Get a taste of the tropics with this simple 3-ingredient pina colada mocktail recipe! Ready in just minutes, this easy, creamy, non-alcoholic pina colada is something the whole family can enjoy.
I love a good mocktail. This fun and fruity pina colada mocktail is the non-alcoholic version of a classic tropical drink! Creamy, pineapple-y, and coconut-y, just the way it should be.
This quick and easy drink is a relatively healthy mocktail thanks to the use of frozen pineapple and 100% pineapple juice! Pineapple is packed with nutrients and antioxidants, is high in fiber, and is known for containing the enzyme bromelain which may aid in digestion and help with inflammation.
The cream of coconut is the secret to making this taste like the classic. It’s sweet, coconut forward, and may be my new favorite ingredient.
You can blend up a virgin pina colada to enjoy solo or turn it into a big batch non-alcoholic drink for a gathering. This blended coconut and pineapple mocktail is a great option for girls night, pool parties, summer get togethers, and more!
If you love this virgin pina colada mocktail recipe, you need to try this mojito mocktail and pink grapefruit mocktail too!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- The Difference Between Cream of Coconut and Coconut Cream
- Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Optional Garnish Ideas
- Adjusting the Consistency
- Step-By-Step Instructions
- Possible Dietary Restrictions?
- Expert Tips
- Helpful Equipment
- Recipe FAQs
- Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
- Pina Colada Mocktail
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Quick and easy to make! Creamy, tropical goodness ready in just minutes! Measure, blend, and enjoy!
Great for all ages. This virgin pina colada recipe is great for kids and adults alike! Because it’s alcohol free, this pina colada mocktail can be served to a wider audience.
3 ingredients. 3 simple ingredients make this amazing mocktail recipe! And ingredients can be kept on hand for unexpected guests (or a staycation, or a Tuesday…).
Using frozen pineapple means no watering down with ice! Frozen pineapple is super convenient to store and since it’s so cold you don’t need to add ice to your drink. This results in a drink with strong, tropical, pineapple flavor.
Easy to make for one or in bulk for a party! This recipe can be made for a solo-night in or scaled and blended up for a larger get together! This is a great option for pool parties, girls night, sleepovers, and more.
Ingredients Needed
Frozen Pineapple. Using frozen fruit keeps your virgin pina colada nice and cold without needing to water it down with ice. Plus, you don’t have to worry about having fresh produce on hand when you want to make this fun and fruity non-alcoholic drink.
100% Pineapple Juice. This shelf-stable juice amps up the tropical flavor, and adds nutrition to your pina colada mocktail.
Cream of Coconut. Cream of coconut is coconut cream that’s been sweetened and processed so it has a thick, syrupy texture. This mixture is primarily used for drink making, and is what gives this tropical mocktail its classic flavor.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
The Difference Between Cream of Coconut and Coconut Cream
I learned this the hard way, but Cream of Coconut and Coconut Cream are NOT the same (despite what the similar name may lead you to think). In a nutshell, Cream of Coconut is sweet and has a syrup-like texture. Coconut cream is not sweet and is very thick.
Cream of coconut is what you want to mix drinks. It is a pre-made mixture of coconut cream that’s been sweetened and processed so it has a thick, syrupy texture. You can find this in squeeze-bottles or cans, often by drink-mixes (for us, this is by the liquor department). I personally like to use Coco Real’s Cream of Coconut for mixing drinks.
Coconut cream is a type of thick cream made from coconut milk that is very common in Southeast Asian cooking. Coconut cream has a distinct coconut flavor and is used in a wide variety of recipes like soups, sauces, smoothies, and desserts. It is also often used in vegan, dairy-free, and keto dishes. You will generally find coconut cream in a can in your grocery store’s ethnic food aisle.
Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Add lime juice. Some pina colada recipes have lime juice. If you’d like to add this to your virgin pina colada recipe, add ½ – 1 ounce to start and adjust to your liking.
- Add a non-alcoholic rum alternative. If you love zero-proof alcohol alternative, feel free to add 1-2oz into your blended pina colada mocktail! If you are doing this, reduce the amount of pineapple juice by the same amount to ensure you have the perfect frozen pina colada texture.
- Make it into a cocktail. If you’d prefer a cocktail, add 1-2 ounces of white rum. Like with the zero-proof rum option, reduce the amount of pineapple juice by the same amount to ensure you have the perfect frozen pina colada texture.
- Use coconut water instead of pineapple juice. If adding juice to your cocktail isn’t singing to you, coconut water is a great option too! Replace the pineapple juice 1-to-1 with coconut water.
Optional Garnish Ideas
If you’re making a fancy drink, why not go all out and add some fun garnishes?! A few of my favorite garnishes for pina coladas include:
- A wedge of fresh pineapple and a couple of washed leaves from the crown of the pineapple
- A maraschino cherry
- Fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry
- A coconut rim. Do this by coating the rim of your glass with the cream of coconut and gently rolling the coated edge in coconut flakes.
