How to Make a Virgin Piña Colada, Plus Pina Colada Gummies to Serve With It

How to make a virgin piña colada that tastes like the real thing, the classic with rum, a batch for six, and pina colada gummies as the garnish.

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Vesper Bites Pina Colada gummies, alcohol-free

A piña colada is the rare cocktail that loses almost nothing when you take the rum out. The flavour is pineapple and coconut, and both are in the glass whether or not there is a spirit behind them. Below is how to make a virgin piña colada that tastes like the real thing, the classic for anyone who wants it, how to batch either one for a crowd, and where pina colada gummies fit on the table.

Quick answer: For one virgin piña colada, blend 4 oz (120 ml) pineapple juice, 2 oz (60 ml) cream of coconut, 1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice and about a cup of ice until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge. For the classic, add 2 oz (60 ml) white rum and cut the pineapple juice to 3 oz (90 ml).

What goes in a piña colada

The piña colada comes from Puerto Rico, where it is the national drink. The name means "strained pineapple", and the build has barely changed: pineapple, coconut, rum and ice. Take the rum out and you still have the two flavours people order it for.

The one ingredient that decides whether it works is the coconut. Cream of coconut is sweetened and thick, made for drinks, and it is what gives a piña colada its body and sweetness. Coconut cream and coconut milk are unsweetened cooking ingredients. Use them and the drink comes out thin and flat, and you will need simple syrup to rescue it. Look for cream of coconut in the drinks aisle, and shake the can before you open it, because it separates.

How to make a virgin piña colada

Ingredients (one drink)

4 oz (120 ml) pineapple juice, chilled
2 oz (60 ml) cream of coconut
1/2 oz (15 ml) fresh lime juice
About 1 cup of ice, or 1/2 cup ice and 1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
Pineapple wedge to garnish

Method

Chill the glass. A piña colada melts fast, so start cold.
Add the pineapple juice, cream of coconut and lime juice to the blender first, then the ice. Liquids at the bottom blend smoother.
Blend on high for 20 to 30 seconds, until there are no ice chunks left.
Pour, garnish with a pineapple wedge, and serve straight away.

The lime is optional, but it is what stops a virgin piña colada tasting like a milkshake. Frozen pineapple in place of half the ice gives a thicker drink that does not water down as it sits. If you prefer it less sweet, cut the cream of coconut to 1 1/2 oz and add a splash of soda water after blending.

The classic, with rum

For the original, blend 2 oz (60 ml) white rum, 3 oz (90 ml) pineapple juice, 2 oz (60 ml) cream of coconut and a cup of ice. Some bars float a little dark rum on top. You can also skip the blender: shake the same ingredients hard with ice and strain over fresh ice for a lighter, colder drink.

How to batch piña coladas for a party

For six virgin piña coladas, mix 3 cups (720 ml) pineapple juice, 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cream of coconut and 3 oz (90 ml) lime juice in a pitcher and keep it in the fridge. Blend it with ice in two or three rounds as guests arrive, since most blenders cannot take six drinks of ice at once.

If some guests want rum, keep it out of the pitcher. Set the bottle beside the blender with a jigger and let each person add 2 oz to their own glass. One base, two drinks, and the person who is not drinking gets exactly the same piña colada as everyone else.

Pina colada gummies on the table

This is where the gummies come in. Our Pina Colada gummies taste of juicy pineapple and creamy coconut, the same pairing that is in the glass. They do three jobs at a piña colada party.

Garnish: slide one onto a cocktail pick with the pineapple wedge and rest it across the rim.
Snack: a small dish beside the blender gives guests something to pick at while the next round blends.
Take-home: a box at $7.99 is an easy thank-you for whoever brought the blender.

If you want more than one flavour out, the Thank You gift box pairs Pina Colada with Amaretto Cherries and Strawberry Daiquiri, three flavour boxes for $24.99. For a full tropical spread, the Tropical Escape collection puts Pina Colada next to Paloma Hearts, Peach Bellini and Strawberry Daiquiri.

Vesper Bites are 100% alcohol-free. The cocktail flavours come from spirit extracts and botanicals, so the same dish works for the guest with rum in their glass and the guest without. They are Belgian-made, gluten-free and made without palm oil, and they contain gelatin, so they are not vegetarian.

One honest note for a summer party: piña coladas belong outside, and gummies do not like heat. Vesper Bites melt above 30 C, so keep the dish in the shade and top it up from the box rather than setting everything out at once.

Piña coladas for a mixed crowd

Few drinks make an alcohol-free version this easy. The flavour is all in the juice and the coconut, so a virgin piña colada is not a lesser drink, just a different glass from the same blender. If you are hosting someone who has stopped drinking, our guide to non-alcoholic gifts for someone who doesn't drink covers what lands and what to avoid.

For a brunch version of the same idea, see how to set up a peach Bellini bar with a zero-proof pour. To turn the gummies into a full spread, try a candy charcuterie board. New to the category? Here is what cocktail gummies are. And if you want the cocktails handled too, our sibling brand Vesper Cocktails makes cocktail infusion kits.

Virgin piña colada FAQ

What is a virgin piña colada made of?

Pineapple juice, cream of coconut, a little lime juice and ice, blended until smooth. It is the classic piña colada without the rum.

What is the difference between cream of coconut and coconut cream?

Cream of coconut is sweetened and made for drinks; it gives a piña colada its body and sweetness. Coconut cream is unsweetened and makes a thinner, flatter drink.