Best Piña Colada Recipe – From Costa Rica

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There are a million ways to use a Costa Rican pineapple but this is the best way- in a piña colada!

About This Best Piña Colada Recipe

Sweet, cold, and refreshing, this iconic drink is not only the hook to a Rupert Holmes track, but a summer staple in its own right!

It might have something to do with the fact that I spend a lot of time in sunny Costa Rica, but I love a good pina colada. (There’s so much fresh pineapple down here, so I had to take advantage!)

Before the summer wraps up, I wanted to share my go-to pina colada recipe with you all! This recipe is quick, simple, and only requires four ingredients. You don’t have a serve it in a pineapple, but if you are visiting Costa Rica, you definitely have to try this best pina colada recipe.

This is a great example of one of the most popular Costa Rican Cocktails and Alcoholic Drinks.

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• Guava Mimosa Recipe
• 5 – Minute Tropical Rum Punch Cocktail Recipe
• Costa Rican Pineapple Popsicles

Best Piña Colada Recipe – From Costa Rica

Ingredients for a single serving: 

• 3 oz fresh pineapple juice 
• 2 oz coconut milk or CocoLoco 
• 3 oz dark rum 
• 3/4 cup crushed ice or ice cubes 

Instructions:

Prepare a batch of fresh pineapple juice according to this recipe, or use the store-bought variety.

Pour your pineapple juice, coconut milk, rum, and ice into a blender and pulse until fully incorporated.

Voila– an instant trip to the tropics!

If you’d like to make a whole pitcher, then quadruple the recipe above. (12 oz of pineapple juice and dark rum, 4 oz of coconut milk, and 3 cups of ice.)

Substitutions

Pineapple juice from the carton or the can is a quick and tasty alternative to making fresh juice from scratch.  Frozen or canned pineapple chunks with 1 tsp of sugar will also do the trick!

It’s also possible to skip the pineapple juice in favor of a piña colada mix. 

Variations

You’re welcome to add the same amount of coconut cream (I like the Coco Lopez variety) for a slightly richer taste, or even vanilla ice cream if you’re feeling especially decadent! Coconut water is another way to achieve that distinctive coconut flavor. 

A squeeze of lime juice will also jazz up your piña colada!

Somewhat controversially, I prefer to use dark rum, but light rum (ron blanco) works, too! In Costa Rica, make sure to ask for the Ron Centenario- that’s standard. Here in the States, you can get Flor de Cana, a Nicaraguan rum that’s a great substitute. Otherwise, Bacardi Silver rum is great, as is Appleton white rum. 

Another way to enjoy your piña colada is by freezing it in a popsicle mold overnight– hello, frozen piña colada pops!

Serving Suggestions

Serve your pina colada in a tall glass and sip away! Maraschino cherries, mini umbrellas, cubed pineapple, and coconut shavings are always fun garnishes if you’re in a festive mood. 🙂

For fun, you can hollow out a pineapple and use that fruit to make your juice. Then, pour your pina colada into the hollowed-out pineapple for an eco-friendly glass you can just compost when done! No dishes to wash. 😉

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