Frozen Caipirinha
A frozen Caipirinha with Brazilian cachaça, whole lime and sugar — sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓Brazil’s national cocktail is cachaça (a sugarcane spirit), lime and sugar.
Frozen, it’s similar to a daiquiri with a grassier spirit.
Frozen Caipirinha recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 6 oz cachaça
- 3 oz fresh lime juice
- 3½ oz simple syrup (paid link)
- 1 lime, cut into small wedges (for muddling/garnish)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lime wedges. Glass: Rocks glass.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add cachaça, lime juice and syrup to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour over a few muddled lime wedges in each glass.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| cachaça | 4⅔ oz | 6¼ oz | 4¼ oz | 5¼ oz | 10½ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 2⅓ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2⅔ oz | 5¼ oz |
| simple syrup | 2¾ oz | 3⅔ oz | 2½ oz | 3 oz | 6¼ oz |
| lime, cut into small wedges (for muddling/garnish) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- This batch uses about 12.5 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Equal lime and syrup with cachaça — classic sour balance.
About coladas, tiki & rum drinks
Tropical rum drinks lean on pineapple, coconut, passion fruit and citrus. Cream of coconut is the secret to a smooth colada; it adds fat that keeps shaved ice silky. Most of these recipes include two or more juices, which makes them lower in alcohol per ounce than they taste — but the rum still adds up across a batch.
Tips for the best texture
- Muddle wedges in the glass for aroma.
- Use unaged cachaça.
- Add passion fruit for variety.
- Serve in rocks glasses.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with lime wedges and serve in a rocks glass. Tropical drinks shine with big garnishes — pineapple wedges, orange wheels, cherries on a pick and a paper umbrella. Hurricane glasses or tiki mugs hold the larger pours. For a crowd, a Tahiti lets you run a colada, a rum punch-style drink and a virgin version side by side.
Variations
- Passion fruit: Add passion fruit.
- Strawberry: Add strawberries.
- Caipiroska: Use vodka.
Mocktail swap
Use limeade and sparkling water.
Shop the ingredients
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
What’s cachaça?
Brazilian spirit distilled from sugarcane juice.
Rum instead?
Then it’s a daiquiri.
Strength?
2 oz per drink.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
