If you're on the hunt for a cocktail that feels like pure summer in a glass, this Blackberry Pineapple Smash is exactly what you need. Fresh blackberries muddled together with bright pineapple juice make for a combination that is bold, fruity, and completely refreshing. I'm a huge fan of building out a whole cocktail spread, so if you want to go all in, pair this one alongside some Blackberry Margaritas and a pitcher of Sparkling Citrus Pineapple Sangria for a serious crowd-pleaser situation. And if you end up with extra blackberries after making these (it happens every single time), throw them into a batch of Blackberry Muffins the next morning because nothing should go to waste.
Blackberry Pineapple Smash at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: 5 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 2 cocktails
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: American
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Bright and fruity with bold blackberry, tangy lime, and sweet pineapple, balanced by fresh mint and a light fizzy finish from club soda.
- 📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free, vegan, contains alcohol
- 📦 Storage Notes: This cocktail is best served immediately and is not ideal for storing, but you can muddle the blackberries and prep the juice mixture a few hours ahead and refrigerate until ready to shake and serve.
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: This cocktail is the kind of drink that stops you in your tracks and makes you want to recreate it over and over again. I first had a version of this at a cute little bar in Santa Monica and have been making it on repeat ever since. It comes together in just 5 minutes with a handful of fresh ingredients, and it is seriously perfect for sipping poolside or serving at a spring happy hour. Whether you use tequila, rum, or gin, this smash is a total crowd-pleaser every single time.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Last weekend Thomas and I were out on a double date when we happened across a cute little bar in Santa Monica that made the most excellent cocktails. I strayed from my go-to drink of a Moscow Mule and instead opted for this heavenly number. I've dubbed it the Blackberry Pineapple Smash and we've recreated it a few times since.
It's a simple cocktail of muddled blackberries, clear rum, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice and a touch of mint. Done. Easy as that. Shake, shake, shake and then it's done. It's 100% my new go-to spring cocktail of choice. And if you need me this weekend, I'll be sipping these poolside while trying desperately to work on my tan!
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Ingredients
Substitutions & Swaps
🫐 Blackberries
- Fresh raspberries - Raspberries muddle beautifully and bring a brighter, more tart berry note that still plays well with pineapple without overpowering the citrus.
- Fresh blueberries - Blueberries are milder and slightly earthy when muddled, which lets the pineapple juice take center stage while still giving you that deep purple color in the glass.
- Frozen blackberries (thawed) - Frozen blackberries actually release more juice when muddled than fresh because the cell walls break down during freezing, so you get even more flavor and color.
- Fresh strawberries - Strawberries bring a jammy sweetness that pairs naturally with lime and mint, and the color stays vibrant and pretty in a rocks glass.
🥃 Tequila (the Spirit)
- Gin - A London Dry gin like Tanqueray adds juniper and herbal botanicals that echo the fresh mint, making the drink feel more garden-forward and aromatic.
- Clear rum (white rum) - White rum like Plantation 3 Stars is the original spirit in the inspiration cocktail and brings a light sugarcane sweetness that softens the tartness of the lime and blackberry.
- Vodka - A neutral vodka lets the blackberry and pineapple shine completely undisturbed. Good for guests who prefer a spirit that stays in the background.
- Mezcal - A lightly smoky mezcal like El Silencio adds an unexpected savory depth that contrasts sharply and deliciously with the sweetness of the pineapple juice.
🍍 Pineapple Juice
- Fresh-pressed pineapple juice - Fresh pineapple juice is noticeably brighter and less sweet than canned or bottled versions, which brings more acidity and complexity to the finished drink.
- Mango juice - Mango juice has a similar tropical sweetness and thick body to pineapple juice, and its floral richness pairs really well with blackberry and lime.
- Passion fruit juice - Passion fruit is more tart and intensely tropical than pineapple, so it punches up the acidity and makes the drink feel more vibrant and complex.
- White grape juice - A good workaround when tropical fruits are not available. White grape juice mimics the mild sweetness of pineapple without competing with the blackberry.
🌿 Fresh Mint
- Fresh basil - Thai basil in particular has an anise-like, slightly spicy quality that works surprisingly well muddled with blackberries and is a fun twist on the original.
- Fresh tarragon - Tarragon has a subtle licorice note that adds sophistication without being as assertive as mint, making it a great option for guests who find mint too cooling.
