Piña Coladas
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If you like piña coladas, whip up this frosty cocktail with frozen pineapple, cream of coconut, and rum – it’s paradise in a glass!
Whenever I think of piña coladas, especially on a hot summer day or when that catchy song comes on the radio, I’m whisked back to a vacation in the Dominican Republic with my daughter, all of 9 years old at the time. There she was, in her little bikini, swimming up to the pool bar with her childhood friend, ordering virgin piña coladas amidst a swarm of partying college kids. It was quite the scene (and maybe even borderline inappropriate!), but those two sipping their mocktails in the pool like seasoned vacationers was just the cutest sight!
I’m not sure if those piña coladas were any good — they were probably the kind made from an overly-sweet mix — but this version is authentic. Made with a blend of pineapple, cream of coconut, coconut milk, lime juice, and a generous splash of rum, this frosty cocktail is like a tropical dessert that doesn’t need to wait for after dinner. Close your eyes and it may just transport you to sun-kissed beaches of vacations past. If you have kids or non-drinkers around who want to get in on the fun, whip up some virgin piña coladas for them by leaving out the rum.
What You’ll Need to Make Piña Coladas
Some piña colada recipes use dark or golden rum; I opt for light rum as it helps to highlight the coconut and pineapple flavors.
When shopping, be sure not to confuse “cream of coconut” with “coconut cream.” Coconut cream consists of coconut meat and a small amount of water, whereas cream of coconut is coconut cream that’s been sweetened and processed to achieve a thick, syrup-like consistency. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut is considered the gold standard when making piña coladas. It’s available at most large supermarkets, typically found in the section with cocktail mixers and other drink ingredients. You might also find it in the international foods aisle, particularly in the Latin or Caribbean products section.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Put the pineapple chunks and ice into the blender.
Add the coconut milk.
Pour in the cream of coconut.
Add the lime juice.
Pour in the rum.
Blend until smooth and frosty.
Pour into glasses.
Garnish with pineapple slices and Maraschino cherries, if desired. Serve immediately.
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Piña Coladas
If you like piña coladas, whip up this frosty cocktail with frozen pineapple, cream of coconut, and rum – it’s paradise in a glass!
Ingredients
- 2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 6 oz. (¾ cup) Coco Lopez® Cream of Coconut (see note)
- 2 oz. (¼ cup) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk or heavy cream
- 6 oz. (¾ cup) white rum
- Juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Pineapple slices and/or Maraschino cherries, for garnish
Instructions
- Put the pineapple, ice, cream of coconut, coconut milk (or heavy cream), rum, and lime juice into a blender. Blend until smooth and frosty. Pour into glasses and garnish with pineapple slices and Maraschino cherries, if desired. Serve immediately.
- Note: When shopping, be sure not to confuse "cream of coconut" with "coconut cream." Coconut cream consists of coconut meat and a small amount of water, whereas cream of coconut is coconut cream that's been sweetened and processed to achieve a thick, syrup-like consistency. Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut is considered the gold standard when making piña coladas. It's available at most large supermarkets, typically found in the section with cocktail mixers and other drink ingredients. You might also find it in the international foods aisle, particularly in the Latin or Caribbean products section.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 321
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 9 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Sugar: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 23 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Wow! Best. Pina Coladas. Ever!!! Made them for my daughter’s in-laws and the rest of the family and everyone absolutely loved them. Just a quick tip, we live in South Florida and tried to find Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut at our local Publix grocery store but couldn’t find it. Asked a manager and he called next door to the Publix liquor store and they carried it there. It definitely makes a difference using this brand. Making it again soon!
Totally agree. Absolutely the best !
Mouthwatering! One sip and you will really be transported to far away resort! I made these for a “one last summer hurrah” party for my teens. I switched the rum for pineapple juice. Absolutely delicious! Thank you.
Wowza! Dee-licious! I could suck these things down on the regular. Not going to though. I found Coconut Barcardi rum to use here and this was the best Piña Colada I’ve ever had.
Next up- Mojito!
Yum! I whipped them up without the rum for dessert, and they were divine. Thanks for another great recipe.
Good grief, these are just outstanding. No coconut milk, so I used heavy cream and Malibu for my rum. My hubby and I drank it all, so I guess I’d say this recipe serves 2. We’ve made it twice this week. Oh my!
This looks so good, thanks for sharing! What would you recommend as a rum substitute to make it nonalcoholic?
Hi Emily, You can just omit the rum — they’ll still be delish!
Hi. Wondering if you use coconut milk in a can or regular coconut milk in a carton, does it matters at all? Thanks!
Hi Sonya, What you buy in a carton is coconut water, so you’ll want to buy the can. Hope that clarifies. 🙂
Excellent in every way! We certainly enjoyed another delicious recipe from Jenn. We will keep this cocktail recipe in our repertoire.
Another 5 star recipe from Master Mixologist Jenn! My kids were so delighted to have homemade virgin Pina Coladas that tasted better than any restaurant or resort we have been to! And so fast and easy to make! Bravo again!!!
This drink looks amazing. Always ordered it when we used to go to the Islands.
Where will one find coconut cream?
Hi Sunny, it’s typically in the drink and mixer section. If you don’t find it there, it’s likely in the Latin aisle. Hope you enjoy if you make them!
I would love to make this but do you freeze fresh pineapple or can cubed canned pineapple work?
Hi Valerie, You can freeze fresh pineapple, but I just buy it frozen – makes it easy!
Thanks Jen…I never even thought of that. Your recipes are all amazing. I have been using them for the past 4 years and they are so easy and delicious. I haven’t made anything that I disliked.
Question
Fresh pineapple or canned?
Actually, frozen pineapple (chunks).
We don’t drink liquor. So our jaws dropped when our 7 year old daughter ordered a Pina colada at a restaurant. The server, too, was stunned.
My kid’s explanation was that since she liked pineapple and coconut, she thought she’d like the drink. When I explained all the ingredients and said, “No,” the server jumped in and said they could make one without alcohol.
I’m making these for a backyard barbecue. Would it be OK to use dark rum? I prefer to have that on hand for a Dark and Stormy. We don’t usually drink light rum. How would it affect the taste? Or could I use Malibu coconut rum?
Hi Tonya, Either will work well, but I’d probably go for the Malibu. Enjoy!