The Jarred Ingredient You Need To Hack Your Way Into Easy Piña Coladas

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Who doesn't love a piña colada? Even if you don't also love getting caught in the rain, chances are you get excited just thinking about a classic piña colada with all of its island getaway-inspired energy and its balance of tart, bright pineapple and sweet coconut with a cheeky dose of rum. Because of its popularity and festive feel, piña coladas are a patio-season staple and a go-to for get-togethers, so we're always looking for ways to streamline the process of making them. Our favorite recent trick is infusing rum with pineapple. It couldn't be easier, thanks to jarred pineapple spears.

They're on our list of fan-favorite items at Aldi and you can nab jarred pineapple spears at Sam's Club for about $7. They come preserved in a light syrup with coconut water, which makes for instant piña colada vibes. But if you pour that syrup out and replace it with rum, especially coconut rum, you'll have a spirit that imparts the cocktail's flavors. When it's time to make piña coladas, you can go all out and still blend the pineapple-infused coconut rum with pineapple juice and cream of coconut, or you can simply mix it up with pineapple juice or coconut water with a splash of lime juice. Or, you can buy a piña colada drink mix and simply add your flavorful spirit.

You can approach this hack in the same way you'd infuse a spirit like gin or vodka: Simply let the pineapple spears sit in the rum until you like the flavor of the spirit. Test the rum after a day or two, or even longer; once it's reached the maximum pineapple character you want, strain it into a fresh jar. You can also get more creative. Remembering essential tips on infusing spirits, like starting with smaller amounts of ingredients and working your way up from there, try adding other flavors to your rum. For a spicy piña colada, add jalapeños to the jar. You can also try ginger for sweet heat, or mango slices for a complementary tropical boost. 

The beauty of this process is that you'll have piña colada rum — the pineapple spears will retain some coconut flavor from the syrup — that can also go toward riffs on the drink and other cocktails entirely. This infused rum makes it easier to focus on fresh variations like a strawberry piña colada, banana piña colada, or a rich and creamy piña colada with Bailey's Irish cream. Try using it in any essential tiki drinks for more complex, layered fruit flavors. And don't forget to enjoy the pineapple spears themselves — they're the perfect garnish for all of these drinks, and a fun, boozy snack great for your next barbecue.