Don’t be fooled by the tropical vibes of the Painkiller Cocktail. This refreshingly fruity drink will happily make you forget what ails you!

Get ready to shake up a tasty tropical Painkiller Cocktail that will put you in a relaxing island mood with only four simple ingredients! Skip the boat ride and mix up flavorful dark rum, sweet pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut, and a sprinkling of nutmeg to create a refreshing drink worth staying home for.

painkiller cocktail with a straw and orange slice garnish with recipe name at the bottom

Drink and Repeat

The best part of vacations is falling in love with new drinks and then making those drinks when you get home. It’s a great way to keep those vacay vibes going a little longer. When I first saw a Painkiller I was sure it was going to taste just like a Pina Colada but was delightfully proven wrong! There are similar fruity flavors but the Painkiller isn’t frozen, it’s a little less sweet, thanks to the bold dark rum, and that sprinkle of nutmeg over the top really brings in a slightly nutty warmth that makes me want to drink a Painkiller all day long!

Create more tropical vacation drinks at home like a Mai Tai or a Tropical Breeze Cocktail, and enjoy that island getaway on your patio!

Other Recipes to Serve with Painkiller Cocktail

Don’t let those Painkillers go to your head and make you forget about making a delicious island-inspired dinner of Hawaiian Grilled Salmon Fillets!
Pineapple Mango Salsa is the perfect appetizer to complement your at-home beach party with friends.

Ingredients

Rum: Pick up your favorite dark rum, and if you want to make a true Painkiller, use Pusser’s Naval Rum.

Juice: To make this cocktail, you will need both pineapple and orange juice.

Coconut: You will also need a bottle of cream of coconut, such as Coco Real, which can be found both in liquor stores and grocery stores.

Garnish: A little ground nutmeg is needed to garnish the drink.

How to Make Painkiller Cocktail

STEP ONE: Using a shaker filled with ice, add the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut.

dark rum being poured into a cocktail shaker with ice, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut

STEP TWO: Shake the drink for a few seconds and then pour the drink into a tall glass, filled with ice.

painkiller cocktail being strained into a glass filled with ice

STEP THREE: Sprinkle a dash of nutmeg over the top of the drink and enjoy!

painkiller cocktail with an orange wedge on the rim

Tips for Success

If you don’t have a cocktail shaker don’t sweat it, simply use a mason jar with a lid or add all of the liquids to a glass and stir well.
Keep the rum and juices in the fridge to keep your finished drink chilled longer. Adding warm ingredients to ice will cause the ice to melt faster and water down your drink. Keep the cream of coconut on the counter, however, so that it doesn’t firm up and become difficult to pour.
Go bigger with the tropical vibes and garnish your drink(s) with a pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry- it’s your time to get away so go for it!
Make sure to grab cream of coconut and not coconut cream! Coconut cream has no sweetness, which is necessary for drinks like Painkillers.

close up of the top of a painkiller cocktail with freshly grated nutmeg

What’s the difference between a Pina Colada and a Painkiller?

Pina Colada and Painkillers may have similar ingredients, but a few key differences are obvious once you taste them. First, Pina Coladas are frozen blended drinks, while Painkillers are served over ice. The ratios are different as well and Pina Coladas do not contain orange juice. The rum used in each drink is also different, with white rum in Pina Coladas and dark rum in a Painkiller. Dark rum has a much richer flavor because it is made with molasses and spices, and it is aged much longer than white rum. The preferred rum for the Painkiller, Pusser’s, is a blend of rums, which is what makes this drink unique and utterly delicious!

Where did the Painkiller come from?

The Painkiller was created in the British Virgin Islands in the 1970s by the Soggy Dollar Bar. This tropical drink was incredibly popular and once Pusser’s created their signature Naval rum, with its blend of Caribbean rums, the drink took off. Pusser’s trademarked the drink in the 1980s so any establishment serving Painkillers will be using the incredibly delicious Pusser’s rum in their drinks. Since you’ll be making your drinks at home, it’s ok to use whatever rum you like or have on hand!

two painkiller cocktails next to a bottle of dak rum

Mix up more tropical getaways to enjoy!

*This post was originally posted on 08/28/2015.