Rim Your Piña Colada With This Spicy Seasoning For Gourmet Sips

Nothing says summer — or transports you to the season mentally in colder months — like a piña colada. Lightly fruity white rum, bright, tangy pineapple, and sweet, rounded coconut make for a perfectly balanced, intensely flavorful refresher. While this simple recipe is a dream as it is, it also provides an easy foundation for intriguing upgrades. One of the most delicious level-ups is to add some heat, courtesy of a Tajín-seasoned rim.

The fascinating yet disputed history of the piña colada is full of varying riffs over time. While you can play around with fruit additions and even find the best rums or alternative spirits to use in piña coladas, adding spice creates an entirely fresh flavor profile. With Tajín on the rim of your glass, you get peppery heat with each sip, which is immediately cooled by the temperature of the drink as well as the tart pineapple and sweet coconut. The spice also punches that acidity up while cutting the sweetness, so all of these flavors are amplified yet kept in an ideal harmony. 

The simple step for easily seasoning the rim of your cocktail glass is to moisten it so the Tajín sticks. One way to do this is with fruit juice, and a hint of lime here would complement this spicy piña colada's profile. Swipe the rim with juice, then flip the glass upside down onto a dish of your seasoning — it's that simple.

Once you introduce the idea of spicy seasoning to your classic piña colada, have some fun and get creative. There are plenty of different combinations to try, from the spice itself to the drink that it complements. For example, if a spicy piña colada makes you think of another tart, fruity cocktail with heat — the spicy margarita — follow that lead. Swap the rum out for tequila and you'll have a piña colada-margarita hybrid. Mezcal would also be delicious because it usually has at least some degree of smokiness that partners well with sweetness and spice.

Speaking of margaritas, you could mix your spicy seasoning, Tajín or chili powder, with coarse salt. Salt enhances sweetness, so it will highlight the piña colada's coconut while bringing out the pineapple's sweeter notes. Combining it with another seasoning gives you that quality plus the heat you're seeking. For example, give the cocktail an Asian twist with gochugaru flakes and lychee puree instead of coconut. Alternatively, create a more autumnal or holiday-themed iteration with cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, or ginger plus pomegranate or cranberry syrup. Florals also go well with tropical fruits and hints of spice, so consider making your own upgraded simple syrup with hibiscus or jasmine.