Mary Pickford Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/22/22
Classic Mary Pickford Cocktail

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The Mary Pickford cocktail is a fun and fruity rum martini. It's such an easy recipe that anyone can quickly mix it up.

Mary Pickford was a monumental figure at the beginning of the Hollywood scene. The petite blonde star of silent movies was known around the world as "Little Mary" because she often played the roles of little girls and boys well into her 30's. She was instrumental in forming the United Artists Studio and won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in 1928's "Coquette."

The drink's creation is credited to Eddie Woelke, who also devised El Presidente cocktail, and was one of the many bartenders who fled to Cuba during Prohibition in the U.S. It's a very simple drink that sweetens a mix of light rum and pineapple juice with grenadine. The beautiful pale pink color and delightful tropical flavor make it ideal for summer entertaining.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes, pour the rum, pineapple juice, and grenadine.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Garnish with a cherry. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • For the best drink, choose a premium brand of rum. The lighter flavors of this recipe will not cover up any undesirable flavors, so a rum that you enjoy on its own or in a daiquiri will really shine here.
  • If possible, use fresh pineapple juice. An electric juicer is the easiest method and yields the highest amount of juice.
  • You can also muddle chunks of pineapple in your cocktail shaker. This does not produce a lot of juice, so don't strain out the pulp to create a juice. Instead, crush about 1/2 cup of pineapple as thoroughly as possible, then add the other ingredients and shake for at least 30 seconds before straining the drink.
  • Rather than the common neon red maraschino cherries, which are artificially flavored and dyed, choose a quality cherry to garnish this and other cocktails. Luxardo makes real maraschinos and other companies offer "cocktail" cherries that are beautiful and natural as well. You can also make your own maraschinos when cherries are in season.
  • A chilled glass is preferred with any cocktail that's served "up" and without ice. If you don't have one chilled ahead of time, toss a few ice cubes in the glass while you mix the drink, then discard them before straining.

How Strong Is a Mary Pickford Cocktail?

The equal pour of pineapple juice and rum helps make the Mary Pickford a low-proof cocktail, especially when compared to other drinks in the martini family. When made with 80-proof rum, it will shake up to an alcohol content of 17 percent ABV (34 proof).

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
193 Calories
0g Fat
16g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 193
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 2%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 28mg 140%
Calcium 12mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 104mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)