Piña Colada Cocktail Recipe

Written by: Yuri Jones
July 27, 2025

Image source: Salima's Kitchen

Prep Time

5 minutes

Servings

1

Glassware

Hurricane Glass and Highball Glass

Ingredients

2 oz white rum (60 ml)
1 oz cream of coconut (30 ml)
1 oz heavy cream (30 ml) (optional for extra creaminess)
2 oz pineapple juice (60 ml)
0.5 cup crushed ice (or more, if blending)
Garnish: pineapple wedge and cherry

Tools

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Jigger
Blender (for frozen version) or cocktail shaker (for shaken)
Citrus knife or peeler
Garnish pick or skewer

Directions

For frozen version: Add all ingredients to a blender with crushed ice. Blend until smooth.
For shaken version: Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice, then strain over crushed ice into a chilled glass.
Garnish with pineapple and cherry.

Mixologist's Notes

Cream of coconut (like Coco Lopez) is sweetened; don't confuse it with coconut milk.
Add extra ice if needed to reach your preferred texture.
A dark rum float adds beautiful contrast and depth.

Flavor Profile

Creamy, fruity, tropical, and sweet with a silky coconut finish.

Pina Colada Recipe Poster

$39.00

About the Piña Colada

The Piña Colada is the tropical vacation you can hold in your hand.

Born in Puerto Rico, this creamy cocktail dates back to the 1950s, though its exact inventor is still debated.

Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, a bartender at the Caribe Hilton in San Juan, is most often credited with creating the now-famous blend of rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice.

Declared the island’s official drink in 1978, the Piña Colada remains a symbol of laid-back luxury.

Why the Piña Colada Is So Loved

The Piña Colada cocktail recipe is smooth, sweet, and irresistibly tropical.

With its combination of fresh fruit, rich coconut, and rum, it’s more dessert than highball, but that’s part of its appeal. It's creamy without being heavy, and the natural acidity of pineapple keeps it from becoming cloying.

Served blended or shaken over ice, it's one of the most approachable cocktails for casual drinkers and a summertime favorite worldwide.

Flavor Variations and Best Pairings

Want to switch things up? Try one of these:

Use dark rum or a rum blend for a deeper flavor
Add banana, mango, or strawberry for a fruit-forward twist
Float overproof rum on top for a “dirty” colada
Swap cream of coconut for coconut milk to reduce sweetness

Pair Piña Coladas with grilled shrimp, jerk chicken, fish tacos, or coconut-based desserts. The drink’s tropical sweetness complements spicy and savory Caribbean flavors beautifully.

Why It Still Feels Like a Getaway

The Piña Colada isn’t just a cocktail; it’s a whole mood.

It’s for hammocks, pool floats, and spontaneous beach playlists. Whether you’re at a tiki bar or just trying to mentally escape, one sip is all it takes to transport you somewhere sunny.

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