Pixie Stix

The Pixie Stix is the sweeter, redder of the two drinks in our archive named after the candy straws, and it plays the part well. Southern Comfort and amaretto make the base, sweet and sour mix and a splash of Sprite fill out the glass, and a spoonful of grenadine finishes it with a red layer at the bottom. Topped with maraschino cherries, it looks like something you would order poolside on vacation.

Southern Comfort brings peach and soft spice, amaretto adds sweet almond, and with the sour mix doing the heavy lifting the whole thing tastes like a fruitier cousin of the Amaretto Sour. The Sprite lightens it with a little sparkle. The original directions said to float the grenadine on top, but grenadine is denser than everything else in the glass and will not stay up there. Pour it in last and it sinks straight through, settling at the bottom and fading upward into the amber drink above, much like a Tequila Sunrise. We have updated the steps to match what actually happens in the glass.

Glass: Highball glass | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 3 minutes

Bartenders tip: For the cleanest red layer, pour the grenadine slowly down the inside of the glass or over the back of a bar spoon, and do not stir afterward. Homemade sour mix, equal parts fresh lemon juice, lime juice and simple syrup, makes a real difference here, since bottled mix can push a drink this sweet over the edge. A real pomegranate grenadine also tastes far better than the bright red corn syrup kind.