Expert Advice For Frozen Piña Coladas With A Bar-Worthy Texture

Despite their slightly corny reputation (largely thanks to the musical stylings of singer-songwriter Rupert Holmes), piña coladas are undeniably delicious. A classic piña colada recipe consists of sweet yet pleasantly tart pineapple juice, rich coconut cream, a pinch of sugar, white rum, and of course, plenty of ice. When you order this iconic cocktail at a bar, you usually receive a frothy, delicious, almost ice cream-like treat. If you've ever tried to make it at home, however, you may have ended up with a watery, separated mess. To learn how to achieve that perfect piña colada texture, Mashed spoke with Justin Lavenue, who owns and operates The Roosevelt Room and The Eleanor, two neighboring cocktail and event venues located in Austin, Texas.

Lavenue advised that the key to this texture has little to do with the ingredients and everything to do with the ice. "The main thing to keep in mind when making frozen piña coladas is to use large ice cubes directly from the freezer," he said. Many recipes call for crushed ice since it's easier to blend, but just like when you make a cocktail in a shaker or add some ice to a glass of bourbon, smaller ice produces more ice fragments and melts faster. If you're wondering when to stop blending, Lavenue told Mashed that it's all about the sound.

The major appeal of crushed ice is that it's very easy to break down in a blender. Large, fully frozen ice cubes, on the other hand, are much more substantial and require a bit more attention if you want to ensure they reach a smooth, consistent texture. It can be difficult to judge when the blender has completed its work and you can finally lay off the pulse button. This is why Justin Lavenue told Mashed to "blend [the cubes] until you can no longer hear the blender chipping the ice pieces down."

To break down large ice cubes, you'll need a top-notch blender with sharp blades and plenty of power. Plus, once you've added your ingredients or piña colada mix to the machine, you have to make sure you're using the right settings. If you're making a big batch of the cocktail and your blender is filled with ice, start with a high-speed setting. For smaller portions, start with the pulse function. Some models even have an ice-crushing function that's perfect for making bar-quality piña coladas at home.