I’ll never forget the first time I tried a Piñata cocktail. It was one of those impossibly warm Puerto Vallarta evenings, and I’d ducked into a small beach bar largely because of the painted wooden parrots dangling from the ceiling. I was watching the bartender – Diego, I later learned – lining up dazzlingly bright drinks along the counter, and he caught me staring. Grinning, he motioned me over and insisted I try his favorite. That night, the Piñata became my go-to for any occasion deserving a bit of fun.
What I love most about this drink is its happy collision of flavors: smooth rum blended with pineapple and fresh lime juice, all layered together to look as festive as the party games it’s named after. The splash of grenadine, swirling through golden juice, honestly looks like a sunset in a glass. It never fails to get a compliment or an envious glance when I serve it to friends.
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Over the years, I’ve tweaked and adjusted the recipe, mostly by trial and error (and occasional happy accidents). My main tip? Don’t skip the fresh lime juice; the sharp bitterness melts right into the sweetness from grenadine and pineapple. It’s lively but not overwhelming – just fresh, bright, and summery.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz (60ml) white rum
- 1 oz (30ml) pineapple juice
- ½ oz (15ml) fresh lime juice (I like to squeeze it right before mixing)
- ½ oz (15ml) grenadine
- ½ oz (15ml) triple sec or orange liqueur
- 1 cup crushed ice
- Pineapple wedge or lime wheel, for garnish
Instructions:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with half the crushed ice.
- Pour in the rum, pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, grenadine, and triple sec.
- Shake it up until the outside of the shaker feels icy cold – about 15 seconds.
- Grab a chilled highball glass, fill it with the rest of the ice, and strain the cocktail over it.
- Add a wedge of pineapple or a slice of lime to the rim. (Sometimes I’ll float a few pomegranate seeds in there for extra color.)
Hosting friends who don’t drink alcohol? Leave out the rum and triple sec and top off with extra pineapple juice and a splash of soda water. It’s surprisingly delicious and still has that signature look.
If you want to riff on the original, I sometimes mix in a spoonful of coconut cream for a nod to the piña colada, or muddle a couple of strawberries in the shaker before adding the other ingredients. Mango puree is another excellent swap for pineapple juice if you like it sweeter.
Try serving the Piñata next to something with a little heat, like tacos loaded with salsa or grilled shrimp with chili. Somehow, the drink’s sweetness mellows out the spice perfectly.
The Piñata is one of those cocktails that just feels like a celebration, no matter how small. Whether it’s a backyard barbecue or just unwinding after work, every time I make it I’m reminded of that twinkly-lit bar and Diego’s grin behind the counter. Isn’t that what good drinks are for?