- Fresh cilantro - A small amount of cilantro muddled with blackberry and lime is unexpected and bright, especially if you are using mezcal or tequila as the base spirit.
- Lemon verbena - Lemon verbena brings a fragrant citrusy herbal note that lifts the whole drink and keeps things feeling fresh without the menthol punch that mint provides.
🫧 Club Soda (the Bubbles)
- Topo Chico sparkling water - Topo Chico has a finer, more persistent bubble than standard club soda, which keeps the drink effervescent longer and adds a slight mineral quality.
- Ginger beer - A non-alcoholic ginger beer like Fever-Tree adds spice and sweetness on the finish, turning this into something closer to a tropical mule variation.
- Coconut sparkling water - Lightly flavored coconut sparkling water reinforces the tropical direction of the pineapple and blackberry without adding extra sugar or calories.
- Lemon-lime sparkling water - A citrus sparkling water like Spindrift Lemon adds a tiny extra layer of citrus brightness that amplifies the fresh lime juice already in the drink.
How to Make Blackberry Pineapple Smash
Step 1: Muddle the blackberry, mint and lime juice in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Add the tequila and pineapple juice, along with a few pieces of ice, and secure the lid onto the shaker. Shake for 30 seconds until the liquid is chilled.
Step 3: Pour the cocktail, muddled bits and all, into 2 ice-filled cocktail glasses and top with a spritz of club soda. Serve immediately.
🫐🍍🍹 Tips & Tricks for the Best Blackberry Pineapple Smash
This fruity, minty, totally refreshing cocktail is about to become your new warm-weather obsession.
- Muddle blackberries firmly but not violently. You want to break the berries down enough to release their juice and pigment, but over-muddling crushes the seeds and releases bitter tannins into the drink. About 8 to 10 firm presses with a muddler is the sweet spot.
- Add the mint to the muddler at the same time as the blackberries. Muddling mint alongside the berries lets the oils release gradually and evenly into the lime juice, rather than bruising the mint on its own which can turn the flavor sharp and vegetal.
- Always use freshly squeezed lime juice, not the bottled stuff. Bottled lime juice contains preservatives and has a flatter, slightly metallic flavor that throws off the balance of the whole cocktail. Fresh lime juice is brighter and integrates better with pineapple.
- Use cold pineapple juice straight from the fridge. Starting with cold juice means your ice does less work diluting the drink during shaking, so the final cocktail stays more concentrated and flavorful.
- Shake for the full 30 seconds. Shaking chills the liquid, dilutes it slightly with water from the melting ice, and emulsifies the fruit pulp into the tequila and juice. Cutting it short means a warmer, less integrated drink.
- Pour the muddled solids into the glass along with the liquid. The pulp and berry skins carry a huge amount of color and flavor. Straining them out gives you a thinner, less vibrant cocktail. Leaving them in is what makes this a smash, not just a juice drink.
- Fill your glasses with fresh ice before pouring. The ice you shook with is now partially melted and warmer. Fresh ice in the glass keeps the drink cold longer without adding extra dilution right at the moment of serving.
- Add the club soda after pouring, not before. Adding carbonation to the shaker or before the juice would cause it to go flat immediately from agitation. A spritz on top after pouring preserves the bubbles and keeps the drink lively.
- Use blanco tequila as the default spirit here. Blanco tequila is unaged and has a clean, slightly grassy flavor that lets the blackberry and pineapple lead. Reposado or anejo would overpower the fruit with oak and vanilla notes.
- If swapping to gin, choose a London Dry style over a floral gin. Heavily floral gins compete with the mint and blackberry rather than complementing them. A London Dry gin brings juniper backbone that bridges the citrus and fruit without muddying the flavor profile.
- Taste your pineapple juice before mixing and adjust lime accordingly. Pineapple juice varies significantly in acidity and sweetness depending on the brand. If your juice is very sweet, lean toward the full ounce of lime. If it is already tart, start with three-quarters of an ounce.
- Serve immediately after building the drink. Carbonation dissipates quickly, ice melts fast, and the mint starts to oxidize once muddled. This cocktail is designed to be consumed fresh, not made ahead and held.
FAQ's
Can I make this as a mocktail?
Yes! Replace the alcohol with sparkling water, club soda, or lemonade for a refreshing non-alcoholic version.
Can I use frozen fruit?
Absolutely. Frozen pineapple and blackberries work well, especially when fresh fruit isn't in season.
What spirit pairs best with pineapple and blackberry?
