use a cocktail shaker? If you'd like to use a shaker for the Midori and rum, feel free. Afterward, pour the Midori and rum into your prepared glass and top with soda as directed in the recipe card.
Cherry garnish - Place your cherry on top of the ice for a simple and eye catching presentation. You could also slice the cherry partially through and place it on the rim of the glass or thread multiple cherries onto a cocktail toothpick.
Red garnish variations
- Red sugar rim - Dip the rim in simple syrup to help the red sanding sugar stick.
- Cherry - Float a maraschino cherry on top of the ice.
- Raspberries - Thread a cocktail toothpick with raspberries or stemless cherries (a great visual to represent the Grinch's heart growing three sizes).
- Strawberry heart - Sliced strawberry shaped like a heart - I use these on my grinch mimosas!
Frequently asked questions
Try using lemon lime club soda instead of regular soda. Midori is sweet enough on its own that you can replace the soda if desired.
Midori is a green liqueur that is sweet with a light melon flavor. It's not overpowering or strong, which makes it a great mixer for festive drinks like this holiday cocktail. You can find it at your local liquor store near the schnapps or other flavored liqueurs. It should be easy to find with its bright green color.
I used a lowball glass for my grinch cocktail. A lowball glass holds about 10 ounces of liquid.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
The Grinch Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces midori liqueur
- 1 ounce clear rum
- 5 ounces lemon lime soda
- 1 maraschino cherry
Instructions
- Fill a lowball glass with ice. Add midori liqueur and rum and stir to combine. Top with lemon lime soda and stir gently to combine.
- Top with a maraschino cherry and enjoy.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- For a less sweet drink: Replace lemon lime soda with lemon lime club soda.
- For a fruitier drink: Replace rum with triple sec, a citrus-flavored liqueur.
- Garnish variations: Strawberry slice shaped like a heart, cherries or raspberries threaded onto a cocktail toothpick, a red sanding sugar rim, or red and white striped straws.
What size glass do u use?
Hi Kim, I used a lowball glass for this recipe.
Super easy Christmas drink. Looks cute and tastes really good. I don’t really like the taste of alcohol and I don’t find this drink too strong. It’s pretty easy to just add more seven up if you don’t want it to taste as strong. We used seven up zero sugar to cut the sugar a little. Definitely recommend!
Great drink,
I took the middle rode and use 1/2 ounce rum and 1/2 ounce triple Sec,
Very smooth drink.
Made this for my adult girls at Christmas. Beautiful to look at not so much to drink. Not good at all didn’t make seconds at all
My guests found the drink too strong. I used the original recipe because I like midori. I did cut the alcohol measurements down and it was better, but just not for me.
I made this with the triple sec like you recommended because I don't like tasting alcohol in my mixed drinks. SO good! Thank you!