Fresh Coconut Pina Coladas
It's easy to make a fresh coconut Pina Coladas. With step-by-step instructions, you'll agree: that the classic tropical cocktail is better with fresh pineapple and fresh coconut - with or without alcohol!
This recipe was originally published in 2014 – and has become one of our most popular posts. I’ve updated it with new photos and new Healthy Kitchen Hacks >> Like: freeze the pineapple first for a super thick drink.
When I stay with my sister and her four kids in Montana, things can get a little crazy. Her four, plus my four kids...well, tropical pina colada are a tasty cure-all.
Making these naturally sweet, icy refreshers with fresh young coconut meat (instead of the typical coconut cream) makes them soooo much more sweet-coconutty - and entertains the kids for a good 30 minutes.
To crack open a young or mature coconut, check out Deanna's post and 1-minute video: How To Open a Coconut at Home.
By the end of coconut cracking, we'd brought out a hammer and nail to assist in following the YouTube steps. The kids thought it was a BIG deal; because of course, what other occurrence involves a hammer with food? It wasn't hard at all. In fact my 7 year-old son did all the hammering.
And a few more tools you'll need: lots of straws for sipping the soooo delicious coconut water! Fresh young coconuts are cheap (less than $3) and super healthy. And the thrill of slurping fresh coconut water never dies.
By using fresh pineapple and fresh coconut, I was able to Re-Dux the classic syrupy-sweet pina colada for this month's Recipe ReDux theme of "A Spirited ReDux". Follow these super easy 'How to Cut a Pineapple' instructions by Karman at Nutrition Adventures.
Here's what I did to make my healthier version of Homemade Pina Coladas:
Pureed the coconut and pineapple to retain all the nutrient-rich solids. Many of the recipes I found strained the coconut and the pineapple out of the final mix. Keeping the solids maintains fiber and antioxidants and vitamins found in the whole fruit.
Cut out most of the added sugar. Most versions had tablespoons of sugar per drink. Mine has just 1 teaspoon. The sweet fresh pineapple adds plenty of sweetness. If you need to add more, add by ½ teaspoon.
Be sure to make an extra batch of these and leave out the rum for the kids, but don't forget the cocktail umbrellas. They will be pleased as punch! [bctt tweet="Have you ever cracked open a fresh coconut? Try it! Then make these: Fresh Coconut Pina Coladas via @TspCurry" via="no"]
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Fresh Coconut Pina Coladas
Description
Classic tropical Pina Coladas made sweeter with the addition of fresh pineapple and fresh coconut. Only 1 teaspoons of sugar in each drink. Rum is optional.
Ingredients
⅔ cup chopped fresh young coconut meat or ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut meat
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple (or canned) frozen for 1-2 hours
1 ½ cups coconut water (from fresh coconut if your kids don't drink it all or I used Vita Coco brand)
2-3 teaspoons sugar
2 ounces rum
ice
Instructions
In a blender place coconut, frozen pineapple, coconut water and puree for 3-4 minutes until coconut is thoroughly pureed.
Add sugar and taste after a quick blend.
Add rum and ice to taste.
Garnish with fresh pineapple and a cocktail umbrella.
Notes
Freeze pineapple on a parchment-covered tray at least 1-2 hours before making the drink for a thicker, frostier drink.
Follow these super easy instructions for 'How to Cut a Pineapple' by Nutrition Adventures.
I followed this YouTube video on how open a coconut, but my coconut was trickier to open. I needed a hammer and a nail too.
Have you ever cracked open a fresh coconut? What's your favorite tropical drink?
Please check out all the other sippable Spirited ReDuxes below from our Recipe ReDux friends:
Thank you for your article. I like it very much. But I prefer the coconut water named cocozia. Yumm! Here it is http://www.amazon.com/cocozia?channel=posts
You should try it! It is organic, non-gmo and very refreshing.
Thanks for stopping by Mary. I love hearing about new products! So thanks for the scoop on the coconut water!
this pina colada is perfect! luv it so much! thank you.
i tried to add coconut water there and was surprized (i added cocozia). found it on amazon here: http://goo.gl/jERxEA
I've been wanting to replicate a pina colada that I enjoyed in Costa Rica and this sounds perfect. How many servings does your recipe make? I'd like to make a batch of 8. How many coconuts would you recommend purchasing?
Sorry for the delay Rachel! I've been traveling on vacation. This recipe makes about 2 large or 3 smaller cocktails. If you buy the young coconut, they have about 1 cup of coconut water in them. If you buy the mature coconut, they have less water. One (of either type) of coconut has plenty of coconut meat for this recipe. For 8 cocktails, I would get about 3-4 coconuts and then make sure you have extra (packaged) coconut water and extra unsweetened dried coconut on hand. Have fun!! (And if you feel like 4 coconuts is too many to open, you could even get away with 2 coconuts and throw in the packaged coconut water and dried coconut!)
Haven't tried pina colada using a fresh coconut. Definitely trying them out when given a chance. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe of yours!
Thanks Kathleen. Hope you get a chance to try it!
I love your healthier version. It was a big hit last weekend as the kids surely enjoyed the cocktail umbrellas.
Oh GREAT! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. Now that you mention it, my kids would love it if I pick up more cocktail umbrellas too!
this turned out to be super delicious...i tried this and my hubby loves it a lot...Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was perfectly lovely!
Thanks Fay! Cheers to Fresh Coconut Pina Coladas!
I already drank the coconut water & then decided to look up pina colada recipes. Can I make one without coconut water?
Cindy - You'll see in the recipe that I have a suggestion for using Vita Coco brand coconut water. But you could also use pineapple juice from a can of canned pineapple. Or you could even use plain water; if you use plain water, you may want to add a bit more fresh coconut. Thanks for making this recipe. Let me know how it turns out!!