Vegan Skinny Piña Colada Cocktail
Smooth and creamy, you’ll love this vegan skinny piña colada cocktail. I make it with less than 10 ingredients and no refined sugars. That’s right. It’s naturally sweetened and another bonus? It comes in around 160 calories!
This is a dreamy, creamy Vegan Skinny Piña Colada Cocktail. I’m also sharing even more piña colada recipes from some of my favorite food blog friends too! If you like the pineapple and the coconut (and yes, a little lime too), you will love my Vegan Piña Colada Smoothie recipe too!
I have never really been much of a drinker. If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times, if I had the kind of self-control about chocolate like I do with alcohol, my jeans would fit better.
What I have learned though, is that I like alcoholic beverages more when they’re not so sweet. I mean, seriously, some cocktails are off the charts sweet.
That’s why I created this vegan skinny piña colada cocktail. It’s loaded with natural sweetness from the banana and this whole cocktail clocks in with less than 150 calories. Not too shabby!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Adding a banana keeps this cocktail sweet, but adds creaminess to the mix as well
- Using fresh pineapple infuses this beverage with lots of pineapple flavor
- Using almond milk combined with coconut extract adds amazing coconut flavor minus the extra calories and fat.
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Pineapple chunks — I recommend using fresh pineapple. Here’s more on how to cut a pineapple.
- Banana — Use one ripe banana.
- Almond milk — I used unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk, but any plant-based milk should work.
- Coconut rum — You could also use a coconut vodka, but I think coconut rum has the best flavor.
- Stevia — If you’d like a little more sweetness without the calories, use a zero-calorie sweetener. If you’re not worried about calories, a tablespoon or two of maple syrup will work.
- Coconut extract — I buy this in the extract and spices section of my local grocery store.
- Crushed Ice
- Mint leaves and fresh cherries — These are not required but they add a nice finishing touch.
What Pineapple is Best for Piña Colada?
Pineapples do not ripen after they’re picked so you’ll want to select one that delivers the best ripeness. Choose a pineapple with golden color on the bottom and or sides. You should be able to gently press the skin and it should give a little. You can also bring it to your nose and it should smell like pineapple. Frozen pineapple chunks are a great option if you can’t find a decent fresh one.
How to Make Vegan Skinny Piña Colada Cocktail
- Add pineapple chunks, banana, almond milk, coconut rum (if using), sweetener (if using), and coconut extract (if using) in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Take a quick taste and see if you want to add anything, like more sweetener.
- Once the flavor is right, add the crushed ice and pulse until smooth and frothy texture forms.
- Serve in cocktail glasses. Garnish with mint leaves, fresh cherries, or pineapple pieces. Umbrellas add a nice touch, too.
Storage Tips
Transfer any leftovers to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, let the ingredients thaw slightly on the counter. Spoon into serving dishes and you’re ready to enjoy! If your mixture is too chunky, you can whip it in the blender first.
Serving Suggestions
I love sharing recipes like this vegan skinny piña colada cocktail. But if you’re like me, you like to play around with a recipe—make it your own! Yes, I’m all for that. If you’d like some ideas to get you started, here’s how I would make this recipe in some different directions:
- Add a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder to add a little chocolate flavor.
- Add a tablespoon or two of coconut flakes before pulsing.
- You can make this a refreshing smoothie without alcohol.
- Try topping each serving with Coconut Whipped Cream and a maraschino cherry.
- Go tropical by adding some tropical fruits like mango
- I could also see myself drizzling this delicious Vegan Date Caramel Sauce over the top.
Do you see where I’m going with all this? There’s no one way to make a vegan skinny piña colada cocktail. Play around with the recipe and see what suits your soul!
More Cocktails
If you love this vegan piña colada cocktail, here are even more boozy recipes to tickle your tastebuds:
Vegan Skinny Piña Colada Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple chunks (or one 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, in juice)
- 1 ripe banana , medium
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk , or as desired for consistency (or your favorite milk; coconut milk is excellent here)
- 1 ½ ounces coconut rum , optional
- 1 teaspoon stevia or sweetener of your choice , optional
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- 2 cups crushed Ice
- mint leaves and fresh cherries for garnishing , optional
Instructions
- Add pineapple chunks, banana, almond milk, coconut rum (if using), sweetener (if using), and coconut extract (if using) in a blender. Pulse until smooth. Take a quick taste and see if you want to add anything, like more sweetener.
- Once the flavor is right, add the crushed ice and pulse until smooth and frothy texture forms.
- Serve in cocktail glasses. Garnish with mint leaves, fresh cherries, or pineapple pieces. Umbrellas add a nice touch, too.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2018 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
National Piña Colada Day!
Hey, y’all, I’ve got some great news! Today is National Piña Colada Day and I’ve partnered with some of my favorite national food day food blog friends to bring you a whole bunch of piña colada recipes. You know, so we could all celebrate! Some of these recipes are not vegan. Just send me a note if you’d like ideas for veganizing them. Otherwise, enjoy!
Piña Coladas mean it’s time to celebrate summer. That’s one reason I’m so happy about this National Pina Colada Day. Join the fun by following this #nationalpinacoladaday on social media today!
- Vegan Greens Piña Colada Smoothie by Namely Marly
- Piña Colada Ice Cream by Ashlee Marie
- Look at this Piña Colada Pie from the Real Mom Kitchen
- Piña Colada Cupcakes by The Baker Upstairs
- Vegan Piña Colada Cupcakes by The Gunnysack
- Oh, and this Piña Colada Bread thanks to Creations by Kara
- Check out these Piña Colada Popsicles by Gather for Bread
- Piña Colada Temblque (Pudding) by Food with Family
- Vegan Piña Colada Crumble by Beaming Banana
- How about this Vegan Piña Colada Cake by My Whole Foodie Life
- Pineapple Red Velvet Dessert Bars by Namely Marly
Whatever cherry dessert you’re preparing to dig into, enjoy!
Wow. It looks great. I will do it for my meeting with friends. We are on diet and there are little of food we can eat, but this is OK and in addition has small calories. The perfect choice for us.
So glad you like this recipe, Sam! Hope your meeting goes well!
This looks so fantastic and refreshing! Yum!
I think my whole family would go crazy for the non-alcholic version. It looks so refreshing!