Pixie Stick

What is Pixie Stick?

The Pixie Stick is a contemporary candy-themed party cocktail that takes its name and visual inspiration from the iconic American candy Pixy Stix, the brightly colored powdered candy in paper straws that has been a fixture of American childhood since its introduction in 1959 by Sunline Inc. (now Nestlé). Pixy Stix gained mainstream popularity through the 1960s and 1970s and have remained a Halloween and trick-or-treat staple for generations of American children, with their distinctive paper-straw packaging and brightly colored powders becoming an instantly recognizable cultural symbol.

The Pixie Stick cocktail emerged from the broader candy-themed and nostalgic cocktail movement that gained significant momentum through the 2000s and 2010s, when bartenders increasingly began creating drinks inspired by childhood favorites including the Jolly Rancher, the Skittles cocktail, the Cotton Candy Martini, and the Sour Patch shot. The Pixie Stick specifically translates the original candy's vibrant colors and sweet-tart character into liquid form by combining a base of vodka, coconut rum, amaretto, and pineapple juice with a layered top of blue curaçao and DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker schnapps to create the signature vivid blue color. The drink belongs to the same family of brightly colored layered cocktails as the Adios Motherfucker, the Liquid Marijuana, and the Blue Long Island Iced Tea, all of which leverage blue curaçao for dramatic visual presentation.

Don't forget to see what other drinks you can make with the ingredients you already have in your bar.

Taste profile

The Pixie Stick is sweet, fruity, and immediately approachable with a layered flavor profile that genuinely captures the nostalgic candy character its name promises. Pineapple juice leads the palate with its dominant tropical fruitiness, providing both the structural backbone and the bright tangy quality that ties the multiple sweet ingredients together. Coconut rum adds a warm nutty tropical sweetness that integrates naturally with the pineapple and establishes the tropical character foundation. Amaretto contributes the most distinctive flavor element: its concentrated marzipan-almond character creates a sophisticated nutty complexity that elevates this beyond a simple fruity vodka cocktail and provides depth that no fruit juice alone could deliver. Vodka contributes the alcoholic backbone without imposing flavor. Blue curaçao adds a subtle bitter orange peel character alongside its vivid color, while DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker schnapps brings a sharp sour-blueberry kick that creates productive tension against the sweeter ingredients and genuinely captures the sour-tang character of the original Pixy Stix candy. Sweet and sour mix delivers the essential citrus acidity that prevents the drink from becoming cloying. The combined flavor drinks like a tropical version of the original blue Pixy Stix candy: sweet, sour, fruity, and unmistakably nostalgic.

Serving suggestions

The layered effect is the entire visual identity of this cocktail and the technique deserves careful execution. Shake the first five ingredients (coconut rum, vodka, amaretto, pineapple juice, and sweet and sour mix) vigorously with ice in a shaker for 15 to 20 seconds, then strain into a tall hurricane or highball glass filled with fresh ice. Then layer the blue curaçao and DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker schnapps very slowly over the back of a bar spoon held just above the surface of the cocktail. The two blue liqueurs are denser than the lighter pineapple-vodka base and will sink slowly through the drink, creating a striking blue gradient effect that gradually mixes throughout the glass. For maximum visual impact, drink with a clear straw so the gradient remains visible as you consume the cocktail. Use a quality coconut rum like Malibu or Cruzan Coconut, and choose Disaronno Originale for the amaretto: budget amaretto with artificial flavoring produces a noticeably less complex result. For a candy-themed presentation, rim the glass with edible glitter or colored sugar before pouring to create a visual reference to the candy that inspired the cocktail. For a Halloween or themed party presentation, garnish with an actual Pixy Stix paper straw alongside a cocktail straw.

Why You'll Love It?

Ingredients for Pixie Stick

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Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. In a shaker with ice cubes, add the coconut rum, vodka, amaretto, pineapple juice, and sweet-and-sour mix.
2. Shake vigorously for about 15-20 seconds until well-chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a tall glass filled with ice.
4. Slowly pour the blue curacao and Dekuyper Island Blue Pucker schnapps over the top to create a beautiful layered effect.