Just when you thought there wasn't anything that could ever make a creamy, tropical frozen piña colada taste better, along comes the banana colada. With just a touch of banana hanging out with all the other deliciousness of the drink, the banana piña colada is bound to become your new beachy fave.
How to Make a Banana Colada
This is a blended drink, which essentially means that to make it, you toss everything in a blender and give it a whirl. It's one of our favorite ways to make frosty cold drinks on a hot summer afternoon.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces light rum
- ¾ ounce banana liqueur
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce cream of coconut
- 1 banana, peeled
- 1 cup ice
- Orange wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add ice, light rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and banana.
- Blend until smooth or desired consistency.
- Pour into a highball or hurricane glass.
- Garnish with an orange wedge.
Related: Beachy, Breeze Banana Margarita With a Tropical Twist
Banana Colada Variations
There are a few ways to blend up or even shake up a banana colada.
- Skip the blending! Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker, using an extra half ounce of banana liqueur and an ounce less pineapple juice. Shake the ingredients together to chill them well, and then strain to serve over fresh ice in a cocktail glass.
- If you're looking for a bolder banana flavor, add another peeled banana to the mix.
- Use equal parts pineapple juice and orange juice.
- Add a dash of cinnamon bitters or a splash of cinnamon liqueur for a spiced banana colada.
Garnishes for the Banana Colada
Keep the garnish simple to allow the drink to shine or go extravagant to make the drink a complete experience from first sight.
- Pierce a banana slice, peeled or unpeeled, on a cocktail skewer.
- Alternate dehydrated banana with fresh banana slices.
- Garnish with a pineapple leaf, on its own, or with another garnish.
- Sprinkle grated coconut over top of the drink.
- Use a maraschino or cocktail cherry to add a pop of color.
Go Bananas
Shake the banana tree to find a fun new riff on the piña colada. It's such an obvious match made in heaven that it seems foolish it isn't more popular around the globe.
