This post may contain affiliate links.
Pineapple Coconut Lemonade is sunshine in a pitcher, tart fresh lemon and golden pineapple juice swirled with rich cream of coconut into a creamy tropical drink that tastes like a resort pool bar, and the batch I mixed up for the girls on the first hot Saturday of June was gone before the burgers came off the grill. If your summer pitcher game includes our blueberry lemonade cocktail, this is its island cousin.
Five ingredients, one quick simple syrup, and a whisk are all that stand between you and the creamiest lemonade of the summer.
Pineapple Coconut Lemonade Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 5 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 20 minutes plus chilling
- 🍽️ Serving: 8 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 360kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Creamy coconut, golden pineapple, and bright tart lemon
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our green party punch
Quick Answer
To make pineapple coconut lemonade, dissolve sugar in 1 cup of water over medium heat to make a simple syrup and let it cool. Combine fresh lemon juice, the remaining water, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and the cooled syrup in a large bowl, whisk well, and chill. Stir before serving over ice and garnish with maraschino cherries.
Jump to:
- Pineapple Coconut Lemonade Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Pineapple Coconut Lemonade
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Pineapple Coconut Lemonade FAQs
- Other Recommended Summer Drink Recipes
- Pineapple Coconut Lemonade
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Simple syrup means zero grit. Dissolving the sugar over heat first keeps the lemonade silky, granulated sugar stirred straight into cold juice never fully dissolves.
- Cream of coconut brings body and sweetness. Unlike coconut milk, cream of coconut is sweetened and thick, which gives the drink its pina colada richness and creamy texture.
- Fresh lemon keeps it from being cloying. The sharp citrus cuts through the rich coconut and sweet pineapple, landing the drink at refreshing instead of dessert.
- Cooling the syrup protects the coconut. Hot syrup would break the cream of coconut emulsion, cooled syrup blends in smoothly.
- A pre serve stir is built into the recipe. Coconut cream naturally rises as it chills, one good stir brings the creamy layer right back into suspension.
- Big batch friendly by design. Everything mixes in one bowl and chills for hours, so the pitcher is ready before guests arrive.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes like a vacation, creamy pina colada vibes with classic lemonade freshness, no blender required.
- Five ingredients and 20 minutes of effort makes a whole pitcher for a crowd.
- It is the perfect non alcoholic star for parties, sitting happily next to a boozy round of blue Hawaiian cocktails.
Key Ingredients
Five ingredients, every one pulling its weight.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: The backbone of any lemonade. Fresh squeezed makes a noticeable difference over bottled here.
- Pineapple Juice: Canned 100 percent pineapple juice brings the golden color and tropical sweetness.
- Cream of Coconut: The thick, sweetened coconut cream from the cocktail aisle, Coco Real or Coco Lopez, not coconut milk.
- Sugar: Cooked into a quick simple syrup so the pitcher stays smooth, never gritty.
- Maraschino Cherries: The garnish that makes every glass feel like a resort order.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
One pitcher, a dozen directions to take it.
- Make it sparkling: Top each glass with a splash of club soda or lemon lime soda.
- Spiked pitcher: Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of coconut rum or vodka to the whole batch for an adults only version.
- Frozen slush: Blend a few cups with ice for a pina colada lemonade slushie.
- Strawberry swirl: Muddle fresh strawberries into the glasses before pouring.
- Mocktail flight: Serve small glasses of this alongside our cherry limeade for a make your own drink bar.
How to Make Pineapple Coconut Lemonade
- Add 1 cup of the water and the sugar to a small saucepot over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes, then allow the simple syrup to come to room temperature.
- Add the lemon juice and the remaining water to a large bowl.
- Pour in the pineapple juice.
- Add the cream of coconut.
- Pour in the cooled simple syrup.
- Whisk everything to combine and chill before serving. Serve over ice, giving it a good stir before pouring since the liquid will separate, and garnish with cherries or as desired.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Shake or stir the cream of coconut can first. The thick cream settles hard at the bottom of the can.
