Non Alcoholic Piña Colada

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Are you craving the taste of the Caribbean?  Then you must try your hand at making a non alcoholic piña colada. This recipe is so easy, you’ll want to make it all the time!

What makes this drink so addicting is the combination of coconut and pineapple.  These two tropical fruits always are a winning combination!  Just dump everything into the blender and give your blender a whirl.  Presto, your drink is ready to enjoy! 

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Questions

What does a virgin piña colada taste like?

The dominant taste in a virgin piña colada is pineapple, followed by coconut.  This drink uses crushed ice, so it tastes very cold, which is perfect for a hot day.  If you want to be adventurous, you can add a splash of freshly squeezed lime juice, angostura bitters, or maraschino cherry juice to change up the taste.

Is there a difference between coconut cream and cream of coconut?

Coconut milk is similar to cow’s milk in consistency, while cream of coconut is like sweetened condensed milk.  Coconut milk is used in Asian cooking, and cream of coconut is used for mixed drinks and desserts.  Both require a thorough shaking before using because the liquid and fat separate during storage.  The latter will give more body to your mixed drinks and desserts because it is richer, sweeter, and thicker.

Where can I find cream of coconut?

First, check in your local grocery store.  Most carry it, but if you can’t find any there, try shopping online.

• Ethnic food aisle near the Thai food items
• Drink mix area of the grocery store
• Near the milk products in a health food store

How do you make blended drinks thicker?

• Decide on your consistency: slushy, thick, or creamy.
• Add the fresh fruit first and the ice last.
• Use more crushed ice that’s cold and not half melted.
• Freeze some of your piña colada mix and use that to thicken the drink.

How can I garnish a piña colada?

To make this drink look tropical, spend a little extra time getting your garnishes ready.  Cut up a pineapple to get some wedges.  Pull off the leaves, and cut the outer skin to make strips.

Find some pretty maraschino cherries with stems to give your glass some color.  You can also use some shaved coconut.  To make the drink look more tropical, pierce a  wedge of this fruit with a cocktail umbrella or use a bamboo pick to show off a cube of pineapple and some cherries.

Can I freeze a piña colada?

Yes, it’s perfect for making this drink ahead of time.  Just blend all your ingredients in a blender.

Pour it into an empty ice cream container.  Cover and freeze for up to one week.

How to Make

Start with a fresh pineapple.  Remove the leaves and keep the best ones from the center to use as a garnish.  Keep some of the rind to use as a garnish.

Slice one section into triangles and the other into long rectangles for garnishes.  The other two sections can be cut up to use in the drink.

Gather all the ingredients.

Place the fresh pineapple chunks, juice, and the cream of coconut in a blender.  Make sure the cream of coconut is stirred well before adding to the blender.

Add the crushed ice last. 

Put the lid on and blend until smooth.  It will be foamy on top, but that part tastes really good, so no worries.

Pour into a hurricane glass and add a pineapple wedge to the rim.  Make sure to cut a small slit with a knife so it fits nicely.

Next add your cherry with a stem.  Cut a small slit in that too so it rests securely on the rim.

Add two rinsed pineapple leaves for color and to make it look more tropical.

Enjoy, your garnished non alcoholic piña colada with a loved one tonight.  It will make their evening just a little more special.

Don’t worry–if you can’t make it to the beach or go on a vacation to the tropics, you can still enjoy the tropical flavors of this classic drink wherever you are.

Since this drink has no alcohol, it is sure to be a family favorite!  Bring on the kids, and let the taste testing begin!

Variations

• Want to reduce the fat content? Lower the amount of coconut cream or use coconut milk and add superfine white sugar right after the pineapple chunks.
• Want garnish options?  Pineapple wedges and leaves, maraschino cherries, lime curls, cocktail umbrellas, shaved coconut
• Health conscious?  Use coconut milk or water, extra fine sugar, freshly squeezed lime juice, and tons of shaved ice.

Pro Tips

• Use Coco Real cream of coconut drink mix for a creamy, thicker piña colada that has a more dominant coconut taste.
• Use Coco Lopez for a thinner piña colada that allows the pineapple taste to shine through more than the coconut.

Recommended Tools

• Set of 4 Hurricane Glasses: we love these beautiful glasses for daiquiris and piña coladas.
• Coco Real Cream of Coconut: this thick, creamy coconut cream makes a luxurious piña colada.
• Bamboo Cutting Board: this spacious cutting board is great for cutting this tropical fruit.
• Paper Umbrellas: garnish your piña coladas with these cute and colorful umbrellas.

De-stress with these other refreshing non-alcoholic drinks.  Treat yourself!

• Sparkling Grapefruit and Ginger Fizz
• Easy Lime and Mint Refresher
• Arnold Palmer Drink

The pleasure of a 5-star review would be greatly appreciated.

Non Alcoholic Piña Colada

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Brooke
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 1 15-ounce drink 1x

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Description

Ready for paradise?  Whip up this easy tropical drink for kids of all ages to enjoy at your next party.  Cream of coconut, crushed pineapple, and pineapple juice mixed with ice is so refreshing on a hot day.  Whether you are sitting on the beach or just wishing for a vacay to the tropics, one sip of this classic drink will transport you to the islands.  Enjoy this simple recipe today!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the Piña Colada

• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup cream of coconut, (Coco Real: Cream of Coconut Drink Mix)
• 1 cup crushed ice

For the Garnish

• pineapple wedge
• maraschino cherry with stem
• pineapple leaves

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Instructions

Preparing the Garnishes (Optional)

1. Optional: chill or freeze your glassware.  Traditionally, piña coladas use hurricane glasses, but any tall, 16-ounce glassware will do.
2. To prepare the leaves, cut off the top of the pineapple.  Take the nicest, smaller leaves out to use as a garnish, or keep some larger leaves and make them smaller with a knife.
3. Make a garnish from the skin by cutting the outer skin off.  Rinse then cut into 1/4 inch strips and place in a bowl.
4. To make wedges for the rim of the glass, cut the skinned pineapple in quarters lengthwise.  Cut triangular wedges from one of the quarters, then round out the top edge with a knife if needed.  Make a small slit with a knife near the point so it can rest on the rim of a glass.  Place the extra wedges in a bowl.
5. Core the remaining three quarters and cut into one inch chunks.  If you like, you can freeze the leftovers.
6. Select some pretty cherries with stems.  Make a small slit at the base, so the cherry can sit securely on the edge of the glass.  Put the cherries in a small bowl.

Making the Piña Colada

1. Shake the pineapple juice and the cream of coconut before using.
2. Put the pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and crushed ice in a blender.  Pulse until smooth.  (If your blender isn’t powerful, you can crush your ice first in the blender, then remove the ice and make the drink as described.)
3. Pour into a glass and garnish with a wedge of fruit, maraschino cherry, pineapple leaves and/or pineapple skin strips.  Insert a straw, preferably red and white, and enjoy.

Notes

• For a creamy, thicker piña colada that has a more dominant coconut taste, use the brand Coco Real  drink mix.
• Want the pineapple taste to shine through more than the coconut?  Use Coco Lopez for a thinner piña colada.

• Category: Drink
• Method: Blender
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: non alcoholic piña colada, virgin piña colada

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This post was originally published on April 20, 2018.