This Mary Pickford cocktail pairs equal parts white rum and pineapple juice with grenadine. Add the recipe’s teaspoon of maraschino liqueur for the classic four-ingredient profile, or leave it out for the simpler variation included in the current recipe card.

Why This Mary Pickford Cocktail Works

The proportions are easy to follow: equal parts white rum and pineapple juice, then a much smaller measure of grenadine. That gives the rum and pineapple room to lead.

Maraschino liqueur changes the balance without taking over when you measure it carefully. Use the listed teaspoon for a drier cherry-almond note, or follow the card’s optional direction and leave it out.

What Is a Mary Pickford Cocktail?

A classic Mary Pickford cocktail combines white rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur. Published ratios vary, and Little Figgy’s recipe uses equal parts rum and pineapple juice for a softer, fruit-forward drink.

Maraschino liqueur is a clear cherry liqueur, not the syrup from a jar of cocktail cherries. The distinction matters. Cherry syrup would add much more sweetness without the liqueur’s dry cherry-almond flavor.

The Story Behind the Drink

The cocktail was named for Mary Pickford, the silent-film star, producer, and co-founder of United Artists. It was recorded as a popular drink in Havana by 1928, during Prohibition in the United States.

The familiar creation story is less tidy than it sounds. Eddie Woelke and Fred Kaufman are both credited in later accounts, and research from the Mary Pickford Foundation found no evidence that Pickford was in Cuba when the drink was supposedly made for her. The drink became associated with Havana and carried Pickford’s famous name, but the exact scene of its creation remains disputed.

Get the Balance Right

White rum keeps the base light and lets the pineapple lead. Pineapple juice supplies the fruit, while grenadine adds color and sweetness.

Measure the grenadine and maraschino carefully. A free pour can push either flavor in front of the rum and pineapple. Amaretto and elderflower liqueur are not direct substitutes for maraschino, so save those experiments for a drink with a different name.

Shake It Cold

Shaking with fresh ice chills and dilutes the drink. The recipe card keeps the cue useful and simple: shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe type glass.

A cocktail cherry is easy to drink around. A pineapple frond looks dramatic, but it can brush your nose with every sip. Use either, or keep the glass clean and skip the garnish.

More Classic Cocktails

Make an Old Cuban cocktail when you want another Cuban-associated rum drink. The Bee’s Knees and Death in the Afternoon cover two very different corners of the Prohibition-era bar.

You can also browse 18 cocktail recipes to mix at home when one round turns into a menu.

Mary Pickford Cocktail FAQs

What is in a Mary Pickford cocktail?

A classic Mary Pickford cocktail combines white rum, pineapple juice, grenadine, and maraschino liqueur. Little Figgy’s recipe uses equal parts rum and pineapple juice, with smaller measures of grenadine and optional maraschino.

What does a Mary Pickford cocktail taste like?

It is a cold, fruit-forward rum drink led by pineapple. Grenadine adds color and sweetness. When included, maraschino liqueur adds a dry cherry-almond note.

Is maraschino liqueur required in a Mary Pickford?

The classic four-ingredient profile includes maraschino liqueur. Little Figgy’s current recipe card lists it as optional, so you can include the measured teaspoon or leave it out for a simpler rum, pineapple, and grenadine variation.

Is a Mary Pickford cocktail from Cuba?

The drink was recorded as popular in Havana in the late 1920s, but the familiar story that it was created for Mary Pickford while she was filming there is disputed. Research from the Mary Pickford Foundation found no supporting Cuba trip in the relevant period.

Is maraschino liqueur the same as cherry syrup?

No. Maraschino liqueur is a clear spirit with a dry cherry-almond flavor. The syrup from a jar of cocktail cherries is much sweeter and does not give the drink the same balance.

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