How to Make a Pina Colada

Evoke the relaxed feeling of the tropics by blending a batch of pina coladas. For a simple recipe (and several smooth and sweet variations) to help you mix the refreshing cocktail with ease, there are a few simple steps to learn how to make a pina colada.

Whether it was invented by the Caribe Hilton's Ramon Marrero in 1954 or by the Barranchina Bar's Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963, the Pina Colada is a refreshingly sweet cocktail favored by many. The trademark taste, created with the combination of rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream, may make it easy to understand why the two establishments continue to argue over the bragging rights.http://www.fodors.com/world/caribbean/puerto-rico/feature_30005.html

There are many different ways to make a Pina Colada. The traditional way is to mix the juices yourself, and this is the way it is made at most bars. If you don't want to combine the juices yourself, Bacardi and other companies make non-alcoholic Pina Colada concentrate that can be bought at most grocery stores. These concentrates provide instructions on how to thaw the juice and how much alcohol should be mixed in.http://www.walmart.com/catalog/allReviews.do?product_id=10801555

Once you've got all of the ingredients ready, it will take less than five minutes to blend your pina coladas. However, if you prefer to serve the drink over ice or "on the rocks" rather than as a frozen drink, the ingredients can simply be mixed into a tall bar glass.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it9iewTW_sw&feature=player_embedded

1. Pour the rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and ice into the blender.http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pina-colada?autonomy_kw=pina%20colada&rsc=header_1
   • -If you'd prefer to use fresh pineapple, substitute one cup of pineapple chunks for the pineapple juice.http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/giovannas-pina-colada?autonomy_kw=pina%20colada&rsc=header_2
2. Blend the mixture on high speed for about 30 seconds.http://www.recipezaar.com/Pina-Colada-II-7859
   • -After blending, the drink should be smooth and frothy.http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/frozen-pina-colada-ghk
3. Pour the drinks into tall glasses.http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pina-colada?autonomy_kw=pina%20colada&rsc=header_1
4. Garnish the drinks with pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries.http://www.recipezaar.com/Pina-Colada-14385

To create a pina colada with subtle differences in flavor (and alcohol content), try one of these variations on the basic recipe.

1. Use one cup of coconut milk in place of the cream of coconut if you prefer a drink with a thinner consistency.http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pina-Colada-III/Detail.aspx
2. Use light and dark rum for extra flavor.http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1718016
3. The addition of heavy cream will make the Pina Colada extra smooth.http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pina-Colada-IV/Detail.aspx
4. Add orange juice for a blast of citrus.http://www.recipezaar.com/Pina-Colada-4495
5. Use coconut rum in place of coconut cream for an extra potent blend.http://www.recipezaar.com/Bahamian-Pina-Colada-37131
6. Omit the rum and add heavy cream to create a non-alcoholic version of the drink.http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Virgin-Pina-Colada/Detail.aspx
7. Use Pina Colada mix if you don't have pineapple juice and coconut cream on hand.http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Captains-Pina-Colada/Detail.aspx
8. Create a banana colada by swapping three frozen bananas for the ice.http://www.chow.com/recipes/10280