The Popular Infused Spirit Britney Spears Loves

It's a cliche to comment how celebrities are people too, but it's true. Just like anyone else, they have their favorite foods and drinks. Since being released from her controversial conservatorship after a lengthy legal battle, pop icon Britney Spears has been enjoying eating and drinking whatever she likes — including her favorite spirit. It turns out the "Toxic" singer is less interested in the "taste of a poison paradise" and more excited about a sweet treat when it comes to alcohol. According to a now-deleted Instagram post, the star's favorite drink is Malibu rum, a sweet, coconut-infused classic.

Britney's not alone in her love of the beverage. It's a beach party staple on every coast in the country. In addition to classic Malibu, fans of the brand can now enjoy premixed, rum-based cocktails including Malibu rum and coke, pina coladas, and Malibu strawberry daiquiris, all of which launched in 2024 in the new premixed Malibu drink line.

Malibu rum dates back to the 1970s. It was originally made with fruit spirits (plus rum and coconut) and was known as Coco Rico. It wasn't initially intended to be the versatile product for cocktail enthusiasts it's grown to become today. Instead, the idea was that bartenders (and people who like to mix drinks at home) could stock Malibu specifically to blend with pineapple juice for a quicker, easier way to make a pina colada.

While Malibu is typically thought of as a tropical treat (it was produced in Barbados for many years), today it's made primarily in Canada, with some production also taking place in Spain and the United States. Somewhat surprisingly, the fruity drink has an Irish cousin in Bailey's Irish Cream. The two spirits are very different in flavor, but both beverages were both developed by the same man: Tom Jago, a British World War Two veteran turned liquor executive and a hero to fans of dessert-flavored drinks everywhere.

Malibu is beloved as a cocktail ingredient (or as something to drink on its own), but did you know it moonlights as an ingredient in a variety of foods? Malibu-infused desserts include coconut twists on classic rum cake, pina colada-inspired pineapple upside down cake, and even a refreshing sorbet. Playing a Britney Spears album while you're cooking is optional, but highly recommended.

The fun doesn't stop with desserts. For a mix of sweet and savory, Malibu makes a great addition to appetizers and main dishes. While that may sound surprising, Malibu rum-glazed grilled shrimp offer a flavor profile similar to classic coconut shrimp without the need for a deep fryer. For those with a shellfish allergy (or if you're just not in the mood for seafood), Malibu can also serve as a fun addition to marinade for poultry dishes like barbecue chicken wings. You can even add it to salsa to serve with chips for a happy hour treat. Be aware that, whatever dish you're cooking, if the rum isn't cooked on high heat, the alcohol won't burn off, which means it'll still be present in the food.