Puerto rican pina colada recipe: The Puerto Rican Piña Colada

Piña Coladas (Pineapple Coconut Cocktail)

If you’ve had the privilege of visiting the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, I really hope you made time to taste Piña Coladas at at least one watering hole. A frozen rum drink made with creamy coconut and tropical pineapple, Piña Coladas have been Puerto Rico’s national drink since the late seventies. 

The Drama Behind Piña Coladas

The drama that surrounds the origin of the Piña Colada is hilarious. Well, I mean, it’s not “drama” drama. It’s more like one dude flexin’ on another one. According to legend, whomever made piña coladas first, did so as a way to appease tourists and the drink became a success. Isn’t it funny how all recipes began with a harried chef or bartender who needed to make some royal or obnoxious tourist happy? 

Supposedly, the first person to create the piña colada was a bartender at the posh Caribe Hilton in San Juan. According to him, he created it in the late 50s. But, then, in the early sixties, a restaurant in Old San Juan, Barrachina, claimed their bartender created the cocktail. So, they said, “Well, how about we plaster this MARBLE PLAQUE on the outside of our place claiming we invented the drink?!?” And, guess what? That’s exactly what they did!! You can’t tell me that’s not the ultimate flex. How does the Caribe Hilton respond to a freakin’ memorial that claims they didn’t create jack? They don’t, that’s how. Well, ever since, there’s been a debate about who invented what and when.

Not that any of that even matters because everybody and their mother makes amazing piña coladas in Puerto Rico. If you drive down the highway from San Juan to Loíza, alone, you can choose from tons of kiosks on the side of the road that are blending these cocktails. And, you know what? They’re all amazing. Even if you are a tourist, you don’t need to jostle with the other travelers to experience “authentic” piña coladas. Go to the quiet towns and have a seat at any bar and you’ll be amazed. 

What isn’t debatable is what goes into piña coladas. Pineapple, usually in the form of juice (and sometimes fresh fruit) is a must. Coconut- by way of cream of coconut- and rum are also essential. The most commonly used rums are white or gold. Ice, to make it slushy, and your choice of garnishes to make it purty. 

What you’ll need to make these Piña Coladas

For starters, you will need a can of cream of coconut. You’ll also need pineapple juice, white (or gold) rum, brown sugar (this is optional), pineapple chunks (also optional), and a few handfuls of ice. A garnish of whipped cream is common. I like to add a slice of fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry to my cocktails as well. 

¡Vamonos! (That’s Spanish for “let’s go”)

Fill the Blender

Begin by adding the cream of coconut to your high speed blender. I avoid putting ice in the blender first because my drink ends up with more ice chunks when I do. In this recipe, I use a whole can of cream of coconut. It’s mainly because I have no use for the half a can of the stuff that will be leftover. I mean, no other use except to make more piña coladas. So, why not just make a whole pitcherful of the stuff? I also use a whole can because I like an even balance of piña to coco flavor. 

What’s the Difference Between Cream of Coconut and Everything Else?

Cream of coconut is not the same thing as coconut cream or coconut milk. If coconut cream and coconut milk are sisters, cream of coconut is their cousin who the family only sees at weddings and funerals. They all take meds to make their family feel more normal. That means, all of these canned coconut products have added stabilizers (like guar gum) to make them shelf-stable. Let’s briefly discuss what makes them different.

Coconut cream and milk are the unsweetened products of coconut meat and water that’s been blended together to form a coconutty liquid. Much like cow’s milk, their names “cream” and “milk” are indicators of how rich (or fatty) they are. Cream is much richer than milk is, as it has a higher percentage of coconut fat to water in its makeup. Coconut milk has less coconut fat so it’s not as rich. Both of these coconut products are used in cooking, baking, and cocktail-making. For the sweeter recipes, you may need add sugar to sweeten them up a bit. When baking with coconut cream, be mindful that its higher percentage of fat may alter your recipe’s outcome.

As for our recipe’s star, cream of coconut, she’s a whole different beast. Instead of blending just coconut meat and water together, cream of coconut has a good amount of sugar that’s also added to it. As a result of the higher sugar content, it’s not an ingredient you’d use in savory recipes. Therefore, cream of coconut is used, almost exclusively, in dessert and cocktail recipes. 

Coconut Water? LOL!

Yes, there’s also coconut water. Coconut water is the drunk uncle who no one wants at the party. I avoid bottled coconut water like the plague because it tastes artificial. I mean, I have sipped it straight from the coconut, so there’s that. Because I think it’s blasphemous, I won’t go into further detail on it. I want no parts of it.

