Cool down on hot summer days by mixing your favorite piña colada flavors of coconut and pineapple into a margarita! It’s a Piña Rita!
Summer drinks are meant to be cold, fun and shared with friends, which is why Pina Rita’s-Coconut Pineapple Margarita is an excellent choice for any backyard party! Easily blend coconut, pineapple, lime, and tequila for the perfect drink that’s not too sweet and will be the summer’s hit.
The Perfect Blend
Don’t you love it when you don’t have to choose between two of your favorite things? Pina Coladas and margaritas are both summer must-have drinks but when you blend them, it truly feels as though summer has officially arrived. The lime and coconut tequila take down the sweetness that Pina Coladas have, while the cream of coconut and fruit brings an incredible creaminess that margaritas don’t have. I love being able to toss everything into a blender to make a pitcher at a time so we all get to share and enjoy this perfectly blended drink while filling up on appetizers.
Speaking of irresistible appetizers, serve up sweet, Boozy Tropical Fruit Salad and savory Southwest Corn Salsa with chips to make it a real backyard party!
Other Recipes to Serve with Pina Rita
- Island flavors are calling your name, so answer the call with Coconut Shrimp and make everyone feel like they’ve sailed somewhere fabulous.
- No meal or get-together is complete without a dessert, so put an Easy Coconut Cream Pie on the menu and everyone will love you for it!
Ingredients
Liquor: To make this drink, you will need coconut tequila, which is easy to find at your local store, so pick up your favorite brand.
Coconut: Cream of coconut is also needed for this recipe, and be sure NOT to get coconut cream. They are not the same thing.
Pineapple: Pick up both pineapple juice and a can of pineapple tidbits.
Lime: Calm that sweet party and bring more flavor with fresh lime juice. Pick up a few more limes to garnish the drinks with, too, if you like.
Ice: You will need a good amount of ice for this drink, especially if you plan on making more so you may want to purchase a bag so you don’t run out.
How to Make Pina Rita’s
STEP ONE: Add the ice, tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice, pineapple juice, and pineapple tidbits to a blender.
STEP TWO: Blend the ingredients until the ice is completely crushed.
STEP THREE: Pour the drinks into margarita glasses and garnish with a wedge of lime.
Tips for Success
- A tip for any drink you want to keep chilled for as long as possible is to keep the liquid ingredients in the refrigerator! Cooling your tequila and juice ahead of time will keep your drink from getting watered down quickly, but don’t keep the cream of coconut in the fridge. It’ll become firm.
- If your pineapple tidbits come packed with real pineapple juice, then there is no need to strain, but if the tidbits are in syrup, then strain the tidbits before adding them to the blender.
- I doubt anyone will complain if you rim the glasses with a bit of toasted coconut, so brown about 1/4 cup of coconut on the stovetop or a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Keep an eye on the coconut because it can toast quickly. To coat the glasses, place the toasted coconut on a shallow plate and rim a glass with a lime wedge. Turn the glass upside down and press the rim into the coconut to coat.
What’s the difference between a Pina Colada and a Margarita?
Pina Coladas are made with rum, usually white rum or coconut rum, along with cream of coconut and pineapple juice. Margaritas, on the other hand, are made with ingredients like tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Both drinks can be blended with ice or served over ice, knowns as “on the rocks”. The Pina Rita is the perfect mash-up of both drinks, with tropical flavors of coconut and pineapple, while the tequila and lime take you on a fantastic Mexican beach vacation!
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream of coconut?
There is a big difference between cream of coconut and coconut milk or coconut cream. While they all sound like they should be the same, the difference is that coconut milk or coconut cream is simply the milk from a coconut, with nothing added. While the thick top part of a can of coconut milk is much creamier, it still lacks any sweetness. Cream of coconut is coconut milk boiled down with sugar to make a creamy syrup. This concentrated product has a much bigger coconut flavor and sweetness, which makes it perfect for adding to drinks.
Fill Your Summer with Tropical Parties
- Pina Colada
- Coconut Tequila and Grapefruit Cocktail
- Tropical Party Punch
- Mai Tai
- Pineapple Rum Punch
*This post was originally posted on 05/02/2014.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup cream of coconut
- 1 cup coconut tequila
- ½ cup pineapple tidbits drained
- ½ cup pineapple juice plus more as needed
- ½ lime juiced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 4 cups ice
- Lime wedge or slice for garnish
Instructions
- Add the cream of coconut, tequila, pineapple tidbits, pineapple juice, lime juice, and ice to a blender.
- Cover and blender until the margaritas are a smooth slushie consistency. (You may need to add a little more pineapple juice as needed to thin it out.)
- Pour the margaritas into glasses and garnish with a lime wedge or slice on the rim before serving immediately.
Erin Meyers says
Where do you find cream of coconut? Different than coconut milk
Aubrey Cota says
It is different. You can find it in the cocktail mixers in a squeeze bottle that’s perfect for making drinks or near the thai foods in the grocery store in a can. It is more thick and sweet than coconut milk.
Valerie | From Valerie's Kitchen says
This looks SO delicious and very dangerous! 🙂