Frozen Piña Colada

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This frozen pina colada recipe is made with just 5 ingredients and is simple to make! It’s the perfect summer cocktail and feels like a Caribbean vacation in a glass! There is nothing better than sipping this drink at a tropical party or by the pool!

Also try our classic pina colada recipe, frozen watermelon Pina Coladas and the best pina colada jello shots!

This cocktail is thick in texture and has so much flavor. For the best piña colada, we chose coconut rum to give it an even more tropical flavor. However, you can use any rum you like! We don’t recommend using your “good stuff” for frozen cocktails though, save that for drinking straight!

The frozen piña colada recipe is easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. You’ll need a blender to make these frozen Pina Coladas toss all of the ingredients in and then blend until smooth. You do not need a mix to make a fresh pina colada! Use these ingredients below for the best-frozen pina colada recipe.

ingredients to make a frozen pina colada

Frozen Pina Colada Ingredients

Table of Contents

Frozen Pineapple – This gives the cocktail a slushy texture.

Pineapple Juice – Pure pineapple juice with no sugar added is what you’ll want to use in this recipe.

Coconut Rum or White Rum – You can use a high end rum to make this drink to make it more sophisticated.

Real Coco Cream Of Coconut – We keep this on hand to make cocktails with coconut.

Lime Juice – Always use fresh lime juice.

Maraschino Cherries – We love Luxardo Cherries for cocktails.

How to Make a Frozen Piña Colada

Measure all of the ingredients and toss them into a blender.

Blend on high for at least 2 minutes or until the texture is super smooth.

Pour into a glass, we used these fun pineapple cups.

Garnish with a cocktail umbrella – a must!

Tips for Making a Frozen Piña Colada

Use any rum you want. A higher-end rum will add a smoother finish and a coconut rum will provide a lot of flavors.

Add more or less coconut cream depending on sweet you like it.

Make a pineapple flower to garnish the cocktail with.

Flavorful Additions and Substitutions

Add 1/2 ounce dark rum over the top of the cocktail. Not only does this look pretty, but adds even more of a complex flavor.

If you don’t have frozen pineapple, use fresh and add in 1 cup of ice.

Replace the cream of coconut with coconut milk for a lighter cocktail.

Use brandy instead of rum for a Kappa Colada.

Add shredded coconut over the top.

Coconut Cream vs. Coconut Milk

While the traditional recipe calls for coconut cream, some people prefer to make their drink with coconut milk. Coconut cream has a higher fat content than coconut milk and it’s much thicker in texture.

Frozen Pineapple or Fresh Pineapple?

For a frozen pina colada recipe always use frozen pineapple. This way you don’t have to add ice to the recipe to give it a slushy texture. Ice will dilute the ingredients and the alcohol too much and cause it to have an icy texture.

Frozen pineapple gives the cocktail a pineapple flavor and creates the perfect frozen texture without watering down the drink.

How to Make a Virgin Pina Colada

We have that too! Try our version of a virgin pina colada recipe, which is a frozen tropical drink without alcohol!

When to Serve Frozen Pina Coladas

This is the perfect summer cocktail recipe to serve on several occasions and celebrations! Here are a few suggestions:

Pool Party

Summer Birthday Party

Garden Party

Tropical Baby or Bridal Shower

After Dinner Drink

What to Serve with a Frozen Pina Colada

This is a tropical cocktail so serve it with food that will compliment it like mini lobster rolls and coconut rice.

Where to Buy Drink Umbrellas

Drink umbrellas add charm to all tropical cocktails and give the drink a festive presentation. Here are some of our favorite places to buy drink umbrellas:

Cocktail Parasol Drink Umbrellas

Striped Drink Umbrella

Cocktail Umbrella Pink Palm

Make Your Own Drink Umbrellas!

Frequently Asked Questions

Who Created the Piña Colada?

The Pina Colada was born at the Caribe Hilton in 1954 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, by bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero.

What alcohol goes with pina colada?

Rum is the alcohol used to make a pina colada. Most recipes call for white or light rum. However, adding a dash of dark rum over the top of the cocktail gives it even more flavor complexity.