Starfruit Pineapple Mint Julep Recipe

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This Starfruit Pineapple Mint Julep recipe is sure to turn your classic julep on its head.

And it’s absolutely delicious.

After all, who can resist a succulent bite of pineapple with star fruit – and bourbon!

Starfruit and Pineapple Mint Juleps

 

 

Growing up in Kentucky means I have opinions about mint juleps.

Do you stick with the classic recipe or do you mix it up and make it with a twist for a little extra somethin’ somethin’.

Well, this gal likes to do a little bit of both.

After all, blending the old with the new is the perfect way to celebrate a classic drink made with bourbon.

And so, the star fruit pineapple mint julep recipe was born.

 

Enjoy making our Starfruit Pineapple Mint Julep Recipe

Made using a traditional mint julep base with the addition of some muddled star fruit and pineapple, it’s sure to be a hit at your Kentucky Derby party or any other time of year.

It’s even perfect to serve on Star Wars Day!

When you garnish it beautifully with fresh star fruit and pineapple over a tall mound of ice, it’s absolutely stunning.

And it tastes great too!

You ‘ll add this to your list of favorite star fruit recipes, no doubt!

Can you call it bourbon if it’s not made in Kentucky?

Here’s where the old versus the new argument comes into play, and I know there are plenty of people who won’t and who will agree with me.

I fall into the “bourbon isn’t bourbon unless it’s made in Kentucky” faction.

I know, there’s some great whiskey made elsewhere, and while I may enjoy it, I’m a stickler for using Kentucky bourbon.

And I may call your made anywhere but Kentucky corn mash whiskey simply “corn whiskey.”

And I might even enjoy drinking it. 

Shhhh…. But I’m not calling it bourbon.

Go visit the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and you’ll probably agree with me.

Once you’ve tasted some wonderfully aged Kentucky bourbon from small distilleries as well as from the well-known producers, you’re likely to call other options corn whiskey too.

The perfect pineapple julep to serve at your Kentucky Derby party

But since this is a traditional Derby drink, why not use what they serve at Churchill Downs, Woodford Reserve?

After all, who is going to complain about a pour of Woodford?

So in keeping with the “you can take the girl out of the south, but you can’t take the south out of the girl” news, I am happy to mix some tradition with something new.

So I make this mint julep with Woodford, and with distilled water to honor the old traditions, but I’ll add something unexpected to it to make it new – starfruit and pineapple.

You know the deliciously sweet taste of fresh pineapple, but if you’re not familiar with starfruit, it’s kind of a sweet and sour tasting fruit which really brings the flavor to your julep.

And if you have some yummy pineapple left over, be sure to try making some pineapple mojitos or homemade pineapple Dole Whip margaritas.

They are really tasty and refreshing on a hot day.

So are our Pineapple Mojitos!

And if you prefer bourbon or whisky cocktails, be sure to try our Granty Burn Old Fashioned made with Speyburn’s single malt and our Whisky Cherry Coke Smash made with Crown Royal.

Another great whiskey cocktail is our Blueberry Whiskey Corpse Reviver.

And if racing is the theme of the day, you may also enjoy serving the signature cocktail for the Preakness Stakes, the Black Eyed Susan Cocktail.

Enjoy a Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep Recipe, a twist on the classic cocktail, any time of year, but it’s perfect to serve for your Kentucky Derby party.

Ingredients you need to make the Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep

Makes one drink

• 5 chunks of fresh pineapple, set one aside for garnish
• 5 1/4′ slices of ripe star fruit, set two aside for garnish
• 2 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon, or the bourbon of your choice – we also really like Bulleit or Angel’s Envy
• 1.5 -2 Tbsp mint simple syrup
• 2 sprigs of mint leaves: 4 leaves for the drink, the other sprig for garnish
• Crushed ice

Equipment you’ll need:

We love a copper julep cup.

Traditionally, juleps are served in a sterling silver or pewter cup, but we really love how they look in a cup with a copper finish as well.

• Julep Cup
• Measuring Spoon
• Measuring Cup
• Jigger
• Chef’s Knife to slice fruit
• Cutting Board
• Mortar and Pestle to muddle mint
• Mason Jar or Bottle for simple syrup
• Mixing Glass
• Bar Spoon

Can I make this a virgin mint julep recipe?

Sure!

You can absolutely enjoy this drink without alcohol.

You can enjoy a virgin star fruit pineapple mint julep by simply omitting the bourbon and replacing it with iced tea.

It’s really quite a delicious spring time drink that’s perfect to serve by the pitcher.

 

 

How to make the Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep

There’s two ways to make a mint julep:

Make your mint simple syrup the night before.

You may have heard this called “branch water” before.

Press your fresh mint with the back of a spoon on the side of your julep cup at the time you make the drink.

I will explain both methods.

Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep Method One:

Your sugar and water will be made at a 1:1 ratio.

So you can start with 1 cup of water and one cup of sugar.

Multiply as needed. It keeps refrigerated for about a week.

Bring distilled water to a boil. 

So if you are having a party, it’s easy to make a large quantity.

Stir the sugar in the water until it is completely dissolved.

Using a mortar and pestle, muddle your mint.

And when I say muddle, I mean “muddle the ever living daylights out of that mint.”

You want to extract as much essential oil from the mint as you can.

And it’s okay if it looks pulverized.

When the water and sugar has cooled a bit, add the mint to the mixture and stir well.

Let it cool and then pour it into a mason jar or bottle that you can cap.

The next day, it’s time to make your juleps.

In a mixing glass, muddle your star fruit and pineapple to release their juices.

Then pour your bourbon and mint simple syrup.

Stir well and pour into your julep cup.

Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep Method Two:

In your mixing glass, mix two tsp of sugar and 2 tsp of distilled water.

Stir well until the sugar dissolves.

Add the pineapple and star fruit to the mixing glass and muddle well.

Pour your bourbon and stir.

In your julep cup, rub a few fresh mint leaves around the surfaces while pressing with the back of your spoon.

This will help to release the essential oils and give it a fresh mint kick with the simple syrup.

Fill your cup with ice, and pour the drink.

How to ice your mint julep

You will want to overfill the julep cup with crushed ice as it’s best served very cold.

I like to mound my ice above the rim so that the ice is higher than the liquid. 

If you do not want to mound the ice, at least fill it to the cup’s rim.

Garnish the pineapple mint julep

Garnish with star fruit, pineapple, and mint.

I like to have fun with how to position the star fruit and pineapple chunks on a cocktail pick.

You can style them vertically or at an angle, you can include some of the fresh pineapple fronds as a background, and you can even style the star fruit on your paper straws. 

There are several fun ways to style it and the star fruit will really make an impression!

More great whiskey and bourbon drinks to enjoy sipping:

Blackberry Whiskey Lemonade

Viking Glogg

Crown Royal Whisky Sour Apple Cocktail

Bourbon Pecan Pie Cocktail

Slow Cooker Fireball and Red Hots Spiced Apple Cider

Southern Comfort Peach Smash

Crown Royal Whisky Sour Apple Cocktail

Basil Peach Moonshine Cocktail

Peach and Cherry Pie Moonshine Smash

Hot Fudge Cocoa Bombs with Whiskey

Ginger Apple Whiskey Punch

Blackberry Fireball Whiskey Fizz

Plum Citrus Whiskey Smash

Hot Blackberry Pie Cocktail

try it and share!

Please let us know how you enjoy our Star Fruit Pineapple Mint Julep recipe.

If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.

If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.

You may enjoy following our Pinterest Boards, Kentucky Derby Cocktail Recipes and Bourbon Recipes.

 

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