Luscious Pina Coladas

Luscious Pina Coladas. Don’t they sound like a perfect summer drink? They are!

And today, July 10, is National Pina Colada Day, so I thought it was time to share them with you all. Or actually re-share them.

That is why this recipe may seem familiar to some of you longtime gfe followers. I first shared these Luscious Pina Coladas with my recipe for Homemade Gluten-Free Calamari, way back in 2010!

When you’ve had a site since the end of 2008, sometimes recipes can get “lost.” Especially if you share them with another recipe in the same post and can only share one photo as the featured image for the post. (I didn’t know the down side of doing that back then.)

Part of the discussion in that post was about favorite tropical drinks and I confessed that my favorites are always margaritas and pina coladas. (Although I won’t turn down a Painkiller now and then either. Especially when I’m visiting a very warm and fun location.) 

The first time I made gluten-free calamari, I went with a pina colada. My recipe for Luscious Pina Coladas is both gluten free and dairy free, and uses no processed mixes either.

I basically took the idea of a Southern Living recipe that I’d enjoyed years ago and just revised it to use whole food ingredients, including coconut milk. Luscious and easy to make, too!

Admittedly, these Pina Coladas are on the sweet side. My tastes have changed in that regard over the years. Although I still prefer drinks on the sweet side, I don’t need them quite as sweet these days. 

While Pina Coladas are sweet as a given, you can use a lower amount of sugar (or other sweetener) in this recipe if you like. You can also enjoy a smaller serving of Pina Coladas. Of course, the up side of that approach is that this pitcher full of Luscious Pina Coladas will then easily serve several folks.

See mine in the Jefferson cup. It holds the perfect amount at 8 ounces and the pewter cup also helps keep your Pina Colada cold. Gotta love that! 

More Summer Appropriate Drink Recipes and Appetizers to Enjoy with Them

~ Bourbon Banana Colada

~ Cucumber Chickpea “Bruschetta”

~ Frozen Watermelon Margarita

~ Homemade Sangria

~ Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

~ Lemon-Lime Coconut Basil Ice Slushie (or Ice Cream)

~ Pizza Cheese Buns

~ Purple Cow

~ Restaurant-Style Fried Pickles

~ Root Beer Floats and Other Desserts Made with Root Beer

Luscious Pina Coladas Recipe

Yield: One blender pitcher of Pina Coladas

Luscious Pina Coladas

Print

Prep Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut milk (canned full-fat, not lite)
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• ½ cup rum
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar (or other sweetener, more or less to taste)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened or sweetened (your choice)
• 8 or more ice cubes
• additional shredded coconut for topping, if desired

Instructions

1. Add coconut milk, pineapple juice, rum, sugar, banana, shredded coconut, and ice cubes to your blender. Blend on HIGH to desired consistency. Top with additional shredded coconut, if desired.

Notes

I like to use a frozen banana (I always have frozen baking bananas on hand), which provides a nice, thick consistency---part of the luscious factor in this pina colada.

Recipe inspired by Southern Living.

Did you make this recipe?

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Originally published February 28, 2010; updated July 11, 2025.

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