Frozen Piña Colada

This frozen pina colada recipe requires just 5 ingredients and 5 minutes, and has incredible tropical flavor. Drink umbrella required!

The piña colada is not just for the 1990’s or beach resorts, we promise! Here at A Couple Cooks, we’ve got loads of cocktail recipes (200+ of them, in fact!). So we’d be remiss without this Puerto Rican rum cocktail to our repertoire. There are two types of piña colada recipes: the super classic cocktail, and then the frozen puree that’s almost like a smoothie. We must say, there’s something super satisfying about this Frozen Pina Colada recipe! It takes only a few minutes to blend up a pitcher, and it’s got the ideal coconut-y flavor and icy texture.

This one’s blender-style, not classic crushed ice

The piña colada originated in Puerto Rico; the name means “strained pineapple” in Spanish. It’s a drink of pineapple juice, rum, lime, and coconut, served either blended or with crushed ice. The original cocktail was invented in San Juan in 1954 by bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero. For a purist it’s most traditional with crushed ice. But it is popularly served blended, which is the method we decided on here.

For this frozen piña colada recipe, Alex and I designed it to be like one you’d get at a restaurant here in the US: super thick and almost like a smoothie! With most of our cocktail recipes on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, we follow the official definition pretty closely. For this one, we wanted it to be more like the cocktail you’d order when you’re out: so it’s more like the frozen blended version!

How to make this frozen piña colada recipe!

There are lots of different methods for how to make a piña colada. Many recipes use fancy ingredients like coconut cream or two types of rum. We wanted to keep this frozen pina colada recipe simple but pure in flavor. How do you make a frozen piña colada? In a blender, blend up:

• Frozen pineapple
• White rum
• Coconut milk
• Lime juice
• Maple syrup or simple syrup (optional)

Taste and see if you’d like to add a little maple syrup to add sweetness. We found that a splash was just enough to brighten the flavors even more. Serve with a drink umbrella for maximum fun!

Make it right before serving!

The nice thing about this frozen pina colada recipe is that unlike some of our frozen alcoholic drink recipes, you don’t have to prepare anything in advance. Our Frozen Margaritas and Frozen Sangria require freezing some ingredients the night before. But the frozen piña colada is easy to whip up with no advanced notice, right before guests arrive!

Avoid making this frozen piña colada in advance, because it’s best when it’s freshly blended. The texture becomes very icy when frozen. You’d need to blend it in the blender again with a bit of reserved coconut milk to get the texture back. So we recommend simply mixing it up when you need a batch!

Want a virgin piña colada?

Yep we have that too! Want to serve this piña colada to friends who don’t drink, are pregnant, or kids? This virgin piña colada version that’s just as delicious — so that everyone can drink together! Yeah, it’s really more of a pineapple smoothie: but you don’t have to mention that. We actually served both versions for our son’s birthday party (beach-themed!) and it was a smash hit.

Another idea? Try the Painkiller Cocktail, a super sophisticated spin on the piña colada with orange juice and aged rum.

Where to get drink umbrellas

Where to get drink umbrellas for your piña colada? You can buy them at party stores, but if you’re like Alex and I, you might want them delivered to your door instead. Why not be ready for a party at any moment? This pack will work for you and 143 of your closest friends. Get them: Drink umbrellas on Amazon

What to serve with this frozen pina colada recipe

That’s how to make a frozen piña colada recipe: a perfect summer drink! How would you serve yours? Here are some recipes that we think would pair well:

• Cauliflower Tacos or Jackfruit Tacos
• Shrimp Tacos, Grilled Shrimp Tacos or Perfect Grilled Shrimp
• Elote (Mexican Street Corn)
• Mexican Coleslaw
• Peach Salsa or Pico de Gallo
• Easy Refried Bean Dip or Simple Guacamole
• Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad

This piña colada recipe is…

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, refined sugar free, and naturally sweet.

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More classic cocktails

Love great classic cocktails? Here are a few of the best of the best (many of them lime cocktails):

• Classic Margarita The only margarita recipe you need! Here’s how to make the very best margarita with 3 simple ingredients: lime, Cointreau and tequila—and no added sugar.
• Classic Mojito Here’s a classic mojito recipe, perfectly balanced with lime, rum and fresh mint! This iconic Cuban cocktail is refreshing and just sweet enough
• Classic Daiquiri The Classic Daiquiri is actually not frozen! It’s rum, lime juice, and sweetener. Or try a sophisticated spin, the Hemingway Daiquiri.
• Tom Collins Cocktail A Tom Collins is also known as a gin sour: is light and bubbly with soda water. Or try the Gin Fizz, a close relative.
• Amaretto Sour It’s got just the right balance of amaretto with bourbon and lemon.