Few cocktails herald the arrival of summer like the pina colada. A favorite classic rum drink, the best pina colada recipe blends pineapple and cream of coconut with ice to yield a thoroughly indulgent frozen drink that brings a tropical vibe to any gathering—even if you’re hundreds of miles from water.
Our frozen pina colada recipe uses a blender to create a refreshing drink with a creamy, rich texture. The best blenders are sturdy enough to break ice into a smooth, slushy consistency. If it’s been a minute since you’ve broken out the blender, brush up on how to make frozen drinks before you round up your pina colada drink recipe ingredients.
Pina Colada Ingredients
- Ice: The best pina colada recipe calls for crushed ice. It blends more easily than regular ice cubes, giving the cocktail the ideal slushy texture.
- Pineapple chunks: Frozen pineapple chunks give the cocktail a thick texture and keep the drink chilled as it blends.
- Rum: Light or white rum is standard in most pina colada cocktail recipes because it doesn’t overpower the tropical coconut and pineapple flavors.
- Cream of coconut: Mind the labels when shopping for cream of coconut—it’s not the same as coconut cream. Cream of coconut is sweeter and more decadent, thanks to the added sugar. Coco Lopez is the most famous and widely available brand.
- Pineapple juice: The tastiest recipe for a pina colada is made with 100% pineapple juice rather than pineapple juice from concentrate. If you have a fresh pineapple, you can make cold-pressed juice at home (even if you don’t have a juicer).
- Garnishes: A fresh pineapple wedge and a maraschino cherry are the traditional garnishes for a pina colada drink recipe. If you’re feeling fancy and fun, add a paper umbrella.
Directions
Step 1: Blend the ingredients
Put the ice, frozen pineapple, rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice into a blender. Secure the lid and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Serve the pina coladas
Pour the cocktail into a chilled hurricane or highball glass.
Cut a 1-inch slit into the tip of a pineapple wedge. Slide the wedge over the rim of the glass and garnish the drink with a maraschino cherry.
Pina Colada Variations
- Make a virgin pina colada: Skip the rum and create a booze-free pina colada everyone can enjoy. Replace the rum with an extra ounce each of pineapple juice and cream of coconut.
- Mix up the fruit: Play around with your favorite fruit combinations to create a custom pina colada drink recipe. Tropical fruits like passion fruit, banana and mango make wickedly delicious additions. You can also toss in a splash of orange juice or a handful of frozen berries or peaches.
- Shake your pina colada: When you’re craving a recipe for a pina colada but don’t want to dig out the blender, make a shaken pina colada and serve it in a tall glass filled with ice (aka pina colada on the rocks). The secret is to shake it really well, at least 30 seconds or so.
- Temper the sweetness: Add a dash of bitters or a spritz of lime juice to temper some of the sweetness in the frozen pina colada recipe.
Can you make pina coladas ahead of time?
Making the best pina colada recipe ahead of time is a wonderful option when you need a low-effort batch cocktail recipe for a party or backyard barbecue. Blend a big batch and store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one month.
Whatever you do, just don’t store frozen pina coladas in the fridge—they will melt. Thanks to the alcohol content, pina coladas won’t freeze solid so there’s no danger in storing the mix in the freezer until it’s time to start sipping.
Pina Colada Tips
What is the best kind of rum for a pina colada?
The clean, bright, fairly neutral flavors of white or light rum make it the best kind of rum for a pina colada cocktail recipe. The flavors come through but take a backseat to the tropical tang of pineapple and creamy coconut. A few of the best rums for pina coladas are Flor de Caña, Bacardi Superior, Don Q Cristal, Plantation 3 Stars, and Wray and Nephew Overproof.
If you prefer a a richer, warmer pina colada, try swapping in spiced rum. Or use dark rum, which adds layers of molasses, caramel, vanilla and toasted sugar to the drink. For a more intense coconut or pineapple flavor, use coconut or pineapple rum.
In what kind of glass should you serve a pina colada?
If you order a pina colada at a tiki bar, it will probably be served in a hurricane glass or a Poco Grande, a type of cocktail glass with a broad, curvy bowl and a long stem. A classic highball glass is an easy substitute if you don’t have any of these big-bowled glasses in your home bar setup.
What can you serve with a pina colada?
Pina coladas are sweet with a cooling frozen factor, making them a tremendous drink to enjoy with bold, spicy fare, especially savory recipes with pineapple and coconut. Think southwestern pineapple pork chops, Caribbean jerk chicken, spicy shrimp with rice, spiced pork skewers or Jamaican salmon with coconut cream.
Anything hot off the grill is a winner, but I’m also a fan of pairing pina coladas with lighter, citrusy dishes like crunchy chili lime shrimp, fish tacos or carnitas. Anything made or served with plenty of lime and salsa will cut through a pina colada’s creaminess.
