Piña Coladas are one of our top summer cocktails, so it only makes sense that today, July 10th, is National Piña Colada Day. If you’re a purist, you could definitely celebrate the holiday by making the basic Piña Colada using cream of coconut, light rum, pineapple, and ice. However, if you like to get a little creative sometimes, here are some twists on the classic Piña Colada that we know you’ll appreciate.
Piña Colada Jell-O Shots
These are not the Jell-O shots you used to make in college. These are amazing grown up shots that look more like a fancy appetizer than frat house staple.
- Pour 1/2 cup Thai coconut milk and 1/2 cup water into a sauce pan. Sprinkle two packets of Knox gelatin on top. Let it sit for two minutes and then mix it up until it’s all combined.
- Turn your oven on medium/high heat and let the mixture simmer. Add about 4 Tablespoons of sugar. When it’s close to a boil and the sugar is dissolved, add 1 cup of Malibu Rum.
- Pour the mixture into a 13×9 inch pan and let it set for several hours until firm.
- Slice 12 maraschino cherries with stems in half so they will sit upright in the Jell-O. Arrange them so there is enough room to cut out your triangles.
- Add pineapple Jell-O to one cup of water and bring to a boil. Then add 3/4 cup of Malibu Rum. Let it sit for a while so it’s not so hot that it melts the coconut Jell-O. When it’s warm, pour it over the coconut Jell-O layer in the pan. If any cherries move, just carefully replace them. Let sit for another hour or two to firm up.
- Using a cookie cutter of your choice (triangle is recommended, though), carefully cut out your Jell-O shots around the cherries.
Skinny Piña Colada Popsicles
One of the best things about drinking a Pina Colada is the frosty goodness, so by enjoying it in popsicle form, you’re keeping that wonderful experience in tact.
- Take 1 1/3 cups canned diced pineapple and puree it along with the pineapple juice from the can, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup light coconut milk, 1 tsp. coconut extract and 1 Tbsp. dark rum.
- Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and freeze. The popsicles should be done in approximately 4 hours.
Piña Colada Cupcakes
Beyond alcohol, baked goods are our second love, so these Pina Colada cupcakes are a dream come true. If you want to get really crazy, you could eat a Piña Colada cupcake while you drink a Piña Colada cocktail.
Preheat the oven to 350 and line cupcake pans with liners.
Full baking instructions can be found by following the link above, but here’s what you’re going to need on hand for ingredients to make this happen:
- 2/3 cup butter
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 20 oz. can crushed pineapple in juice
- 1/2 cup rum, plus more for optional soaking
And for the Coconut-Rum Buttercream that you use to ice them, you will need:
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. rum
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup coconut milk
Drink up. Happy National Piña Colada Day.