Back to the

DRANK…

Okay! Now that we’ve beaten the coconut horse to death, let’s reward ourselves with our piña coladas. 

Add the pineapple juice to the blender. I also like to add pineapple chunks because it makes my drink more like a smoothie. The addition of fresh pineapple is totally optional, though. Fresh pineapple juice is best, but canned is totally acceptable. It is what they use in bars, after all. 

Now’s a good time to add the ice and, my secret, a hint of brown sugar. While, again, totally optional, I love the depth of flavor the brown sugar adds to the drink. 

Piña Coladas NEED Good Rum 

Please don’t add gut-rot rum to your piña coladas. Yes, it’s a mixed drink, so you don’t need to bust out a $100 special edition bottle. But, you should at least use mid-shelf liquor. Bacardí is probably the rum most associated with piña coladas, but it’s not Puerto Rican rum. It’s Cuban. Yes, it can still be used, as you can see from my image, but if you want to keep this as Puerto Rican as possible, use a rum from Puerto Rico like Don Q or Palo Viejo. 

Whether to use white or gold (or amber) rum is simply a matter of taste. If you’re into a clean, crisp cocktail, use the white. Do you have an affinity for deeper, sweeter flavors? Go with the gold. The difference between the two is a matter of how, and how long, one has been aged. White rum is not aged, nor is it stored in special casks. Gold rum is aged for a specified period of time, usually in wooden casks. That’s what gives it its telltale color and flavor. 

I had white Bacardí on the shelf, so that’s what’s going into my blender. 

Blend the mixture

Place the lid on your blender and blend the mixture for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth.  

Pour and Garnish your Piña Coladas

That’s it! I love these easy-to-make recipes, don’t you? 

Pour your smooth piña colada mixture into cocktail glasses.

Serve the drinks as is, or garnish the piña coladas with sweetened whipped cream, a maraschino cherry, and a slice of fresh pineapple. As you can see, I went with all of the above. Don’t fuss about with piping that whipped cream, either. Just drop a spoonful on top and keep it moving. 

Settling is Normal

If you’ve never had a homemade piña colada, you may be surprised that the drink will settle as it sits. The reason why it doesn’t settle in bars is because most bars use slushy machines to make theirs. Settling in your piña coladas is totally normal as the fat from the cream of coconut wants to rise above the lighter juice and rum. Don’t stress over it, just use your straw to swirl it together again. 

I mean, after a few sips, you won’t even give a damn. 

Make it Virgin

If you have little munchkins who will stare you down until they get their own piña coladas- like I do- go ahead and whip them up a batch of their own virgin versions. Simply omit the rum and add a little bit of water to the mix instead. Kids need a little love, but they don’t need a little rum, so leave it out. 

I hope you like my version of the national drink of Puerto Rico. Please, let me know what you think of these piña coladas and be sure to pin and share this recipe with your world. 

Make a pitcher of Puerto Rico’s favorite cocktail and sip with joy!

Servings: 4

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 10 mins

• High-speed blender

• 15 ounce can cream of coconut
• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks optional
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar optional
• 4 cups ice
• 6-8 ounces white or gold rum

Optional Garnishes

• 1 cup sweetened whipped cream
• 4 sliced pineapple wedges
• 4 maraschino cherries

• In a blender, layer the ingredients in the following order: cream of coconut, pineapple juice, pineapple chunks (if using), sugar, ice, rum.

• Blend the mixture together until smooth, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

• Pour the piña colada mixture into cocktail glasses and top with sweetened whipped cream.

• Garnish your piña coladas with a maraschino cherry and pineapple slice.

To store: if you’re making this ahead of time, store the mixture in a freezer safe container in the freezer. Stir the mixture every 15 minutes to create a “slushie” consistency. 

To Make Virgin Piña Coladas:
   Omit the rum and replace it with 1/2-1 cup of cold water. Blend as instructed. 

For a lighter coconut flavor:
   Use 7 1/2 ounces of cream of coconut instead of the full can.  

Calories: 700kcalCarbohydrates: 102gProtein: 1gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 11mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 5gSugar: 93gVitamin A: 127IUVitamin C: 32mgCalcium: 46mgIron: 1mg

Course Libations

Cuisine Puerto Rican

Keyword cocktail, coconut, pineapple, rum

Tried this recipe?Mention @senseandedibility or tag #senseandedibility!

