By: Jill Mills Updated: Jun 22, 2025

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With crushed pineapple, coconut milk, and maraschino cherry juice, these Pina Colada Cupcakes offer a delightful tropical flavor, much like the popular drink. Topped with coconut frosting, sliced pineapple, and a cherry, they’re the perfect cupcake for summer. (And they’re kid-friendly!)

These pina colada cupcakes are truly summer in a cupcake! They’re so cute and full of pineapple coconut flavor, making them a hit at any summer gathering or pool party. These are perfect for the moments when you can’t relax with a pina colada by the pool (my favorite!) but still want that fruity, tropical flavor. Like my pina colada pie and pina colada lush, I kept these cupcakes alcohol-free so that everyone can enjoy them.

Why I Love These Pina Colada Cupcakes

Here are a few reasons why I love this cupcake recipe so much.

Perfect for summer. These have such a fun tropical flavor that there’s no better time to enjoy them than the summer months! They’re also not heavy like many desserts.
Kid-friendly (or not). Most pina colada desserts are made with rum, but I kept these cupcakes alcohol-free so that they could be enjoyed by the entire family. Of course, you absolutely can make these adults-only if you want. I added a note on that below!
Moist and flavorful. The crushed pineapple, cherry juice, and coconut milk really help to keep these cupcakes moist while adding the tropical flavor. No dry, boring cupcakes here!

Overhead view of pina colada cupcake ingredients

Recipe Ingredients

These coconut pineapple cupcakes are made with classic pina colada flavors, like crushed pineapple, coconut milk, and maraschino cherry juice. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Cupcakes

All-purpose flour
Baking powder & baking soda – Ensure the cupcakes rise and have the perfect texture.
Salt
Salted butter – This is one of the few recipes where I use salted butter. If using unsalted, you’ll want to add more salt.
Sugar – Both granulated sugar and brown sugar sweeten these cupcakes. The brown sugar also helps to add extra moisture.
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Maraschino cherry juice – Adds some of the tropical flavor to the cupcakes.
Coconut extract – Adds a brighter coconut flavor than the milk alone.
Coconut milk – Adds richness, moisture, and coconut flavor to the cupcakes.
Pineapple – Drain the crushed pineapple very well but reserve the juice as some of it is also added to the batter.

Frosting

Salted butter – Softened.
Cream cheese – Make sure it’s softened ahead of time as well.
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the frosting.
Coconut milk – Adds the coconut flavor and creamy richness to the frosting.
Vanilla extract
Maraschino cherry juice – For added flavor.
Coconut extract – Enhances the coconut flavor
Garnishes – I like to garnish these pina colada cupcakes with sliced pineapple, maraschino cherries, coconut flakes, and paper straws.

How To Make Piña Colada Cupcakes

These cupcakes are simple to make with a stand mixer and a paddle attachment. The printable version of the instructions can be found in the recipe card below.

Coconut milk and crushed pineapple added to batter

Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line the cupcake tin with wrapper.
Make the batter. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar for 2-3 minutes with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, vanilla, cherry juice, and coconut extract until incorporated. Mix in the coconut cream and pineapple juice until just combined, followed by the flour mixture. Do not overmix.
Bake. Fill each cupcake liner 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool.

Creamed butter and powdered sugar in a bowl

Overhead view of frosted pineapple coconut cupcakes

Make the frosting. Cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy then add the remaining frosting ingredients. Mix for 3-4 minutes until creamy.
Decorate the cupcakes. Frost or pipe the cupcakes with the coconut frosting. Sprinkle coconut flakes around the edges of the frosted cupcakes. Garnish with pineapple slices, a maraschino cherry, and a straw as desired.

Tips for the Best Cupcakes

Here are a few things to keep in mind while making these pina colada cupcakes, plus how to give them a boozy twist!

Measure the flour properly. Fluff it and then spoon and level. If you have too much flour the cupcakes will be denser.
Use salted butter. This is one of the few dessert recipes where I use salted butter. In this case, the salt really helps to balance the flavors. If you use unsalted butter, you’ll want to add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the cupcake batter and 1/8 teaspoon to the frosting.
Add a boozy twist. Replace a few tablespoons of pineapple juice with rum to make them slightly boozy. White rum or coconut rum are the best options here.
Adjust the frosting consistency. If your frosting is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of coconut milk.
A note on the cherries. The maraschino cherries I used had no added dye in them. If your maraschino cherries have added dye, your frosting may be ever so slightly pink after adding the maraschino cherry juice.
Wait to add the cherry. If making them ahead of time, don’t put a cherry on top until ready to serve or it will bleed into the cupcake.
Variations. Even though I highly recommend making the homemade cupcakes, you can cut back on some time by using a cake mix. Garnish with toasted coconut for added flavor. There are so many fun tropical cupcake liners to choose from.

A hand holding a pina colada cupcake showing the inside

Proper Storage

Counter. Store leftover pina colada cupcakes in an airtight container on the counter for up to 24 hours.
Fridge. For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezer. The unfrosted cupcakes freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap them tightly in plastic, then place them in a ziploc bag. Thaw completely before frosting.