Virgin Piña Colada

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 2 to 3 servings
Yield: 2 to 3 drinks

Next time you're having a spring or summer party, try this virgin piña colada recipe. This made-from-scratch drink is so refreshing and rich tasting you won't even miss the alcohol.

Virgin piña colada in cocktail glass, garnished with pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry on glass rim

The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

What's the Difference?

The traditional piña colada is a blended or iced cocktail that originated in Puerto Rico. It's usually made with white rum, cream of coconut, and pineapple juice. There are quite a few variations, but for this easy, nonalcoholic version, just nix the rum and use coconut milk instead of the cream.

How Much Ice Should I Use?

Since the recipe uses frozen pineapple chunks, you really don't need to add as much ice. Start with 1/4 cup and add more if you want a frostier drink. Blend it until the consistency is smooth, creamy, slightly chunky, or to your liking. Don't be afraid to explore!

How Can I Spruce Up this Mocktail?

The traditional piña colada is garnished with either a pineapple wedge, a maraschino cherry, or both. Feel free to garnish with what you like, including a little paper umbrella.

Tips for Creating the Best Virgin Piña Colada

  • Chill the glassesFill glasses with crushed ice or ice water, then empty the glasses before pouring the piña coladas. You can also rinse the glasses with water and then freeze them.
  • For easy cleanup—Rinse the blender with hot water immediately so the sugars don't solidify and get sticky, or add a bit of soap and hot water to the pitcher, give it a whirl on the blender base, then rinse it out. Alternatively, let your dishwasher do the work (top rack only).
  • If using fresh pineapple—You'll want to add more ice. Freeze any extra pineapple chunks to make piña coladas in the future.
  • Coconut milkComes in the traditional canned variety and cartons designed as a dairy alternative to milk. Either type works for drinks, though canned coconut milk creates a richer consistency because it typically has coconut cream on top.
  • Shake it up—Canned coconut milk needs to be well-shaken before opening it because it likes to separate into two parts layers in the can.

"Fun and easy recipe to whip up on a hot summer day. Perfect for your budding young chef as there's no slicing or dicing." —Carrie Parente

Virgin piña colada recipe tester image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened frozen pineapple chunks 

  • 1/4 cup ice

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

  • 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

  • 1 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar, optional

  • Fresh pineapple wedges, for garnish

  • Maraschino cherries, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for virgin piña colada recipe gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  2. Place 1 1/2 cups unsweetened frozen pineapple chunks and 1/4 cup ice in a blender.

    Pineapple chunks and ice cubes added to a blender

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  3. Pour 3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice and 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk over the top. Add 1 to 3 tablespoons brown sugar, if using. Puree until smooth. Taste to test the sweetness and add more sugar, if desired.

    Cocktail ingredients blended to smooth, beige consistency in blender

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

  4. Pour into glasses and garnish with fresh pineapple wedges and/or maraschino cherries.

    Virgin piña colada in cocktail glass being garnished with pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry

    The Spruce Eats / Madhumita Sathishkumar

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

  • No frozen pineapple? No worries—Try the coco colada recipe, which simply blends pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and ice.
  • Make it a smoothie—Add a scoop of ice cream and blend it up for a scrumptious smoothie.
  • Make it creamy—A great alternative to coconut milk is coconut cream. It simply doesn't contain as much water. Cream of coconut is sweetened and richer and preferred for the original piña colada.
  • Swap the sugar—Use coconut or palm sugar instead of brown sugar. If using a hard, cake-like form of either sugar, crush it with a mortar and pestle or muddler into a consistency like brown sugar.
  • Other sweet options—Liquid sweeteners are good options as well. Try 1 tablespoon of agave nectar, honey, or simple syrup, and add more if needed.
  • Make your own—Try making your own extract milk from a fresh coconut.

Is the Virgin Piña Colada Healthy?

Piña coladas, in general, are not the healthiest drinks. Though it's often blamed on the rum because it's produced from sugar, the liquor has no more calories or sugar than vodka. The bigger culprit is the cream. In this nonalcoholic recipe, unsweetened coconut milk reduces the sugar and calories, so it's a little healthier. If you use sweetened coconut milk (in either a can or carton), read the labels to see which is the healthier option.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
167 Calories
1g Fat
40g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 3
Amount per serving
Calories 167
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 40g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 36g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 46mg 232%
Calcium 27mg 2%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 255mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)