I made the 4-ingredient cocktail 'Survivor' players swear by, and I see why they drank it after they lost

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I made the 4-ingredient cocktail 'Survivor' players swear by, and I see why they drank it after they lost
Andrea Boehlke and Malcolm Freberg on "Survivor." CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images
  • I made the peanut-butter cocktail "Survivor: Caramoan" players enjoyed at Ponderosa.
  • All of the ingredients were easy to find and the smoothie was simple to throw together.
  • This drink was refreshing, smooth, and perfect for summer.
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When "Survivor" competitors are voted off the island late enough in the game, they are sent to a vacation-like resort called Ponderosa, where they can basically eat and drink as much as they want.

"We had quite a few cocktails early and often for about a week that we were all stuck there together," three-time player Malcolm Freberg told Insider about his stay after "Survivor: Caramoan."

Freberg, who used to be a bartender, said he'd often make four-ingredient rum smoothies that were "a thousand calories" but "the best thing on the planet."

So I decided to try this "Survivor" cocktail for myself to see if it lived up to the hype. Here's how it turned out:

The ingredients were easy to find and cost less than $15

I made the 4-ingredient cocktail 'Survivor' players swear by, and I see why they drank it after they lost
This smoothie calls for ice cream, peanut butter, banana, and rum. Meghan Cook for Insider

Freberg said with the "limited supplies at Ponderosa," he concocted this "Survivor" smoothie with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, a tablespoon of peanut butter, a third of a (preferably frozen) banana, and a shot of rum.

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He added that "bottom shelf" rum works fine since you're "not going to taste it."

I easily found all of the items at the grocery store for less than $15.

Lactose-intolerant "Survivor" fans (such as myself) can swap out regular ice cream for affordable dairy-free options, like Trader Joe's Soy Creamy vanilla.

It didn't take long to throw everything together

I made the 4-ingredient cocktail 'Survivor' players swear by, and I see why they drank it after they lost
Everything blended together in about 10 seconds. Meghan Cook for Insider

This rum smoothie was incredibly easy to make.

After throwing in the ice, I sliced open the frozen banana and added it to the blender along with four scoops of ice cream and a tablespoon of peanut butter. I topped everything off with the shot of rum.

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Freberg said to "blend, then serve to anyone who didn't vote you off the island."

The cocktail was ready pretty quickly - I blended it on a low setting until smooth, or about 10 seconds.

This rum smoothie was even better than I expected

I made the 4-ingredient cocktail 'Survivor' players swear by, and I see why they drank it after they lost
I would definitely make this drink again. Meghan Cook for Insider

This cocktail went down smoothly.

The rum was notable without standing out too much, and the peanut butter perfectly paired with the ice cream and banana.

This thick, creamy, and cold dessert made for a perfect summer treat, and I can see why "Survivor" players loved this smoothie after starving on a remote island for weeks.

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Although I wouldn't change a thing, it's an easy cocktail to personalize

This rum smoothie was affordable, easy to make, and more delicious than expected.

The original recipe is great on its own, but the simple four-ingredient cocktail easily lends itself to other creative takes.

I can already imagine myself trying it out with caramel toppings, almond milk, and different rum liqueurs or swapping out vanilla ice cream for popular flavors like rocky road.

Freberg also said you could add "a squeeze of chocolate syrup for a different twist."

This drink will definitely be in rotation at my next "Survivor" viewing party.

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Follow along with our series of interviews to see what else the former players told Insider.

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