Give Piña Coladas A Sweet Summer Upgrade With This Refreshing Fruit

Frozen drinks are a staple of the summertime, especially those of the boozy variety. Many have a tropical vibe that evokes thoughts of the Caribbean, beaches, and vacations far away. Perhaps no drink exemplifies this more than a piña colada. You can upgrade this tropical beverage with more than just an umbrella, though. A piña colada is a great drink for your next cookout, but what would make it even better is a strawberry twist. 

This pink piña colada takes a normal piña colada recipe and simply adds frozen strawberries. For those curious about what goes into a piña colada in the first place, you should make sure you have pineapple, rum, pineapple juice, sugar or agave syrup, and cream of coconut – not coconut cream. Then you add frozen strawberries to taste and blend it all with some extra pineapple juice to get the consistency right. You can use fresh fruit instead of frozen, if you prefer. Not only does this strawberry upgrade give the drink a lovely pink hue, but it also brings an extra layer of flavor. This is one frosty summer treat you can serve to guests in large batches or enjoy yourself on a warm afternoon.

Strawberries have a natural sweetness and acidity, as does pineapple. Put those together, and they boost each other to new heights. If you want it to look extra fancy, you can blend the fruit components separately and then swirl them together at the end for something often called a "lava flow." Really, this drink is easy to customize, looks impressive, and just tastes great. Oh, and by the way, it's vegan!

When making this beverage, there are some things you should remember. Firstly, you should select a Caribbean white rum. Dark rum has a more spiced and vanilla-heavy flavor that may muddle the fruity taste of the drink, so a white rum is better for keeping the pineapple and strawberry the real stars. You also might want to thaw your strawberries and pineapple a little before blending, to make the job easier and your finished product smoother. 

Feel free to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice if you prefer your drinks more tart, though this is one of the best summer cocktails with or without an extra citrus kick. They're so popular that you can get a piña colada from some Taco Bells.