These easy vegan pina colada popsicles are bursting with fresh tropical flavor. The balance of creamy coconut and fruit pineapple is a match made in heaven. A subtle kick of rum, like with my Mojito popsicles, helps to make them into a frozen dessert version of your favorite cocktail!
They're like an easier version of vegan pina colada ice cream, and a healthier version of Dole Whip, and you can make them non-alcoholic too if you want to make them for the kids!
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🥥 Ingredients Needed
Notes about the ingredients
- You can use either fresh or frozen pineapple for this recipe. When I find pineapples on offer in the supermarket, I like to chop them up when perfectly ripe and freeze them. I always find the flavor of fresh pineapple to be more intense than store-bought that's already been frozen.
- Coconut milk is not only essential for that classic piña colada flavor, but it also gives these ice lollies a wonderful creamy texture. You'll need full-fat canned coconut milk to get the best results.
- Rum is optional, but I highly recommend it unless you want to make them kid-friendly. You can use either dark, spiced, or white rum, depending on what you have to hand. The rum not only adds flavor but also helps to keep the consistency of these ice lollies nice and creamy. Alcohol has a lower freezing point than water, so adding a little to ice cream helps keep the mixture from freezing rock solid! (source: Serious Eats)
- Pure maple syrup is the natural sweetener for these pina colada popsicles, making them refined sugar-free. You can add more or less depending on your taste and the sweetness of the pineapple that you used.
🥣 How To Make pina colada popsicles
(1) Add the pineapple, coconut milk, maple syrup, and rum to your high-speed blender and blitz until it reaches a smooth consistency with no lumps.
(2) Taste test to check if the mixture is sweet enough for your liking. If it needs more sweetness add the maple syrup and blend again for a minute to combine.
(3) Separate the mixture between 10 popsicle molds and insert a wooden lolly stick into each. You can also pineapple silicone ice cream molds.
(4) Place in the freezer to set for 4-6 hours, or until completely frozen.
👩🍳 Recipe Success Tips
- Make sure your coconut cream or coconut milk is chilled before use. This thickens the coconut milk in the tin and separates out the liquid part from the can. You only want to use the thick cream from the top of the can, you can reserve the liquid for smoothies or even soups.
- Add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice to the mix to the ice cream mixture for an even more tropical flavor.
- Use the best quality pineapple you can find, as this is the flavor that really shines through in the recipe. To judge whether a pineapple is ripe, check that the exterior is more yellow and not green. Also, squeeze the pineapple and it should be slightly soft and not rock hard, and if you give the base of the pineapple a sniff, it should smell sweet and fruity. (source: Bon Appétit)
- If you can't find a good pineapple, you can use pre-packaged frozen fruit. I have not tried canned pineapple, but I imagine this would significantly alter the end flavor of the popsicles.
- To easily remove the pineapple coconut popsicles from their molds run them under a hot tap for 10-20 seconds (without allowing water to enter into the popsicle mold itself).
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
By using full-fat chilled canned coconut milk, and not the watery part from the cans.
They take between 4-6 hours to firm up completely.
Yes, you can omit the rum to make virgin piña colada popsicles or simply add a teaspoon of rum extract instead.
🍍 More tropical vegan desserts
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Description
Ingredients
- 230 g (8.11 oz) chilled full-fat canned coconut milk, *see notes
- 575 g (3 ½ cups) fresh pineapple, chopped, *see notes
- 60 ml (¼ cup) pure maple syrup, more or less to taste
- 2 tablespoons rum, dark, spiced, or white
Instructions
- Add the pineapple, coconut milk, and rum to your high-speed blender. Blend for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth without any lumps. Taste test, and if you'd like it sweeter add the maple syrup and blend again for a minute to combine.
- Pour the mixture into 10 popsicle molds, cover, and insert wooden sticks into each one. Place in the freezer for 4-6 hours, or until completely set.
Serving and Storage
- To easily remove the pineapple coconut popsicles from their molds run them under a hot tap for 10-20 seconds (without allowing water to enter into the popsicle mold itself).
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Refrigerate the cans of coconut milk overnight, then only use the thick cream from the top of the cans. This recipe will call for 1-2 400ml cans, depending on the brand you use. I find Nature's Charm and Biona to have the best yeild.
- If you can't find a good pineapple, you can use pre-packaged frozen fruit. I have not tried canned pineapple, but I imagine this would significantly alter the end flavor of the popsicles.
- Add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice to the mix to the ice cream mixture for an even more tropical flavor.
Nutrition
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*This recipe was originally published in June 2020. The recipe has since been improved and updated to simplify and include more detailed instructions.