- Cool the syrup completely before mixing so it does not break the coconut cream.
- Roll the lemons before juicing. A firm roll on the counter gets noticeably more juice per lemon.
- Chill at least 2 hours. The flavors round out and the drink is at its best ice cold.
- Stir before every pour. Separation is natural, one stir brings the creaminess right back.
- Garnish like you mean it. A pineapple wedge, a cherry, and toasted coconut flakes turn a glass into a moment.
- Scale it up for parties. The recipe doubles cleanly into a drink dispenser, just stir before each serve.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This pitcher was built for cookouts and pool days. Serve it alongside a boozy lineup of mango kiss on the lips cocktails and peach bellinis so every guest has a glass that fits.
Flavor wise it loves smoky grilled food, think ribs, burgers, and barbecue chicken, where the creamy citrus cools everything down. It is also a natural with our pina colada cake for a full tropical theme.
For a kid party win, serve it in clear cups with paper umbrellas and extra cherries, then watch the lemonade stand dreams ignite.
Pineapple Coconut Lemonade FAQs
Cream of coconut is thick, sweetened, and made for drinks, it is what gives this lemonade its creamy pina colada body. Coconut milk is unsweetened and much thinner, so it will water the drink down and leave it under sweet. Look for Coco Real or Coco Lopez near the cocktail mixers.
Separation is completely normal. Cream of coconut is rich and naturally rises as the drink sits in the refrigerator. Just give the pitcher a good stir before each pour and it comes right back together.
It keeps 3 to 4 days covered in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving since the coconut cream will settle. We do not recommend freezing the full pitcher, but leftover lemonade makes excellent ice cubes for future glasses.
You can in a pinch, but fresh squeezed lemon juice makes a big difference in a drink this simple. Bottled juice can taste flat and slightly bitter against the sweet coconut and pineapple.
Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of coconut rum, white rum, or vodka to the finished pitcher and stir. For single servings, add a shot to the glass before topping with lemonade so you can keep a family friendly batch going too.
Yes, blend about 2 cups of fresh pineapple chunks until smooth and strain out the pulp, you will need roughly the same amount of juice the recipe calls for. Canned juice is more consistent in sweetness, so taste and adjust the syrup if you go fresh.
Keeping the pitchers coming all summer? Our peach Arnold Palmer is next on the porch list.
For the punch bowl version of this tropical vibe, our fruit punch recipe serves a whole party.
Keep it classic with a big pitcher of this easy lemonade recipe made from scratch.
Pineapple Coconut Lemonade
Ingredients
- 5 cups water divided
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice
- 15 ounces cream of coconut
- maraschino cherries for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add 1 cup of the water and the sugar to a small saucepot over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. The liquid will be clear.5 cups water, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Allow the simple syrup to come to room temperature.
- Add the lemon juice, remaining water, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and the cooled syrup to a large bowl.1 1/2 cups lemon juice, 1 1/2 cups pineapple juice, 15 ounces cream of coconut
- Whisk to combine. Chill before serving.
- Serve over ice, giving it a good stir before pouring as the liquid will separate. Garnish with cherries or as desired.maraschino cherries for garnish
Notes
- Shake the Can: Always shake the can of cream of coconut well before using to ensure it’s smooth and lump-free.
- Use Fresh Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice makes a big difference in flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Chill Before Serving: Make sure to chill the lemonade before serving for the best taste.
- Stir Well: The cream of coconut tends to separate, so give it a good stir before pouring.
- Experiment with Flavors: Don’t be afraid to experiment with different fruit juices or add-ins to customize your drink.
- Serve Over Ice: Serve the lemonade over ice to keep it cool and refreshing.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
Follow @ThisSillyGirlsKitchen on Instagram and @danadevolk on Pinterest for more!
I want to know what to do if I substitute canned frozen lemonade for the fresh lemon juice. I know I would reduce the sugar. Any suggestions?