Tiki & tropical · Rum · IBA official
Piña Colada
Rum, pineapple and creamy coconut, shaken frothy over crushed ice
White rum shaken with cream of coconut and pineapple juice until frothy, then poured over crushed ice. Sweet, creamy and tropical, with pineapple's tang keeping it from cloying. A poolside drink by design – best when it's hot and nobody's in a hurry.
- Glass
- Hurricane glass
- Ice
- Crushed ice
- Technique
- Shaken · Strained
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Time
- 3 min
- Strength
- ≈ 12% ABV
Ingredients
- 50 mlWhite rum1¾ oz
- 30 mlCream of coconut1 oz
- 50 mlPineapple juice1¾ oz
- GarnishPineapple wedge + Cocktail cherry
≈ 163 ml served · 1.6 standard drinks
Method
- 1
Add the rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice to a shaker.
- 2
Fill with ice and shake hard for about 15 seconds to emulsify the coconut.
- 3
Fill a hurricane glass with crushed ice and strain the drink over it.
- 4
Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cocktail cherry.
History
The Caribe Hilton in San Juan credits its bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero with creating it in 1954, soon after canned cream of coconut came on the market. Ramón Portas Mingot of the Barrachina restaurant claimed a 1963 creation, and the dispute continues. Since 1978 it has been the official drink of Puerto Rico.
- Origin
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- First recorded
- 1954
Bartender's notes
- For the frozen version, blend all three ingredients with a cup of crushed ice until smooth and pour without straining.
- Cream of coconut is sweetened – if you swap in unsweetened coconut cream or coconut milk, add sugar to compensate.
- A splash of aged rum floated on top adds depth.
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