When I was a kid, my grandmother used to come visit in the summer and make magic with her Virgin Piña Colada recipe.
As I grew up, I begged her to share the recipe. But she simply wouldn’t share it with me for years, saying it was a sacred recipe. Finally, when I turned 16, she spilled her secrets, and now I have the recipe.
I make this tropical drink quite often, even when it is not summer. My kids and my entire family love it, as I make this non-alcoholic Virgin Piña Coladas every summer.
This drink is a creamy mocktail made with pineapple. It has a hint of coconut flavor because of the coconut milk used in it.
It is very easy to make and only requires a couple of simple pantry ingredients. I’ll share the tropical drink recipe with you, hoping you’ll do justice to it.
Why You’ll Love This Virgin Pina Colada
- A refreshing, creamy drink with tropical flavors
- Without any alcohol
- Quick and easy Virgin Piña Colada
- Great for summer parties and pool parties
- Kids love the flavors
- Customizable pineapple coconut drink
- Family-friendly drink recipe
What Is a Virgin Piña Colada?
This frozen pineapple drink actually originates from Puerto Rico, Spain, and the words “Piña Colada” actually stand for “strained pineapple” in Spanish. It is so popular in Puerto Rico that it is actually their national drink. In fact, it has been since 1978!
When people make a traditional Piña Colada, they usually put alcohol in it, such as white rum. Usually, it is made with cream of coconut and freshly strained pineapple juice, alongside the alcohol.
You can make a non-alcoholic version of this coconut cream drink if you want to, which is why I’m sharing this Virgin Piña Colada recipe. Instead of cream of coconut, you can also use coconut milk to keep things simple.
Ingredients for Virgin Piña Colada
- Pineapple: Fresh pineapple is used to make this pineapple mocktail. They are cut into chunks before blending, and you can also put away a pineapple wedge to garnish later.
- Coconut Milk: The traditional recipe asks for cream of coconut, but you can use coconut milk to make your homemade Virgin Piña Colada. Remember, using a lighter consistency is ideal.
- Cream of Coconut: If you want to go the traditional way, you can always use this sweeter option. Just make sure you don’t over-sweeten the drink.
- Condensed Milk: This adds the sweetness, and you can dip the tip of your glass with it for garnish. You can adjust the sweetness to your desire.
- Lemon Juice: This adds a little zesty flavor to the beach drink recipe.
- Ice cubes: You need ice cubes to get the slushy-like and cool-flavored drink.
Tips for the Creamiest Virgin Piña Colada
- You can always use frozen pineapple for this tropical mocktail recipe if you do not have any fresh pineapple available in your pantry.
- This refreshing coconut drink is usually made with cream of coconut for the alcoholic version. But you can also use cream of coconut instead of coconut milk for the non-alcoholic version.
- Make sure you blend the pineapple and other ingredients long enough for the texture to come out smooth.
- Do not use too many ice cubes, or the drink will turn out to be too watery.
- Remember to serve the drink immediately after making it, or the ice cubes will melt in the summer heat.
What to Serve with Virgin Piña Colada
- BBQ Foods: You can have this blender mocktail with any kind of BBQ food items, like BBQ chicken, BBQ beef, brisket, kebab, etc., because the cold drink goes well with smoky flavors.
- Grilled Chicken: Grilled chicken also has the kind of smoky flavor that goes well with the alcohol-free tropical drink.
- Seafood Dishes: Seafood dishes like salmon, tuna, cod, tilapia, lobster, crab, shrimp, etc., will taste absolutely delicious with this Virgin Piña Colada.
- Tropical Desserts: You can also try this tropical drink with tropical desserts, like pineapple upside-down cake, mango chiffon cake, pineapple tarts, key lime pie, passion fruit sorbet, coconut panna cotta, etc.
- Summer Snacks: This beach drink recipe pairs well with different kinds of summer snacks, such as fresh fruit skewers, Greek yogurt parfaits with berries, Caprese skewers, watermelon and feta salad, and more.
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- When you make this Virgin Piña Colada drink, make sure you serve it as soon as you make it, because it tastes best when served fresh.
- You can store the leftovers in the fridge. Just make sure you do not add the ice before you store it. Even if there is ice in the Virgin Piña Colada, you can still put it in the fridge.
- You can also keep the Virgin Piña Colada in the freezer. Make sure you use an airtight and freezer-safe container. The best thing to do here is to pour the Virgin Piña Colada mixture into popsicle molds, which will stay fresh for up to 3 months.
- Before you serve your frozen Virgin Piña Colada, make sure you thaw it slightly. Then, you can re-blend it by adding a bit of water, juice, or a little ice.
Variations & Helpful Swaps
- Strawberry Virgin Piña Colada: Make a strawberry Virgin Piña Colada version by using strawberries instead of pineapple.
- Mango Virgin Piña Colada: You can use mango instead of pineapple for a mango tropical mocktail recipe.
- Banana Piña Colada: Add bananas to your pineapple coconut, or replace it with the pineapple to create a banana-flavored Piña Colada.
- Dairy-Free Version: You can use almond milk instead of cream of coconut to get a dairy-free version.
- Low-Sugar Version: Use less condensed milk or replace cream of coconut with coconut milk for a low-sugar version.
Virgin Piña Colada – Creamy, Tropical & Refreshingly Easy
Ingredients
- ½ of a large-sized Pineapple
- 1 cup Ice
- 1 & ½ cup Coconut Milk
- 4 tbsp Condensed Milk
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Equipments
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients
- Cut half of a large pineapple into smaller chunks.
- Squeeze about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into a small bowl.
- Prepare the ice cubes, coconut milk, and condensed milk.
Add Ingredients to Blender
- Add the pineapple chunks, ice cubes, condensed milk, lemon juice, and coconut milk into the blender.
Blend Until Smooth
- Start your electric blender with all the ingredients inside. Keep blending till the texture turns smooth.
Adjust Sweetness
- You should start with a little sweetness when blending so that you can add more if needed. After blending, add as much condensed milk as needed to adjust the sweetness to your desire.
Serve
- Prepare your glasses by dipping the tips in condensed milk.
- Then dip the condensed milk-covered glass tips into granulated sugar.
- Add ice cubes to the glasses.
- Pour the Piña Colada into the glasses.
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge on each glass.
- Serve cold and immediately.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make a Virgin Piña Colada without coconut milk?
Yes, you can actually make a Virgin Piña Colada without using any coconut milk. But instead, you need to add cream of coconut to keep that coconut flavor in the drink.
What is the difference between a pina colada and a virgin pina colada?
A traditional Piña Colada is usually made with white rum, whereas a Virgin Piña Colada is completely non-alcoholic.
Why Is My Piña Colada Too Thin?
If your Piña Colada is too thin, it means you used too much ice. Start with less and add more later if needed.
Is a Virgin Piña Colada healthy?
Yes, Virgin Piña Colada is made with fresh pineapples, coconut milk, and lemon juice, all of which are extremely healthy.
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