The Piña Colada Cocktail often gives cocktail lovers a hard time. More often than not, the drink you get is a blended something, not even close to a good cocktail.
However, once you have tried a proper recipe, you will find this Tiki cocktail, made with fresh pineapple, coconut, lime juice, and Rum absolutely delightful.
How to make a Piña Colada - blended or shaken?
The question might as well be: classic or modern? The short answer is: both ways work and deliver exquisite results. While the traditional recipe asked for blended Piña Coladas, the new wave made it a shaken cocktail.
Yet, I prefer the blended version with quality ingredients. The float looks nicer, it has a better texture, and the consistency is super smooth and silky.
When it comes down to it, it is more a question of personal taste and whether you prefer traditional practices. Yet, with our recipe, blending your Piña Colada delivers the best results.
The ingredients
The crucial part of making an excellent Piña Colada is the choice of ingredients. That means fresh and quality products and the right coconut product.
The secret key to a perfect Piña Colada is cream of coconut - not coconut cream. That sounds like not much of a difference at first. But it is absolutely vital.
Using coconut milk or coconut cream won't work. But don't despair if you cannot find it in your supermarket. You can easily make it at home with this cream of coconut recipe.
For the fruity ingredients of this Piña Colada recipe, lime and pineapple, I strongly recommend getting both fresh and juicing them a couple of hours before mixing the cocktails.
You will notice that our recipe asks for pineapple juice as well as frozen pineapple chunks. For this, cut half of the fresh fruit into small chunks, and store them in the freezer until it's time to put them in the blender.
Remember, the chunks should be just small enough, so your blender can handle them when frozen. Then take the remaining bits of pineapple to make freshly squeezed pineapple juice.
Additionally, I use a base of White Rum and float the blended cocktail with aged dark Rum for a more complex taste.
History
The Pina Colada Recipe dates back to the 1950s. It was invented in a hotel on the Caribbean Island of Puerto Rico, from where it conquered North America and became part of the modern Tiki culture. Today, this tropical drink is a global household name.
If you want to know the whole story, read the entire history of the Piña Colada here.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Light Rum I prefer Havana club 3 años
- 1.5 oz Cream of coconut
- 1.5 oz Fresh pineapple juice
- 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz Aged Rum I prefer Havana club Añejo especial
- 0.5 cup Frozen Pineapple
- 0.5 cup Ice
Instructions
- Blend the frozen pineapple and ice first until they are chunky.0.5 cup Frozen Pineapple, 0.5 cup Ice
- Add light Rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and lime juice.1.5 oz Light Rum, 1.5 oz Cream of coconut, 1.5 oz Fresh pineapple juice, 0.5 oz Fresh lime juice
- Blend until well mixed.
- Strain into a Hurricane glass and float with the aged Rum.0.5 oz Aged Rum
Nutrition
Related Cocktail
You are into Tiki Cocktails? How about the Zombie or the Mai Tai?
hi i read full history of pina colada . i got new experience for pinacolada . i am also bartender. but i never make with blend ‘coz’ ‘ am working in a restaurant and bar so busy that time cannot make with blend so i make with shaker . i think only one time i make with blend actually that was awesome and thank u for the cocktails history. not only pinacolada can put plz all cocktails like this and one more time thank you so much
Hi,
Really appreciate your feedback!
I'm planning to add more and more cocktails including their history and other interesting facts.
Thanks,
Timo