Ingredients
- 2 oz Lemon Rum
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- 5 - 6 oz Cranberry Juice
Instructions
Stir Together:
- In an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice cubes, pour 2 oz lemon rum, 1 oz lime juice, and 5-6 oz cranberry juice.
Mix Well:
- Give the ingredients a good stir to blend all those zesty and sweet flavours together.
Serve:
- Serve immediately, and enjoy the refreshing taste of citrus with every sip.
Garnish (Optional):
- Add a slice of lime or a twist of lemon for a pop of colour and extra zing.
Enjoy:
- Take a sip and let the refreshing, fruity flavours rejuvenate your senses!
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Fruity Pebble is a modern bar creation, emerging from the playful side of mixology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. It's less about a specific historical moment and more about a trend of turning childhood nostalgia into adult beverages. You won't find this in any classic cocktail tomes.
This drink belongs firmly in the dessert cocktail family, alongside drinks like the Mudslide or the Grasshopper. It's a direct descendant of the 'candy cocktail' craze, where drinks mimic popular sweets. What sets the Fruity Pebble apart is its specific aim to replicate a breakfast cereal, often complete with a crushed cereal rim.
You'd typically find the Fruity Pebble at a themed bar, a college town spot known for novelty drinks, or at a lively house party. It's not a serious pre-dinner drink or something you'd order at a quiet, high-end lounge. This is pure fun, designed for a crowd looking for something sweet and Instagram-ready.
What it tastes like
The Fruity Pebble tastes exactly like its namesake cereal, but in liquid form. Expect a dominant sweetness backed by bright, tangy raspberry notes from the liqueur and vodka. The blue curaçao adds a subtle citrus zest and its signature vivid color, while the cream provides a smooth, milky texture that truly brings the cereal experience home. It's a sugary, dessert-first profile.
With roughly 0.78 ounces of pure alcohol in a 3.75 ounce pour, the Fruity Pebble comes in around 21 percent ABV. That makes it about four times stronger than a standard beer. Despite its sweet and playful demeanor, this is a legitimate cocktail packing a decent punch, so sip accordingly.
The technique
Building a Fruity Pebble is straightforward. You'll need a shaker, ice, and a chilled coupe or martini glass. Rim the glass with crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal before you start. Combine 1.5 oz raspberry vodka, 0.5 oz blue curaçao, 0.5 oz raspberry liqueur, 1 oz cream or half-and-half, and 0.25 oz grenadine in the shaker, add plenty of ice, and give it a hard, fast shake until the shaker is frosty cold. Double strain into your prepped glass.
The critical technique here is the rim. Make sure your cereal is finely crushed and the rim of the glass is evenly coated. A little simple syrup or lemon juice on the rim helps the cereal stick without adding unwanted flavor. This is what sells the 'cereal' experience.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Raspberry Vodka
- Use
- Good quality flavored vodka like Absolut Raspberri, Smirnoff Raspberry, or a neutral vodka infused with fresh raspberries.
- Skip
- Cheap, artificial tasting 'liqueurs' labeled as vodka, or anything with excessive added sugar that isn't clearly a liqueur.
- Why
- Provides the primary alcoholic base and a significant portion of the fruity flavor profile. It's the engine of the drink's sweetness and fruitiness.
Blue Curaçao
- Use
- Bols Blue Curaçao, Senior & Co. Curaçao. Any reputable brand will do for color and flavor.
- Skip
- Generic 'blue mixer' syrups that lack actual orange flavor. They might provide color but miss the subtle complexity.
- Why
- Essential for the iconic vibrant blue color that evokes the cereal, and contributes a subtle, bitter orange note that cuts through the sweetness just enough.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink.
Fruity Pebble Shot
- Quick and potent.
- Scale down the recipe to a 0.5 oz pour of raspberry vodka, 0.25 oz blue curaçao, and 0.25 oz cream, shaken and served in a shot glass. Skip the rim for speed.
Cereal Milk Pebble
- Deeper cereal flavor.
- Infuse the cream or half-and-half with Fruity Pebbles cereal for an hour or two before straining. This adds a richer, more authentic cereal base to the drink.
Tropical Pebble
- Island twist.
- Swap raspberry vodka for coconut rum and add a splash of pineapple juice. The blue curaçao keeps the color, but the flavor shifts to a more exotic, beachy profile.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Use plain vodka with an extra 0.5 oz of raspberry liqueur or a few fresh muddled raspberries.
Use a tiny drop of blue food coloring and an extra splash of orange liqueur like Triple Sec for the flavor.
Whole milk works in a pinch, or for a dairy-free option, use coconut cream, though it will alter the flavor profile.
Use a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Just make sure it's clean and doesn't smell like pickles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Fruity Pebble?
A typical Fruity Pebble cocktail contains raspberry vodka, blue curaçao, raspberry liqueur, cream or half-and-half, and a touch of grenadine. It's often garnished with a Fruity Pebbles cereal rim.
Is the Fruity Pebble a sweet drink?
Absolutely. It's designed to be a dessert cocktail, leaning heavily into sweet and fruity flavors reminiscent of the cereal.
What kind of glass should I use for a Fruity Pebble?
A chilled coupe or martini glass is standard. The wide rim allows for a good cereal garnish.
Can I make a non-alcoholic Fruity Pebble?
Yes, combine raspberry syrup, blue curaçao syrup (non-alcoholic), and cream with a splash of soda water or lemon-lime soda.
What does the Fruity Pebble taste like?
It tastes like a creamy, boozy version of Fruity Pebbles cereal, with prominent raspberry and citrus notes, and a distinct sweetness.
Is the Fruity Pebble a strong drink?
While it tastes sweet, it has an ABV of around 21 percent, making it significantly stronger than a standard beer.
How do I get the cereal to stick to the rim?
Dip the rim of your chilled glass in a shallow dish of simple syrup or lemon juice, then immediately dip it into finely crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal.
Is this drink served on the rocks?
Typically, it's served "up" in a chilled glass without ice, to maintain its smooth, creamy texture and vibrant color.
More Like This
More drinks in the same family.
