If you like piña coladas… but not alcohol! These Piña Colada Mocktails are what you need to hold on to summer.
(Kudos to all of you who sang that first line with me. #YouAreMyPeople.)
Why are Piña Colada Mocktails the book-inspired recipe for Looks Perfect?
I don’t think I could pick a more perfect book-inspired recipe for Looks Perfect. If you finish the book, you’ll understand why.
For those of you who haven’t read the book yet, here are some other reasons why I chose to make piña coladas:
A work trip to the Bahamas sets Stella’s life in turmoil. While there, she throws influencer weight-gain-worries aside and indulges in a few piña coladas. They’re her favorite drink, but she usually avoids them because they’re “empty calories.”
Later on, when Stella joins a dating app, all participants are assigned a fruit to keep things anonymous. (Reminds me of the French dating app in I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself.)
Stella’s fruit pseudonym is Coconut, and her love interest’s is Pineapple. Which are the two key ingredients to making a piña colada.
What I love about Piña Colada Mocktails
Homemade Piña Coladas taste so fresh. These aren’t the drinks you get from a commercial freezer machine and a pre-packaged mix. My mocktail contains real pineapple chunks, full-fat coconut milk, and coconut cream for an authentically island-time taste.
This recipe is a little more pineapple-forward. That’s because coconut isn’t naturally sweet. It tastes a bit like dirt to me, to be honest.
I mean, I love it. But add too much unsweetened coconut to anything, and it starts to taste earthy.
What makes a piña colada taste like a treat is the juicy sweet chunks of pineapple. A little vanilla extract and fresh-sequeezed lime juice also go a long way to bring you authentic flavor.
Pro tip: In Grenada, bartenders grate fresh nutmeg onto piña coaldas before serving. I now do the same. That’s the little brown specks sprinkled on top of each drink in the photos.
Why a mocktail?
Stella’s not wrong about that “empty calories” thing. Piña Coladas have very little nutritional value. But that’s okay; we don’t drink them for health. We drink them because they’re delicious.
I don’t drink alcohol much, but I’ll make an exception for a piña colada. I’ll happily take a cocktail version, but I prefer my favorite drink without the booze.
These mocktails deliver all the yummy flavor of a classic piña colada without the inebriating side effects of my favorite date night drink.
What do you serve with Piña Colada Mocktails?
Serve these refreshing drinks at a BBQ alongside some Firehouse Chicken Wings, Grilled Honey Sausage Sandwiches, or Spiced Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri.
Can’t get enough island vibes? Try Roasted Pineapple Milkshakes, Miami Vice Cookies, Pineapple Mint Agua Frescas, and anything with this Coconut Frosting slathered on it.
Piña Colada Mocktails
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut cream well-stirred
- ¼ cup unsweetened coconut milk well-stirred
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- Freshly grated or ground nutmeg optional, for garnish
- Maraschino cherries optional, for garnish
- Additional pineapple chunks optional, for garnish
Instructions
PREP INSTRUCTIONS
- Open the can of coconut milk. Carefully give it a good stir (might splash!) so the liquid and solids blend together. Set aside.
- Open the can of coconut cream. Carefully give it a good stir (might splash!) so the liquid and solids blend together. Set aside.
DRINK INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the frozen pineapple, coconut cream, coconut milk, vanilla extract, and lime juice to the bowl of a blender. Blend until all ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour piña colada into a tall glass. If desired, garnish with grated nutmeg, cherries, and additional pineapple chunks. Serve immediately while cold.
