This creamy piña colada with crushed pineapple is made with rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple, and couldn’t be easier. We also think it’s even better than the classic.
This boozy, creamy piña colada is what we’re sipping all summer long. The frozen drink features two types of rum (yeah, baby, two types of rum!), cream of coconut, and pineapple. With one of these in hand, you won’t even mind getting caught in the rain.–Angie Zoobkoff
☞ Contents
Piña Colada FAQs
Can I make a piña colada without a blender?
No. The ingredients in this drink need to be blended smooth, and the ice needs to be perfectly pulverized. If this were to be served on the rocks, your drink would likely have plops of solidified coconut cream and pineapple pieces throughout. Chunky, unappetizing, and impossible to drink through a straw.
Can fresh pineapple be used instead of canned?
Yes, but you may need to add a touch of sweetener (such as agave syrup) to taste.
What’s the difference between cream of coconut and coconut milk or cream?
Coconut milk is extracted from the pulp of coconut. When chilled, the layer of fat that forms on top is coconut cream. Cream of coconut is made from coconut cream, however, it has sugar added to it and has a more syrup-like texture, making it ideal for cocktails and desserts.
In this recipe
Creamy Piña Colada with Crushed Pineapple
Ingredients
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez
- 1 ounce light rum or more, to taste
- 1 ounce dark rum or more, to taste
- 1 ounce canned unsweetened coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons canned crushed pineapple preferably packed in juice
- 3 cups ice cubes
- 2 Maraschino cherries for garnish (optional)
- 2 pineapple wedges for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Pop 2 cocktail glasses in the freezer to chill while you are making the drink.
- In a blender, combine the pineapple juice, cream of coconut, light and dark rums, coconut milk, crushed pineapple, and ice and blend until smooth.
- Pour the pina colada between the 2 cocktail glasses. If desired, garnish each glass with a cherry and pineapple wedge. Serve immediately.
Show Nutrition
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We’d love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This recipe makes a very good creamy piña colada. I haven’t had one of these in years, but this definitely brought back memories of some of the very best ones I have previously experienced.
The only suggestion I have is that the drink is not very sweet and if your preference is for a sweeter version, another ounce or so of Coco Lopez will take the sweetness up a notch. The recipe makes 2 generous drinks.
This is a nice and pretty much classic piña colada. It’s on the sweeter side but also has good pineapple and lots of coconut flavor. Probably a touch more pineapple is more to my taste, but overall the recipe works.
These are light on alcohol with 1 oz per drink. For a boozier drink (my preference), I’d use 2 oz. of each kind of rum.
I threw this creamy piña colada with crushed pineapple recipe together very quickly; it was a big hit with the family. Everyone thought it had a smooth texture and a great taste.
I made it with 1 ounce of booze, and we all added more rum to the drink after a few sips. I would suggest at least doubling the amount of rum. If you prefer not to taste the alcohol, then leave the recipe as is. The recipe was easy to follow, and the great flavor is well worth the effort. It’s definitely unlike other pina coladas I’ve had!
This piña colada recipe is dangerously simple to make. All the flavors of the Caribbean in one glass. It comes together in about 10 minutes.
I shared this with a friend on a very hot day and it was so refreshing. It’s a good thing that I only bought enough rum for the recipe as we were ready to have a couple more!
Want to be transported to a tropical paradise? This creamy piña colada cocktail will do the trick. Just minutes to prepare, the combination of pineapple, rum, and coconut will have you dreaming of your next Caribbean vacation!
Make sure to whip up ingredients for a while in the blender to make sure it’s frothy smooth. You don’t want pieces of ice stopping the flow up the straw. I’d go ahead and make a double batch. Delicious!
This piña colada almost tasted like a “light” version of the usual rich and delicious coconut goodness that I equate with this classic drink. It reminded me of melted snow cone or, dare I say, a slurpee! Perhaps more cream of coconut and substituting frozen pineapple and therefore adding less ice would have made it richer. If you’re going for “light” this recipe is perfect as is.
Originally published July 21, 2017
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Alcohol substitute?
Diane, if you want to skip the alcohol in this, you can either omit it or add an extra ounce each of the cream of coconut and pineapple juice. If you omit the alcohol and don’t add extra cream of coconut and pineapple juice, then you’ll likely need a little less ice than the recipe calls for to keep the consistency the same.