My neighbor keeps showing up with bottles of freshly squeezed pineapple juice. I’m not complaining, but I needed to figure out what to do with it all quickly.

Turns out thyme from my herb garden and pineapple juice are a really good combination. Now I actually look forward to when another bottle shows up on my doorstep, which I anticipate being any minute now.

White rum, fresh lime, thyme simple syrup, and pineapple juice are mixed to create this tropical cocktail without being overly sweet or one-dimensional, which is usually what ruins a pineapple cocktail for me.

Why Thyme?

Thyme is earthy, slightly floral, and has just enough of a savory quality to keep sweet drinks from going to the gross zone.

Pineapple juice is naturally high in both sugar and acid, so the thyme adds some balance and depth to the cocktail

Lime adds brightness and keeps the rum flavor in there. Skip it, and it turns into a boring pineapple drink.

Thyme Simple Syrup

You’ll need thyme simple syrup, which you can easily make at home with my recipe. Remember to only use fresh thyme, as dried thyme goes muddy in cocktails.

If you don’t grow your own herbs, you can find fresh thyme in the produce second throughout the year.

Store your simple syrups in a 4 oz glass mason jar in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze it if you’ve made a bigger batch.

How to Mix Your Cocktail

Add rum, thyme syrup, pineapple juice, and lime juice to a shaker. Add ice and shake hard for about 15 seconds, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

A Boston shaker is what I use for almost everything because it keeps the drink cold, and the two cups locked together prevent the top from popping off.

Using a manual citrus juicer gives you fresh lime juice quickly, without the risk of bitter pith (the white part) getting into your juice.

Clear ice melts more slowly, is free of impurities that can affect the taste of your ice, and looks better in a rocks glass. My kids constantly find my clear ice cube maker hogging up space in the freezer, but they know not to touch it because mama needs her fancy ice.

Garnish

A pineapple wedge and a fresh thyme sprig give you not only a snack, but also a little herbal aroma as you drink

For a cleaner look, a thin pineapple slice cut on a mandoline slicer or even a dehydrated pineapple slice works well.

Grab more cocktail garnish ideas if you want to get more creative with presentation.

For glassware, I’d use a classic lowball, a ribbed lowball, or a double old fashioned if you’re using a big ice cube.

Add a Dash of Bitters

If you want to add a little Twist to the cocktail recipe, add some Angostura bitters. One dash adds spice and a faint herbal bitterness that echoes the thyme, rounding out the sweetness. It noticeably changes the drink’s character, so try the recipe as is and then make another with the bitters so you can compare and contrast.

How to Make it a Mocktail

Combine pineapple juice, thyme syrup, and lime juice, then top with soda water. Garnish the same way. The thyme syrup carries enough flavor that skipping the rum isn’t a huge deal. Use a little less syrup if you want it lighter, and give the soda water a gentle stir when combining so you keep the bubbles.

Essential Cocktail Tools

• Boston shaker
• Fine-mesh strainer
• Citrus juicer
• Mandoline slicer
• Clear ice cube maker

Everything I use is listed in my Amazon shop if you’re building out your home bar.

More Cocktails Using Thyme Simple Syrup

• Thyme Honey Lemon Whiskey Sour
• Lemon Thyme Spritz
• Thyme Blackberry Bourbon Bramble
• Herb Garden Spritz (sub thyme syrup for basil)
• Pineapple Thyme Punch

Read my full thyme cocktail guide for more options.

Pineapple Thyme Punch Recipe

Glass: Rocks

Ingredients

• 2 oz white rum
• 3/4 oz thyme simple syrup
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• Ice
• Garnish: pineapple wedge + fresh thyme sprig

Instructions

1. Add rum, thyme syrup, pineapple juice, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker.
2. Add ice and shake for 15 seconds.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and thyme sprig.

Optional: Add one dash of Angostura bitters before shaking.