This Dirty Banana Cocktail Recipe is simply delicious! So dang good! It is a small piece of a cruise vacation at home.

Dirty Banana Cocktail Recipe

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I am dreaming of a cruise vacation!

Do you remember the old Calgon “take me away” commercials? I dream of a cruise vacation to the tropics; please take me away right now.

I am ready for warm tropical breezes, frosty beverages, gorgeous views, and top-notch food! Oh, the chef-crafted food that you don't have to prepare yourself! Yes, please!

Ingredients

Here is a quick overview of the simple ingredients needed to make an epic Dirty Banana Frozen Drink! The printable recipe card at the bottom of the post includes specific measurements and step-by-step instructions.

Creme de Banana Liqueur
Creme de Cocoa
Kahlua Coffee Liqueur
Vanilla Ice Cream

Optional garnish - whip cream

Equipment Needed

Blender
Hurricane Glass or Tall Glass

How to Make a Dirty Banana Drink Recipe

I've included complete instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here's a quick version.

Blend the ingredients to your desired consistency, then pour them into a hurricane glass.

Preparation and Storage

Make Ahead + Storage + Freezing/How to Freeze:

The Dirty Banana Cocktail is make-ahead-friendly. Send any leftovers to the freezer in an airtight, freezer-safe container, and thaw them in the fridge until defrosted enough to portion but still slushie-cold when you’re ready to enjoy them again.

After opening, vanilla ice cream lasts up to three months, so consume your blender cocktail leftovers within this timeframe.

Though we don't expect you will have many leftovers of these adult milkshakes.

Recipe Variations

Substitutions:

We like using vanilla ice cream to make our Dirty Banana Cocktail thick while letting the other components shine, but you can use coffee or chocolate ice cream if you prefer your drink to have more of these flavors.

Similarly, you can replace the ice cream with milk and more ice for a lighter version.

Vegetarian Option: This cocktail recipe is vegetarian-friendly!

Vegan Option:

Vegans should use plant-based vanilla ice cream and a Kahlúa alternative, as Kahlúa is unacceptable for a vegan diet. We’ve seen recipe posts recommending dark rum if you don’t mind losing the coffee flavor.

Vegan drinkers need to check the labels on all ingredients, as many flavored liqueurs contain animal-derived additives. You should research available options near you since liquor manufacturers do not always disclose this information on their packaging.

Gluten-Free: The same guidance for vegans applies to gluten-free drinkers; since liquor manufacturers often do not disclose on their labels whether their products are gluten-free, you’ll need to research this beforehand.

Alcohol-Free Option: Add chocolate syrup and coffee to our Banana Milkshake for a Virgin Dirty Banana Mocktail!

Smaller Serving Size + Larger Group/More Servings: Our recipe makes one serving for a hurricane glass, so double it per extra serving you want to make.

Sugar-Free: This recipe contains 60 grams of sugar per serving. We don’t recommend this drink for sugar-free drinkers, as flavored liquors typically have no sugar-free alternatives.

Tips for the Best Dirty Banana Cocktail

I have seen people garnish this with chocolate syrup, but I have not tried it.
We garnish our Dirty Banana Cocktail with a maraschino cherry and a pineapple wedge. These additions are fantastic for upping the tropical character of this drink!
Nutrition information, including calories, protein, calcium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin c, potassium, cholesterol, sodium, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and more, will vary depending on the products used.