The recipe
for your table
Pour the grenadine into the bottom of a hurricane glass, then fill the glass completely with crushed ice.
Mix the vodka with the orange juice and carefully pour it over the ice — this forms the yellow middle layer.
Very slowly pour the blue curaçao over the rounded side of a bar spoon onto the top.
Serve immediately with a straw and let your guest mix it themselves.
The story
The rocket-shaped ice pop has been a staple of Dutch summers since the 1970s, and the cocktail version is exactly what you would expect: a bartender realizing that you can pour those three colors too. There is no official recipe — every bar does it slightly differently, with berry gin, fruit syrup, or liqueurs. What always stays the same is the order, and that is not an aesthetic choice but physics: grenadine contains the most sugar and sinks, while blue curaçao has the highest alcohol content and stays afloat. The same principle as with the B52, only on a larger scale.
The right glass
The hurricane glass is the logical choice here: tall, curved, and with a wide bowl that beautifully separates the three colors. In a straight glass, the layers are stacked on top of one another; in a hurricane glass, they have room to spread out, making the transitions much clearer. Expect 44 cl — large enough for a generous amount of crushed ice, and with this cocktail, that ice is not an afterthought but the reason the layers do not collapse into one another. Choose clear glass; any tint or faceting will cloud the effect.
Royal Leerdam Hurricane Cocktail Glass 44 cl (4 pieces)
Arcoroc Hurricane Cocktail Glass 44 Cl (6 pieces)
€68.40 together, so shipping is free.
Variations & twists
Leave out the vodka and you have a mocktail that is a hit at any children's party — this may well be the most obvious alcohol-free cocktail there is. Replace the grenadine with strawberry syrup and the blue curaçao with blue lemonade syrup for the completely alcohol-free version. With white rum instead of vodka, it moves toward tiki. In the mood for the same colors but in blue? See the Blue Lagoon. Find more inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Crushed ice is not a luxury here: fine ice slows the liquid down and keeps the layers in place. With regular ice cubes, everything mixes together within a minute. No crushed ice? Put ice cubes in a tea towel and hit them a few times. Pour each layer over a spoon and place the glass on the table while pouring — in your hand, it always moves too much.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Raketje cocktail?
A 44 cl hurricane glass. View our hurricane glasses.
How do the layers stay separate?
Because of the difference in sugar and alcohol content. Grenadine is the heaviest and sinks, while blue curaçao is the lightest and floats. Pour from heaviest to lightest and use crushed ice to break the fall.
Can you make it alcohol-free?
Yes, and very easily: replace the vodka and blue curaçao with blue lemonade syrup and keep everything else the same. The color and effect remain identical.
Why do my colors run into each other?
Usually because you pour too quickly or use too little ice. Really fill the glass to the top with crushed ice and pour each layer over the rounded side of a spoon.
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