Malibu Piña Colada

The Malibu Piña Colada is a simplified Piña Colada made with Malibu (coconut flavored liqueur made with white rum), pineapple juice and coconut cream. Although it’s traditionally served in a hurricane glass, we’ve opted for a wine glass. But whichever glass you choose,  you’re guaranteed the ultimate tropical drink.

The Malibu Piña Colada tastes like a Caribbean vacation in drink form. A sweet and creamy coconut dream, with just the right amount of tanginess from the pineapple juice to cut through the sweetness.

While the exact history of the Malibu Piña Colada is unclear, Malibu was launched in 1978, and it’s likely that this cocktail emerged around the same time.

Malibu is said to have been invented to simplify the creation of a Piña Colada, and today, it remains closely associated with this iconic cocktail. The Malibu Piña Colada remains as one of the most popular drinks in the world – a tropical staple for summer beach parties, BBQs, and music festivals everywhere.

The original Piña Colada, which inspired this version, is believed to have been invented at a resort near San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the 1950s.

• Use coconut cream, not coconut milk
  As Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Global Brand Ambassador, explains in the video, “You can use coconut milk but I would suggest using coconut cream because it has that sweetness in there. But if you’re going to use coconut milk, you might want to add some sugar to your drink.”
• Make your own pineapple juice
  Both Malibu and coconut cream are both rich and sweet, so it’s important that the pineapple juice cuts through the sweetness. If you have a juicer or a blender, we highly recommend making your own pineapple juice. Store bought just often contains preservatives and sweeteners but when you make your own pineapple juice, that’s all it is – pure pineapple juice.

• Piña Colada
  The classic, the original. A Piña Colada is made with light rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice. Those three ingredients have made the drink legendary ever since it’s arrival in the 1950s. It’s not just the best tropical cocktail but one of the best cocktails period. Discover the recipe for a Piña Colada.
• Key Lime Colada
  This vodka twist on a Piña Colada omits the rum completely and opts instead for lime-flavored vodka! It also leaves out pineapple juice and uses lime juice, coconut milk and simple syrup. It’s then garnished with biscuit crumbs, resulting in a Piña Colada inspired drink like you’ve never had before! Take a look our Key Lime Colada recipe.

• Virgin Piña Colada
  This Piña Colada mocktail has all the flavors of a classic Piña Colada just without the rum. So, if you love pineapple juice and cream of coconut, you won’t find a better non-alcoholic cocktail. Check out the recipe for a Virgin Piña Colada.
• Chi Chi
  The Chi Chi is essentially a Piña Colada made with vodka. It mixes Absolut Vodka, cream of coconut and pineapple juice and it’s a great drink to serve to friends who love Piña Coladas with a twist. Learn how to make a Chi Chi cocktail.

• A classic Piña Colada is traditionally served in a hurricane glass. However, for a Malibu Piña Colada, we recommend using a wine glass  with ice cubes. If you prefer to use a hurricane glass or a highball glass, that’s fine too.

• We recommend garnishing your Malibu Piña Colada with a pineapple wedge. If you’re using a sturdy glass like a hurricane glass or a highball glass, you can perch the pineapple wedge on the rim of your glass. However, we wouldn’t recommend perching it on a wine glass as the glass is usually a lot thinner.

• In addition to a pineapple wedge, garnish with a fresh cherry, placed directly in your glass.
• To accentuate those tropical island vibes, place a single pineapple leaf or two into the glass as well.