Kids Pina Colada in the Thermomix® only works when the pineapple goes into the mixing bowl before the ice. Blend the pineapple first, then crush the ice afterwards. If you reverse the order, the drink turns watery instead of creamy.
We make this alcohol-free cocktail for children’s birthday parties and summer gatherings. The combination of fresh pineapple, unsweetened coconut milk and a splash of lime is reliably popular with children from age 3 upwards. The order matters: the pineapple and coconut milk are blended for one minute at speed 10 into a creamy base. Only then do the 14 ice cubes go in and get crushed for 45 seconds at speed 10. This two-phase logic prevents the ice and fruit puree from separating.
Kids Pina Colada Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 6 ✓
- 600 g pineapple
- 3 tbsp honey
- 400 g unsweetened coconut milk
- 20 ice cubes
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 10 tbsp desiccated coconut
Instructions 0 / 4
-
1
Cut the pineapple.
Using a large knife, cut the stalk and base off the pineapple. Stand it upright and cut away the skin and dark eyes. Cut the pineapple into pieces and remove the woody core. Cut 6 pineapple slices (to decorate the glasses).
-
2
Blend the pineapple.
Add the remaining pineapple pieces together with the honey and coconut milk to the mixing bowl and blend for 1 min / speed 10.
-
3
Add the ice and juice.
Add 14 ice cubes and the lime juice to the mixing bowl and blend for 45 sec / speed 10.
-
4
Serve.
Divide the cocktail between the glasses, sprinkle with desiccated coconut and garnish with pineapple slices.
Nutrition per serving
Preparing the pineapple: remove the woody core
You need 600 g of pineapple for 6 glasses. We cut off the stalk and base, stand the pineapple upright and remove the skin along with the dark eyes. The woody core running through the centre must come out completely, otherwise the drink will have fibrous bits. From the 600 g, we cut 6 thin slices to decorate the glasses, and the rest goes into the mixing bowl in pieces. Frozen pineapple does not work here as it releases too much water and dilutes the coconut milk base.
Unsweetened coconut milk: 400 g with 18% fat
We use unsweetened coconut milk with at least 18% fat. Sweetened coconut milk or coconut drinks with 5% fat do not deliver the creamy texture that carries the cocktail. The 400 g of coconut milk is blended with the pineapple pieces and 3 tbsp of honey for one minute at speed 10. That full minute is needed for the coconut fats and pineapple juice to come together into a stable emulsion. At 30 seconds the mixture stays watery.
Ice timing: 45 seconds at speed 10
Only after the blending phase do 14 ice cubes and 1 tbsp of lime juice go into the mixing bowl. 45 seconds at speed 10 crushes the ice finely enough that there are no large pieces in the glass, but not so long that the ice dissolves completely. At one full minute the cocktail turns lukewarm from the friction heat, and at 30 seconds too many ice chunks remain. The 20 ice cubes in the ingredients list are your total stock: 14 actually go into the mixing bowl and the rest can go into the glasses as extra cooling.
Lime, not lemon
1 tbsp of lime juice balances the sweetness of the honey and pineapple. Lemon juice is not a substitute as it tastes too sharp alongside coconut. The lime adds a gently bitter note that stops the cocktail tasting like pure syrup. If you do not have fresh lime juice, bottled lime juice will do, but do not leave it out.
Serve with desiccated coconut and a straw
We divide the cocktail between 6 glasses, sprinkle 10 tbsp of desiccated coconut over the top and hook a pineapple slice onto the rim of each glass. Colourful paper straws complete the look. Avoid plastic straws as they can break down in the acidic mixture and leave an unpleasant taste. Serve the cocktail straight after blending as the coconut milk emulsion starts to separate after about 10 minutes, leaving a watery layer at the bottom.
Adjusting the honey for children
3 tbsp of honey is the guide amount for averagely sweet pineapple. Very ripe pineapple only needs 2 tbsp, underripe pineapple may need 4 tbsp. We taste the fruit first and adjust the honey accordingly. For children under 1 year, replace the honey completely with agave syrup as honey carries a risk of botulism for infants.
More alcohol-free drinks for children: Banana Milk, Strawberry Milkshake and Raspberry Shake.
