Pineapple Coladas

In my book, piña coladas are the ultimate summer cocktail when you need to be transported to a beach, ASAP. This frozen cocktail is perfectly beach-y on its own, but once added to a cored pineapple, this drink turns into a party-worthy Tiki cocktail. Fair warning—you might need two hands to hold onto this pineapple drink! Keep reading on for all of my top tips on how to turn this classic slushy drink into a party favorite.

How To Make Pineapple Coladas

INGREDIENTS

• Pineapples: Obviously, you’ll need fresh pineapples for this recipe, so you can use the fresh pineapple in your cocktail, and the cored vessel as your container. Whole pineapples also cost way less than cored, so buy the whole thing—it’s not as difficult to core as you may think!
• Coconut Cream: When you open a can of coconut cream, you’ll need to break the top thick surface with a spoon to see the water that has separated from the cream. Before using it for your piña colada, dump the contents of the container into a glass measuring cup, and whisk vigorously until the solids and liquids are smooth and evenly blended. This will promote a smoother cocktail in the end.
• Rum: Although only dark rum is our preferred for a classic piña colada, I added light rum to this recipe as well for an extra boozy and complex drink. I still use dark rum here for that richer, deeper flavor. Use your favorite brands, or checkout this list of the best rum brands to buy if you need inspo.
• Coconut Milk: I chose to add coconut milk instead of sweetened condensed milk to give even more coconut flavor, and to cut down on the sweetness of this already sweet cocktail.
• Pineapple Juice: You better believe I’m packing in the pineapple flavor in this cocktail. Along with the pineapple chunks, I add some pineapple juice to loosen up the cocktail, and to really pack in that sweet-tart pineapple flavor.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

The first step in creating this cocktail is to core your pineapples. I don’t usually love uni-tasking kitchen gadgets, but I love a pineapple corer. This tool hollows one in 45 seconds flat, and makes the process so much easier. Make sure to only remove three-quarters of the inside pineapple to avoid piercing the bottom and causing a leaky drink! Use a knife to remove any remaining core in the pineapple, then get to chopping your cored pineapple center into large chunks.

Add the pineapple chunks to your blender, along with both rums, the mixed coconut cream, pineapple juice, coconut milk, and ice. Blend everything together until it's slushy—if your drink is too thick, add more pineapple juice and coconut milk (a bit at a time) until you reach your desired consistency. Once you reach your desired slushy consistency, pour into the cored pineapples and top with paper umbrellas for the ultimate summer drink. Trust me—the umbrellas are a must.