If you like these Piña Coladas,

you’ll love my other libations:

Guarapo Caipirinha

Tamarind Añejo Margarita

Pina Colada Cocktail (Puerto Rican Style) Recipe

Difford’s Guide

User Rating (42 ratings)

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Serve in a

Pineapple shell (frozen) glass

Garnish:

Parasol, pineapple wedge & Luxardo Maraschino cherry

How to make:

BLEND all ingredients with 6oz scoop crushed ice and serve with paper straws.

Read about cocktail measures and measuring.

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Bacardi Carta Blanca light rum, 70cl

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£ 1.54 per cocktail, makes 11.5

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Review:

A wonderful creamy, fruity concoction that’s not half as sticky as the world would have you believe. Too much ice will detract from the creaminess and kill the drink.

Variant:

Piña Colada (Difford’s recipe)
Piña Colada (Cuban style)
Champagne Piña Colada
Temperance Piña Colada

History:

Piña Colada

Nutrition:

One serving of Pina Colada Cocktail (Puerto Rican style) contains 215 calories.

Alcohol content:

More Classic/vintage cocktails
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More Creamy cocktails

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Temperance Piña Colada (Alcohol-free*)

Buy direct from

Bacardi Carta Blanca light rum, 70cl

£ 17. 75

£ 1.54 per cocktail, makes 11.5

£ -.–

Makes a minimum of … cocktails
Just £ -.– per cocktail*

* This list may not include all required ingredients.
Price per cocktail is an estimate based on the cost of making one cocktail with the available ingredients shown above and does not include any postage charges.

Previous Cocktail

Painkiller

Next Cocktail

Temperance Piña Colada (Alcohol-free*)

Pina Colada Cocktail

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Pina colada cocktail – composition and homemade recipe

Some people know Pina Colada as an amazingly delicious Puerto Rican cocktail, others know it as a sweet liquor. Let’s figure out how one differs from the other, how to make a cocktail and liquor with your own hands.

Contents

1. Pina Colada History
2. Cocktail Recipes
3. Puerto Rican Classic
4. Pina Colada by Ricardo Garcia
5. Recipe with Malibu
6. Cocktail with vodka
7. Bloodpine
8. “Summer dessert”
9. Useful video with three recipes for cocktail pine Kolada
10. Liker Piña Solada
11. Liker

9000 9000 9000 in the pure diluted

12. Peach Jump Cocktail
13. Puerto Rico Cocktail
14. Light Breeze Cocktail
15. Useful video on how to make Pina Colada at home

History of Pina Colada

It’s hard to believe that one of the most famous cocktails in the world was invented relatively recently. There are 2 versions of the appearance of this drink.

Pina Colada was invented in 1954. Bartender Ramon Marrero is considered its author. At the time, he was working in the Caribbean at a bar called Beachcomber. The bartender spent 3 months mixing various ingredients in search of a refreshing, memorable taste. He managed to experimentally create the composition of the Pina Colada cocktail, which quickly began to be used first by American and then by European bartenders. nine0003

According to the second, no less popular version, Piña Сolada was created in one of the bars in Puerto Rico. A team of pros worked on the recipe. And the development itself was sponsored by the island’s Ministry of Agriculture. Since 1879, the Piña Сolada cocktail has been recognized as the hallmark of the island.

Today Pina Colada is the standard of women’s cocktails. He is listed by the International Bartending Association. Every self-respecting bartender, regardless of nationality and the country in which he works, is simply obliged to make Pina Colada from memory. nine0003

Cocktail recipes

Today there are many variations of the Pina Colada recipe. It can be prepared both in a blender and in a shaker. The first device allows you to quickly mix the ingredients and get an airy, creamy texture. To get a richer taste of the cocktail, the components are combined in a shaker.

White rum cocktail recipes →

Puerto Rican classic

This is the original cocktail recipe. Today it is considered the benchmark. To prepare a portion of the drink you will need:

• 60 ml light Caribbean rum.
• 30 ml coconut milk.
• 30 ml heavy cream.
• 180 ml fresh pineapple.
• 70 g finely crushed ice.

Blend all ingredients, including ice, in a blender for 15 seconds. Pour into a tall glass. Garnished with a slice of pineapple and a cocktail cherry. Served with a straw.

