Virgin Pina Colada
Pineapple juice, cream of coconut and ice, blended. The Piña Colada's whole flavour without the rum — which, in this drink, is the least important part.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the pineapple juice, cream of coconut and lime juice to a blender with about a cup of ice.
Blend until smooth and thick, 15 to 20 seconds.
Pour into a hurricane glass or tall glass.
Garnish with a pineapple wedge and, if you like, a cherry.
A thoughtful finish
- Cream of coconut is sweetened and thick; coconut milk is neither. The recipe needs the first. If you only have coconut milk, add an ounce of simple syrup.
- A little lime stops it being cloying and is the difference between a drink and a dessert.
- Fresh pineapple, blended, in place of juice makes a thicker, fresher, slightly less sweet drink.
Common mistakes
- Coconut milk in place of cream of coconut. The drink comes out thin and unsweetened.
- Sweetened pineapple juice from a can. It doubles the sugar.
- Skipping the ice or blending it thin. It should be a thick, cold slush.
A few good questions.
Does it taste the same as a Piña Colada?
Very nearly. Rum is a small part of the flavour of a Piña Colada; pineapple and coconut carry it. This is the drink without the warmth.
Cream of coconut or coconut cream?
Cream of coconut — the sweetened product sold for cocktails. 'Coconut cream' in the baking aisle is thick, unsweetened coconut milk and is not the same.
Can I make it without a blender?
Shake it hard with ice and strain over crushed ice. It will be less thick but just as good.
Can I add a non-alcoholic rum?
Yes, an ounce and a half. The alcohol-free rum alternatives are among the better ones, and this is a drink that shows them well.
Variations
- Piña Colada — With white rum.
- Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri — Strawberries, lime and sugar, blended.
- Virgin Mojito — Lime, mint and soda.
- Painkiller — Rum, pineapple, orange and coconut.
Where it comes from
1954 (Piña Colada); alcohol-free versions since · San Juan, Puerto Rico · Ramón 'Monchito' Marrero (Piña Colada) · Caribe Hilton
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
The Piña Colada was created at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan in 1954, usually credited to Ramón Marrero, and its base — pineapple juice and cream of coconut blended with ice — is a complete drink on its own. The alcohol-free version was served from the start to anyone who asked, and it has been a children’s and poolside standard ever since. Puerto Rico’s piña colada is the national drink, and the rum-free version is drunk there as much as the original. There is nothing virgin about it except the name; it is the drink’s fruit and coconut, which is most of what you taste.
Sources
- Caribe Hilton, Piña Colada history, 1954 (archive)
- Jeff Berry, Potions of the Caribbean, 2014 (book)
- Wayne Curtis, And a Bottle of Rum, 2006 (book)
A little character in every sip.
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