- Bright colored straws (this is an excellent use of twirly straws)
- Cocktail umbrellas
Adjusting the Consistency
Everyone has a different preference when it comes to drink thickness and texture. Luckily, this is something you can alter easily to make it the perfect texture for you!
- To thin out your pina colada mocktail – add more pineapple juice. I recommend doing this in 1oz increments until you get to your desired consistency.
- To thicken your frozen pina colada mocktail – add more frozen pineapple. I recommend doing this in small amounts (¼ cup increments) until your perfect texture is achieved.
Note: adding more ingredients to thin or thicken your smoothie will alter the flavor. Take a sip and adjust as needed to create your perfect mocktail experience!
Step-By-Step Instructions
Note: the process shots shown below show a double batch (2x the recipe amount) to better illustrate what your mocktail will look like.
Step 1: Add frozen pineapple to the basin of a blender.
Step 2: Add cream of coconut.
Step 3: Add 100% pineapple juice.
Step 4: Place lid on the blender and blend until smooth. If needed, use a rubber scrapper to remove any fruit that may have gotten stuck on the blades while blending.
Possible Dietary Restrictions?
This frozen pina colada mocktail recipe is vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and vegan as written. A great frozen mocktail option for many diets!
Expert Tips
Be sure to blend your pineapple mocktail well! Pineapple is a fruit you want to be sure to blend well as it tends to get stuck on the blades of blenders, which can leave stringy chunks of fruit in your otherwise delightful drink. You can help prevent this by removing and shaking the blender body one or two times during blending, and/or using a rubber scraper to wipe down the sides and blades during blending.
Helpful Equipment
A good quality blender is a must for smoothies! This is the blender we are currently using, and it has been working great! This is a simple, no-frills blender at a modest price point. And the newer model has both a large basin and smaller cups for more flexibility, nice!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can cut up and freeze fresh pineapple for use in this recipe (do this by placing cut up pineapple on a baking sheet and freezing overnight). Or if you can’t wait to freeze your fresh pineapple, add some ice to your recipe to ensure your virgin pina colada is nice and cold.
Cream of Coconut and Coconut Cream are NOT the same (despite what the similar name may lead you to think). In a nutshell, Cream of Coconut is sweet and has a syruplike texture. Coconut cream is not sweet and is very thick. For mixing drinks, like a Pina Colada, you want to use cream of coconut. For cooking and baking things like soups, sauces, and desserts, coconut cream should be used.
A pina colada mocktail is a delicious tropical drink that tastes like pineapple and coconut. This frozen version is blended up to have a consistency similar to a smoothie.
This famous tropical drink was invented in San Juan, Puerto Rico! The pina colada’s creation is credited to bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero from the Caribe Hilton Hotel in 1954.
Of course! Add 1-2 ounces of white rum per serving. If choosing to do this, reduce the amount of pineapple juice by the same amount.
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
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Pina Colada Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 C frozen pineapple
- 2 oz cream of coconut (2oz = ¼ cup)
- 6 oz 100% pineapple juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. If needed, scrape down the sides or area surrounding the blades with a rubber scraper to ensure all frozen fruit gets incorporated.
Notes
- Add lime juice. Some pina colada recipes have lime juice. If you’d like to add this to your virgin pina colada recipe, add ½ – 1 ounce to start and adjust to your liking.
- Add a non-alcoholic rum alternative. If you love zero-proof alcohol alternative, feel free to add 1-2oz into your blended pina colada mocktail! If you are doing this, reduce the amount of pineapple juice by the same amount to ensure you have the perfect frozen pina colada texture.
- Make it into a cocktail. If you’d prefer a cocktail, add 1-2 ounces of white rum. Like with the zero-proof rum option, reduce the amount of pineapple juice by the same amount to ensure you have the perfect frozen pina colada texture.
- Use coconut water instead of pineapple juice. If adding juice to your cocktail isn’t singing to you, coconut water is a great option too! Replace the pineapple juice 1-to-1 with coconut water.
- Make it sweeter. If you’d prefer your virgin frozen pina colada to be sweeter, add another ½ – 1 ounce of cream of coconut.
- A wedge of fresh pineapple and a couple of washed leaves from the crown of the pineapple
- A maraschino cherry
- Fresh pineapple and a maraschino cherry
- A coconut rim. Do this by coating the rim of your glass with the cream of coconut and gently rolling the coated edge in coconut flakes.
- Bright colored straws (this is an excellent use of twirly straws)
- Cocktail umbrellas
- To thin out your pina colada mocktail – add more pineapple juice. I recommend doing this in 1oz increments until you get to your desired consistency.
- To thicken your frozen pina colada mocktail – add more frozen pineapple. I recommend doing this in small amounts (¼ cup increments) until your perfect texture is achieved.
Bradey R says
Perfection in a glass. Tried it. Love it. Will make again.
Meredith says
🙌 CHEERS TO THIS! enjoy