Pina Colada by Ricardo Garcia

Ricardo Garcia is a bartender who, according to one version, came up with an original way of making a cocktail. Its recipe requires:

• One coconut. Water is poured from it into a blender along with a spoonful of pulp.
• One pineapple. Cut off the top of the fruit. The pulp is taken out with a spoon, sent to the blender bowl to the coconut water.
• 60 ml light rum.
• 140 g fine ice.

All components are mixed with a blender. Traditionally, the cocktail is served in pineapple (rarely in coconut) with a cocktail tube. Additional decoration of the drink is not provided. Here the main point is the original presentation. nine0003

Recipe from Malibu

Originally a tropical liqueur, Malibu was created to simplify the work of bartenders. After all, cocktails on cream (Pina Colada includes coconut cream) quickly delaminate, lose their attractive appearance.

• 40 ml each of light rum and Malibu.
• 30 ml low fat cream.
• 100 ml pineapple juice.
• 80 g ice.

All components are mixed with a blender. Pour into a tall glass. Garnish the drink with a slice of pineapple and a cherry. The Malibu recipe is especially popular because of its ease of preparation. nine0003

Vodka Cocktail

There are many recipes for Piña Сolada with rum. But there are options in which the drink is prepared with vodka. True, but among the bartenders it received a different name – “Chi-Chi”. The drink has a less sweet taste than the classic recipe. And the tropical note becomes more pronounced, brighter. The proportions of this option are simple:

• 50 ml each of vodka and pineapple juice.
• 30 ml low fat cream.
• 80 g ice.

The components are mixed in a blender. Served in a tall glass with a cocktail tube, a slice of pineapple and a cherry. nine0003

More Homemade Vodka Cocktail Recipes →

Non-alcoholic version

People seeking a healthy lifestyle should not deny themselves the pleasure of indulging in a tropical drink. For them, a non-alcoholic Pina Colada with coconut syrup was created.

• 30 ml cream.
• 15 ml coconut syrup.
• 140 ml fresh pineapple.

All components, together with 80 g of crushed ice, are mixed with a blender. The drink is served in a tall glass with a straw, a slice of pineapple and a cherry. nine0003

Summer Dessert

This is the second name for an ice cream cocktail. The drink is thicker and sweeter. For its preparation you need:

• 30 ml white rum.
• 10 ml Malibu.
• 2 scoops of vanilla (coconut) ice cream, crushed ice.
• 50 ml pineapple juice.

Mix all components in a blender. The drink is served in a tall glass, traditionally garnished with pineapple and cherries. The strength of the cocktail is less than in the classic version. nine0003

Useful video with 3 Pina Colada cocktail recipes

Piña Сolada

Pina Colada liqueur is one of the popular drinks created on the basis of pineapple juice. It successfully combines the taste and smell of coconut milk, cream, spicy notes of vanilla and tart light rum. The drink has a small degree – only 14%. Also on sale is an emulsion liquor with a strength of 15%. This is an inexpensive analogue of the original drink, in which pineapple juice and coconut milk were replaced with synthetic flavors and sweeteners (Oasis liqueur). nine0003

The history of the creation of the liquor is accompanied by interesting facts. According to one version, this drink was created by pirates of the Caribbean. It consisted of pineapple juice and white rum mixed with coconut milk.

But the original pirate recipe has been lost. And the basis of the modern composition of the liqueur was taken from the ingredients and their ratios, invented by the bartender Ramon Morrero. Today mass production of Piña Сolada has been established. The most famous liquor producers are Canari, Bacardi, Custers. nine0003

Liquor production technology is similar to the production of Malibu (an equally popular drink in the Caribbean). It is easy to recognize “Pina Colada” in a number of other drinks. Liquor is sold, as a rule, in a white bottle. Depending on the manufacturer, the pictures on the label may vary. But in most cases, the main ingredients of the cocktail are drawn on the bottle – pineapple and coconut.

Liquor at home

Pina Colada liqueur can be made by hand. Consider the simplest and most popular recipe in which the gram is determined individually:

• Part of coconut milk.
• Two parts pineapple juice.
• White rum.
• Vanilla.

To make Pina Colada at home, mix coconut milk, pineapple juice and vanilla in a blender. White rum is gradually added to the mixture, bringing the strength of the drink to 20-15% (depending on individual preferences).