Rum and vodka are particularly good choices, though tequila also works beautifully.
Can I make a pitcher for a party?
Yes. Multiply the ingredients and keep the mixture chilled. Add ice and garnishes when serving.
How sweet is this cocktail?
It depends on the ripeness of the fruit. Adjust with extra citrus if you prefer a less sweet drink.
Similar Recipes
Blackberry Pineapple Smash
It’s a simple cocktail of muddled blackberries, clear rum, fresh lime juice, pineapple juice and a touch of mint. Done. Easy as that.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- 1-2 sprigs fresh mint
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 ounces blanco tequila or gin, or clear rum
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- club soda
Instructions
- Muddle the blackberry, mint and lime juice in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the tequila and pineapple juice, along with a few pieces of ice, and secure the lid onto the shaker. Shake for 30 seconds until the liquid is chilled.
- Pour the cocktail, muddled bits and all, into 2 ice-filled cocktail glasses and top with a spritz of club soda. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Muddle blackberries firmly but not violently. You want to break the berries down enough to release their juice and pigment, but over-muddling crushes the seeds and releases bitter tannins into the drink. About 8 to 10 firm presses with a muddler is the sweet spot.
- Add the mint to the muddler at the same time as the blackberries. Muddling mint alongside the berries lets the oils release gradually and evenly into the lime juice, rather than bruising the mint on its own which can turn the flavor sharp and vegetal.
- Always use freshly squeezed lime juice, not the bottled stuff. Bottled lime juice contains preservatives and has a flatter, slightly metallic flavor that throws off the balance of the whole cocktail. Fresh lime juice is brighter and integrates better with pineapple.
- Use cold pineapple juice straight from the fridge. Starting with cold juice means your ice does less work diluting the drink during shaking, so the final cocktail stays more concentrated and flavorful.
- Shake for the full 30 seconds. Shaking chills the liquid, dilutes it slightly with water from the melting ice, and emulsifies the fruit pulp into the tequila and juice. Cutting it short means a warmer, less integrated drink.
- Pour the muddled solids into the glass along with the liquid. The pulp and berry skins carry a huge amount of color and flavor. Straining them out gives you a thinner, less vibrant cocktail. Leaving them in is what makes this a smash, not just a juice drink.
- Fill your glasses with fresh ice before pouring. The ice you shook with is now partially melted and warmer. Fresh ice in the glass keeps the drink cold longer without adding extra dilution right at the moment of serving.
- Add the club soda after pouring, not before. Adding carbonation to the shaker or before the juice would cause it to go flat immediately from agitation. A spritz on top after pouring preserves the bubbles and keeps the drink lively.
- Use blanco tequila as the default spirit here. Blanco tequila is unaged and has a clean, slightly grassy flavor that lets the blackberry and pineapple lead. Reposado or anejo would overpower the fruit with oak and vanilla notes.
- If swapping to gin, choose a London Dry style over a floral gin. Heavily floral gins compete with the mint and blackberry rather than complementing them. A London Dry gin brings juniper backbone that bridges the citrus and fruit without muddying the flavor profile.
- Taste your pineapple juice before mixing and adjust lime accordingly. Pineapple juice varies significantly in acidity and sweetness depending on the brand. If your juice is very sweet, lean toward the full ounce of lime. If it is already tart, start with three-quarters of an ounce.
- Serve immediately after building the drink. Carbonation dissipates quickly, ice melts fast, and the mint starts to oxidize once muddled. This cocktail is designed to be consumed fresh, not made ahead and held.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 211kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.5g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.05g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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We had blackberries left over from the bb margaritas last night and made this tonight, with rum. Soooooo good!!
Yummmmmm!!! I made these tonight some with tequila and some with vodka. Loved both. They are so fresh and perfect for #quarantinelyfe
Made tonight, some with tequila and some with vodka. Yummm!!
brilliant
This is perfect for the warm weather we will be having from now on until Sept here in the desert ! And anywhere really - Thanks for sharing 🙂
This looks almost too pretty to drink!
Ever try it with Vodka?
yup. delish
Is it Rum or Tequila? In the write-up you say clear rum... in the recipe it's tequila..
This! I was wondering the same thing!
Im wondering the same thing?
either!
My comment is same as Gigi above. Is it Rum or Tequila that you use, or does it make no difference?
either or - but not both 🙂
either! I forgot the optionals!
Do you use rum or tequila? Maybe whichever you want?
either!