Enjoy the flavors of a tropical drink classic without the booze in this easy-to-sip piña colada mocktail. Written to serve two, this recipe is easy to scale up and serve both blended and on the rocks in a pitcher. You'll be in vacation mode in minutes.
I made this drink more along the lines of an easy-to-sip piña colada flavored mocktail versus a standard piña colada, hold the rum.
It's still blended but a bit thinner, and doesn't contain quite as much cream of coconut, keeping the fat and sugar more in-check. Don't worry though, as the coconut flavor still shines to make this undeniably a piña colada beverage.
My secret? Coconut-flavored sparkling water.
A favorite in a coconut mojito mocktail, this flavored sparkling water brings a bold and beach-y tropical flavor (versus a sweet coconut note, like a coconut macaroon). It bulks out a mocktail without extra sugar and provides a satisfying light effervescence. I always have some on hand for mixed drinks.
What You'll Need
- Pineapple Juice: A staple! This non-alcoholic piña colada recipe makes two drinks, which will use a full 6-ounce can for easy measuring.
- Cream of Coconut: This can be found in the canned milk aisle near coconut and other shelf-stable milks, or sometimes by the drinks/mixers. Look for a small can or a squeeze bottle like the one pictured above. There's more on the distinctions below, but this is not the same as coconut milk or even coconut cream.
- Lime Juice: Use freshly-squeezed for the brightest flavor.
- Rum Extract: This is optional but a few drops of rum baking extract makes this mocktail taste extra fancy. It's great in a homemade eggnog latte, eggnog oatmeal, and fruitcake cookies, too.
- Sparkling Water: I highly recommend using coconut-flavored sparkling water (my favorite kind is LaCroix, but recently have gotten into bubly coconut pineapple, too). It bumps up the tropical vibe without adding additional sugar or fat.
How to Make a Piña Colada Mocktail
- Add ice to a blender and pour in everything but the sparkling water.
- Blend until the ice is broken down, frothy, and combined.
- Pour the piña colada mocktail mixture into two glasses and top with sparkling water, to taste.
Tips and Tricks
- Chilled ingredients. While this non-alcoholic piña colada recipe is frosty from being blended, it's best if your other ingredients are chilled as well for the most refreshing touch.
- Don't blend sparkling water. It's carbonated and the agitation from the blender can cause pent-up pressure and cause the lid to fly off (and a mess to clean up).
- Garnishes. A paper drink umbrella is a traditional topper for a piña colada, as is a maraschino cherry. And while this version doesn't use fresh pineapple, a pineapple leaf is also a festive adornment.
Recipe FAQs
Compared to coconut milk, coconut cream is thicker and contains more fat as it's made with a higher coconut to water ratio. If you've opened a can of coconut milk to find a solidified white layer on the top, that's coconut cream. It's typically unsweetened. Cream of coconut is this cream but liquefied/processed a bit more with added sweetener, making it a classic piña colada ingredient.
Yes! Blended piña colada mocktails for a crowd can be made by scaling up the recipe as-written, but for a true pitcher drink, scale up the serving size and stir together everything but the sparkling water and ice in a pitcher and chill. Pour into glasses over ice, either adding sparkling water to the glasses or to the pitcher just prior to serving so it doesn't go flat.
You can serve this piña colada mocktail on the rocks instead of blending. Add pineapple juice, cream of coconut, lime juice, and rum extract to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Then pour into glasses over ice and stir in the sparkling water.
More Mocktail Recipes
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Piña Colada Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups ice
- 6 ounces pineapple juice
- 1.5 ounces cream of coconut
- 0.5 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice (about half a lime)
- 1/16 teaspoon rum extract (optional) or to taste
- 6 ounces coconut-flavored sparkling water or plain, divided
Instructions
- Add ice to a blender and pour in the pineapple juice, cream of coconut, lime juice, and rum extract, if using. Blend until the ice is broken up and everything is well mixed.
- Divide the blended drink into two glasses and pour 3 ounces of sparkling water into each one. Stir to combine. Garnish with maraschino cherries and/or paper umbrellas.
Notes
- Cream of Coconut: This is different than coconut cream, which is unsweetened and more solidified. This ingredient is sweetened and more like a syrup, which makes itself more useful for a mixed drink.
- On the Rocks: To serve this mocktail unblended, add pineapple juice, cream of coconut, lime juice, and rum extract to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into glasses over ice and stir in sparkling water.
- Pitcher Instructions: Stir/whisk together everything but the sparkling water and ice in a pitcher, then chill. Add the sparkling water and ice to the individual glasses for serving, or stir the sparkling water into the pitcher just before serving so it doesn't go flat. To serve 8, use the following quantities:
- 24 ounces pineapple juice
- 6 ounces cream of coconut
- 2 ounces lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon rum extract
- 24 ounces sparkling water, for serving
- Ice, for serving
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.
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