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.
You know that I love mocktail recipes. They’re a great alternative to having a traditional cocktail that your kids can enjoy with you, and are also a great way to include adults who may want to abstain from alcohol for any reason.
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. A refreshing treat for hot summer days.
The cream of coconut is the secret to making this taste like a classic pina colada. 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 or special occasions. This blended coconut and pineapple mocktail is a great option for a summer party, girls night, pool parties, and more!
If you love this virgin pina colada mocktail recipe, you need to try these mai tai mocktail, mojito mocktail, and pink grapefruit mocktail recipes too!
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Frozen Pina Colada Mocktail Recipe
- Ingredients Needed for this Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie
- The Difference Between Cream of Coconut and Coconut Cream
- Virgin Colada Mocktail Recipe Variations
- Adjusting the Consistency
- How to Make a Frozen Pina Colada Mocktail
- Possible Dietary Restrictions?
- Virgin Pina Colada Recipe Expert Tip
- Helpful Equipment
- Recipe FAQs
- Love This Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie? You May Also Enjoy
- 📖 Pina Colada Mocktail
Why You’ll Love This Frozen Pina Colada Mocktail Recipe
A tropical paradise in a glass. This drink makes you feel like you’re enjoying time somewhere warm and sunny.
Quick and easy to make! This wonderfully creamy drink is ready in just a few 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.
Only 3 ingredients needed! This easy mocktail only needs 3 simple ingredients to make.
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 for this Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie
Frozen Pineapple. Using frozen pineapple chunks keeps your virgin pina colada nice and cold without needing to water it down with ice cubes. 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 (did you know pineapple juice is rich in vitamins B6 and vitamin C, is a good source of antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties too?).
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.
Optional garnish: Maraschino cherries, a pineapple wedge or pineapple slice, or a cocktail umbrella! You could also make a coconut rim by coating the rim of your glass with the cream of coconut and gently rolling the coated edge in coconut flakes.
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.
To get that wonderfully creamy coconut flavor in your virgin drink, be sure to grab cream of coconut (NOT coconut cream).
Virgin Colada Mocktail Recipe Variations
- 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 (or rum extract). 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. You could also simply toss in 1 teaspoon of rum extract!
- 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.
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 1 ounce 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!
How to Make a Frozen Pina Colada Mocktail
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!
Virgin Pina Colada Recipe Expert Tip
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.
Make sure you have cream of coconut NOT coconut cream. As noted above, although these ingredients sound the same they are very different. Cream of coconut is the sweetened variety that you want to make your pina colada with.
Helpful Equipment
A good blender is a must for blended drinks! 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
Can I use fresh fruit instead of frozen fruit?
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.
What’s the difference between coconut cream and cream of coconut?
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.
What does piña colada mocktail taste like?
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.
Is a piña colada Mexican?
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.
Can I turn this mocktail into a real piña colada?
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 Virgin Pina Colada Smoothie? You May Also Enjoy
📖 Pina Colada Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 Cup frozen pineapple
- 2 ounces cream of coconut (2oz = ¼ cup)
- 6 ounces 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. If desired, add ½ – 1 ounce of lime juice.
- Add a non-alcoholic rum alternative (or rum extract). If desired, replace 1-2 ounces of pineapple juice with 1-2 ounces non-alcoholic rum alternative. Or simply toss in 1 teaspoon of rum extract!
- Make it into a cocktail. If desired, replace 1-2 ounces of pineapple juice with 1-2 ounces of white rum.
- Use coconut water instead of pineapple juice. If desired, replace the pineapple juice 1-to-1 with coconut water.
- To thin out your pina colada mocktail – add more pineapple juice. I recommend doing this in 1 ounce 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!
Bradey R says
Perfection in a glass. Tried it. Love it. Will make again.
Meredith says
🙌 CHEERS TO THIS! enjoy