The question often arises of how to replace coconut milk in the composition of the liquor. The answer is simple – coconut flakes infused with rum (vodka) for 10 days. The result is a cheaper recipe. But the taste of the drink will be different from the original. nine0003

How to drink

Dessert appetizers are suitable for a bottle of liquor – fruits, nuts, sweet pastries.

neat and diluted

Connoisseurs of exotic drinks say that it is right to drink pure liquor in order to fully appreciate the versatility of taste. Pina Colada is served in a long-stemmed liqueur glass without pre-cooling. Drink it in one gulp, enjoying the aftertaste. This liqueur will be a great addition to coffee or ice cream. nine0003

If the sweetness of the drink seems too sugary, it can be diluted. There are several options for mixing Pina Colada:

• With crushed ice.
• Hot chocolate (makes chocolate Pina Colada).
• Pineapple juice.

Some drinkers prefer to drink Sprite liqueur. It gives the drink interesting citrus notes.

You can dilute the liquor with other alcoholic beverages. The most successful combination is with rum. But you can mix liquor with champagne. The proportions are universal 1:1. No less popular are cocktails with Pina Colada liqueur. nine0003

Liqueur Cocktails: 20 Easy Homemade Recipes →

Cocktail Peach Jump

For one glass you will need:

• 40 ml peach liqueur.
• 20 ml Piña Colada.
• 150 ml fresh pineapple.
• 20 ml lemon fresh.

Components are mixed in a shaker. Served in tall glasses.

Puerto Rico Cocktail

To prepare a cocktail, mix 60 ml of cream and Pina Colada with 30 ml of Baileys and 75 ml of apple juice. Served in a tall glass. Decorate with a pineapple wedge. nine0003

Cocktail Light breeze

The cocktail gained popularity due to its unique, refreshing taste. To prepare it, you need to mix:

• 30 ml each of rum and Piña Сolada.
• 40 ml each of pineapple and orange juices.

Be sure to add crushed ice. Served in a tall glass with a cocktail tube.

Liqueur and cocktail Pina Colada is deservedly popular all over the world. The drink has become not only the hallmark of Puerto Rico. It is an integral part of bachelorette parties, tropical themed parties. nine0003

Author: Ivanna Vus,
specially for Tonnasamogona.ru

Useful video on how to make Pina Colada at home

Piña colada: honzales — LiveJournal

In our traditional, but undeservedly forgotten column about the Unhealthy Lifestyle (HPL), today in honor of Friday – Pina colada cocktail:

Piña colada – “strained” pineapple Caribbean alcoholic cocktail based on light rum, coconut milk and pineapple juice. nine0003

There are many recipes for this popular cocktail, but we will stick to the classic version as much as possible.

Let’s start with the history of this very popular cocktail:
The name of the cocktail comes from two Spanish words: piña – “pineapple” and colada – “strained”, “filtered”. The term first appeared in Cuba and has long been used for a soft drink, just freshly squeezed pineapple juice without pulp. nine0267

Only one thing is clear in the history of Pina Colada: it appeared in Puerto Rico, a state associated with the United States and the homeland of Ricky Martin. Three Puerto Rican bartenders are fighting for the laurels of the inventor of the cocktail. Ramon Marrero Pérez, bartender at the country’s first luxury hotel, the Caribe Hilton, claims that he invented Pina Colada in 1952 (according to other sources, in 1954) using a then-new product on the market – Coco Lopez coconut cream. His colleague, Ricardo Garcia, says that Perez only borrowed Garcia’s recipe. nine0003

And the third person involved in the story, Ramon Portas Mingot, claims that he invented the popular cocktail in 1963 in the Barrachina restaurant in the old quarter of San Juan, the capital of the island, where today, by the way, there is even a memorial plaque dedicated to this event. Perhaps all three had a hand in inventing the cocktail and its name. Be that as it may, for the first time in the reference books of cocktail recipes “Pina colada” appeared only towards the end of the 1960s. In 1978, the cocktail was honored to become the national drink of Puerto Rico. nine0003

Today, the International Bartending Association (IBA) classifies Pina Colada as a modern classic.

Having dealt with the story, let’s proceed directly to its preparation, fortunately, Friday night is already very close;)

The original recipe for Piña Colada
From the Caribe Hilton Hotel (Puerto Rico)

60 ml of light rum ml coconut cream
30 ml cream
180 ml freshly squeezed pineapple juice
70 g crushed ice
slices of pineapple with peel and red cocktail cherry (for garnish)
cocktail tube

In addition to what was mentioned in the recipe, for making a Pina Colada cocktail we will also need:
metric jigger (30 ml)
Hurricane cocktail glass

coconut cream we use coconut milk, milk cream is suitable for any, but with a low fat content.