Fresh passion fruit, vodka, and club soda come together in this cocktail to make a light and refreshing summer drink.

Passion fruit is a popular tropical fruit that’s bursting with flavor. I first tried it in Hawaii where it is called “lilikoi”, or liquid gold. Once you have your first taste, you’ll understand how it got the name!

Luckily for me, I don’t have to wait for trips to Hawaii to get a taste because it grows in my backyard here in Southern California.

You can use passion fruit for all sorts of recipes, but I end up using most of them for cocktails. There’s nothing quite like a happy hour at home with cocktails made from things you grew in your own yard!

Ingredients

Passion fruit – Fresh passion fruit is the key to this cocktail. You can use the yellow or purple variety. Check out the substitution suggestions below if fresh isn’t available.
Vodka – Vodka is a great choice for this cocktail because it’s neutral flavor allows the passion fruit to shine. I use Kirklands vodka because it is budget-friendly, about 1/3 the price of Grey goose, while having a comparable taste.
Club Soda – Any brand of club soda is fine, you could also substitute Perrier or another sparkling water of your choice.
Simple Syrup – We need a little simple syrup to help sweeten up this drink and balance out the tang of the passion fruit. You can use store-bought or homemade.
Ice – You can use any kind of ice you’d prefer. I like to use pebble ice that I make with this ice maker.

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Where to buy fresh passion fruit?

There are several different ways to source passion fruit. You can often find them at high-end grocery stores (Whole Foods & Bristol Farms carry them here in LA) and at farmer’s markets. California grown passion fruit are generally in season from January – November, while Hawaiian grown is in season year-round.

If you can’t find any at the store but you know they grow in your area, check places like Facebook market place to see if any neighbors are selling their harvest.

Don’t be afraid to buy your own passion fruit vines and plant them, they grow quite easily!

Substitutions

Vodka pairs well with passion fruit, but feel free to substitute it for another liquor. Gin and rum are both great choices.

Can’t find fresh passion fruit? You can substitute passion fruit juice. I like this one. If you buy a juice that is already sweetened, you may want to leave out the simple syrup this recipe calls for.

What Glass Should I Use?

I think this passion fruit cocktail looks best served in a highball glass as pictured. You can, however, easily substitute a pint glass or whatever you have available.

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