Real Pina Colada with COCO Lopez Recipe

The Classic cocktail of Pineapple Juice, Cream of Coconut, Puerto Rican Rum and Lots of Ice is how to make a REAL Pina Colada. You will need a cherry for the top and a straw too!

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Pina Colada Recipe right on the glass!

This is an authentic Pina Colada, the way they were originally made in Puerto Rico.

 

What Kind of Pineapple Juice to Use:

I keep small cans of Dole 100% pineapple juice in my pantry cabinet at all times. EASY. I use it for stir-fry and marinades. Also, my three favorite cocktails are all made with pineapple juice! 🙂 The small cans are the perfect size for no waste and they last a long time. Any pineapple juice that says 100% will be perfect.

I've tried to use different juice blends over the years, but nothing is as good as JUST pineapple juice. If you are really adventurous, consider juicing a really ripe pineapple with your juicer. I show you how to do this here. How to Juice a Pineapple

This is the only modification we made from the original recipe which uses La Famosa Pineapple Juice. Here is a little background I found about the juice company from Puerto Rico. It turns out the family now has a restaurant in D.C.

When was the Pina Colada Invented?

San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1954. Since La Famosa Pineapple Juice was produced in Puerto Rico from 1920 to the 1970's, it is safe to say the juice was present in many Pina Coladas. In 1978, the Piña Colada was named the official drink of Puerto Rico.

How old are these glasses?

I have looked high and low for an advertisement that might feature these glasses so I can give them an exact date. Coco López' was created in Puerto Rico in 1948.

They were likely produced sometime after Borden bought La Famosa and were for promotional purposes of the two products, therefore probably around 1980. I found this ad and you can see the Colada is garnished with a “Pineapple Stick”, same as in this recipe.

Often, a fresh pineapple wedge with the outer shell still on is used as the garnish. While this skin is edible, most people don't eat it. I really like making a stick because the whole thing is easy to eat. You can use it to stir down the slush too. You can even make the stick from the core which makes use of the whole fruit.

Make Sure You buy "COCO Lopez CREAM OF COCONUT not Coconut Cream. Coconut Cream is not sweet. COCO Lopez does all the work for you!

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do you make the best Virgin Pina Colada?

Just follow the recipe and omit the rum! You may need to reduce the ice.

Can you get drunk on a Piña Colada?

Yes, of course you can, but maybe you shouldn't because this is a very sweet drink. It's meant to be sipped as the ice melts, slowly. A non-alcoholic Pina Colada is just as tasty as one with rum. Too much rum can ruin it, so be sure to measure.

How do I measure without a shot glass?

1 Tablespoon is equal to about ½ ounce of liquid. So 3 Tablespoons of Rum for this recipe. I used a little less because I'm all about the Pineapple and Coconut! It is very nice to serve the Pina Colada non-alcoholic with the Rum "on the side" and let the person drinking it decide how much they want to add as a topper.

Just a little tip:

Use ice from a bag unless you have a great freezer that makes small ice chunks. Bagged ice from the store is gentle on the blender and just smooths up EVENLY in a short time with no random chunks of ice.

If you love Pina Coladas, you might like my original recipe I created for the Blue Coconut Margarita of my dreams. Check it out too.