Banana Piña Colada

There is no drink I prefer over this Banana Piña Colada. Period. As a sweet drink and smoothie connoisseur, I know what I'm talking about. While pineapple and coconut on their own is great, the addition of banana makes for an even more delectable combination. With the flavors in beautiful balance, the rum just serves to make things a little more fun. This is the drink I make myself for my birthday every year and I hope it makes you want to start a similar tradition for yourself.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

Banana Piña Colada Ingredients

• Bananas: While frozen bananas are ideal here for texture, you can use fresh (as long as they are ripe) in a pinch. If you choose to do this, add 2 cups of ice to your blender before blending everything together. This will ensure your piña coladas are cold and creamy enough!
• Pineapple: Just like the bananas, you really want to be using frozen pineapple here for texture reasons. Fresh pineapple isn't cold enough and will yield a juicier result.
• Pineapple Juice: These days it's pretty easy to find pineapple juice at your local grocery store. If you are having trouble, you may be able to find it in the canned fruits section. If not, purchase a couple cans of pineapple in juice and strain them into a measuring cup until you have enough.
• Coconut Milk: For flavor and creaminess you will want to purchase full-fat coconut milk in the can. Do not buy coconut milk in a carton, light coconut milk or coconut cream.
• White Rum: I am hardly a rum aficionado so I won't tell you what to do here. If purchasing fancy, expensive rum is significant to you, go for it. I just bought cheap Trader Joe's brand white rum and it was perfect.

Tips for Making Banana Piña Coladas

1. This is not a great make ahead recipe. Do not be tempted to blend everything together and store it in the refrigerator. It will melt and separate in there too. Instead, measure out and prepare your ingredients at well as possible and blend them up right when you are ready to serve.
2. The yield of this recipe is 3-4 drinks. This depends on the size of your serving glasses. If you are making these Banana Piña Coladas for a group of friends I would recommend doubling the recipe. I promise you everyone will want more than one. To keep everything cold and creamy you can do this in batches as needed.
3. You can totally make these drinks alcohol-free if you'd like! Simply omit the rum from the recipe prior to blending. If you find the drink is slightly too thick, add in an additional ½ c pineapple juice and blend again.

How to Serve Banana Piña Coladas

This is a drink I like to save for special occasions but if you want to whip up a batch midweek I would never judge you.

These babies go great with little appetizers and hors d'oeuvres. You can even serve them as a beverage to go with a main meal. I know that may not be popular but it is my personal favorite way to consume them. Give me a Banana Piña Colada and a plate of Cauliflower Soyrizo Tacos and I will be in heaven for several hours to follow!

No matter when or how you serve these I am a huge proponent of garnishes. Top each drink with a generous amount of coconut whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Don't forget the pineapple wedge for the rim!

Please remember if you make this recipe to snap a pic and share with @censoredbaker on instagram!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a banana colada made of?

A banana colada resembles a piña colada in all ways with one major exception - it contains bananas. Here, we are not replacing the pineapple with bananas. We are using them together with coconut milk and rum. That way we get the best of both worlds.

What is the alcohol in a piña colada?

Piña coladas utilize light/white rum as their alcohol of choice. Vacation vibes through and through!

Are piña coladas high in alcohol?

As far as mixed drinks go, piña coladas are relatively low in alcohol. The ABV usually comes out anywhere from 12-15%. That said, you should pace yourself with consumption. These drinks are very sweet and can sneak up on you.

Print

Looking for more frozen cocktails?

• Frozen Mimosas (3 Ways!)