Virgin Piña Colada
ورجن پینا کولاڈا
Piña colada means strained pineapple in Spanish, and the drink comes from Puerto Rico, where pineapple and coconut grow side by side. The virgin version leaves out the rum and keeps everything that makes it special: sweet pineapple, rich coconut and a thick, frosty texture. Blending the fruit and coconut milk smooth before adding the ice is what gives it that silky, milkshake-like body without big icy chunks.
- ⏱ Total: 10 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Easy
- Serves 2
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
If using a fresh pineapple, cut off the top, base and skin, remove the woody core and cut the flesh into chunks. Set aside two small wedges for garnish.
Put the pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, coconut milk, sugar and lemon juice in the blender.
Blend on high for about 1 minute, until completely smooth and pale yellow with no fibrous bits.
Add the ice and blend for 30–40 seconds more, until thick, frosty and pourable, like a soft milkshake.
Taste and add a little more sugar if your pineapple was sharp, then pulse once.
Pour into chilled glasses, garnish each with a pineapple wedge on the rim and serve immediately.
Kitchen notes
Use canned full-fat coconut milk, not the thin coconut drink sold in cartons. The fat is what makes the drink creamy.
Freezing the pineapple chunks for a few hours lets you use less ice, so the drink stays thick and full of flavour instead of watery.
Shake the tin of coconut milk well before opening. The cream separates and rises to the top as it sits.
A taste of the tropics
The piña colada was made famous in Puerto Rico in the 1950s, and its name simply means strained pineapple. The virgin version, without rum, is now one of the most popular mocktails anywhere. It is richer than most cold drinks, closer to a fruit shake than a soda, which makes it a good choice for a summer afternoon treat, a birthday party or an iftar table when you want something more indulgent than lemonade.
The texture is everything
What separates a good piña colada from a thin, icy one is the order of blending. The pineapple, juice and coconut milk go in first and are blended until completely smooth. This breaks down the pineapple fibres and emulsifies the coconut fat into the juice, giving a silky, creamy base. Only then does the ice go in, for a short blend that chills and thickens without melting into water. Frozen pineapple chunks take this a step further: they chill the drink from within, so you need less ice and the flavour stays strong. A teaspoon of lemon juice may look like an odd addition, but it lifts the pineapple and stops the coconut from tasting heavy.
Variations
- Mango colada: swap half the pineapple for ripe mango chunks.
- Extra creamy: add a scoop of vanilla ice cream with the ice.
- Lighter: use light coconut milk and an extra half cup of pineapple juice.
Serving and storing
Serve straight from the blender, as the drink separates if it stands. Leftovers can be poured into ice-lolly moulds and frozen for a creamy pineapple-coconut lolly. A blended base without ice keeps for a day in the fridge.
Questions people ask
Can I use tinned pineapple?
Yes. Tinned pineapple works very well and is often sweeter. Use the syrup from the tin instead of juice and reduce or skip the sugar.
What can I use instead of coconut milk?
Coconut cream gives an even richer drink. Without any coconut, use half a cup of milk with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, though it will no longer taste like a piña colada.
Can I make it ahead?
Blend the pineapple and coconut base up to a day ahead and refrigerate. Re-blend it with ice just before serving.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 340
- Protein
- 3 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
