Have a creamy and sweet treat after a long and hot day with the Key Lime Colada.
The crowds in Key West had grown, and before me was a sea of Bermuda shorts and loud shirts, all being worn by an army of tourists. To be fair, I too was a tourist. But I wasn’t here to blindly snap pictures for my social media pages, or grab a postcard or two featuring a bikini-clad beauty next to the caption “Wish You Were Her”, as they never seem to go over well with anyone, no matter how many times I send them to friends and loved ones. My tourism was subtle, as I liked to move about clandestinely. Mostly to avoid crowds. They bug me.
So, as this group of gawkers had engulfed me, I opted to find a form of escape. Maybe some fresh seafood, or a burger basket to quell my hunger, would please me as I rested my fallen arches, far away from these maddening throngs. Or a cocktail perhaps, to relax as well as cool me down. My sweet tooth was nagging at me, however, and being in Key West, the siren call of a slice of Key Lime Pie was too strong to ignore.
The first bar I found that was lightly populated advertised a Key Lime Colada… And that’s all I had to see to have me sold on what I would be sipping on in the following minutes. A smooth and creamy blend of coconut, citrus and vanilla flavors, rimmed with crushed graham crackers, had decided what the rest of my vacation here would be comprised of: drinking Key Lime Coladas, instead of following those crowds.
What is the best alcohol to use in a Key Lime Colada?
Vanilla rum and Licor 43 will be the order of the day, regarding the spirits we’ll be needing to craft ourselves a tasty and smooth Key Lime Colada. The vanilla-flavored rum will help lend a dessert-like quality to the mixture, while the Licor 43 also brings with it notes of vanilla bean, along with orange peel and other spices, such as coriander, cinnamon and sassafras.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons finely crushed graham cracker crumbs for the rim
- 2 ounces vanilla rum
- 1 ounce key lime juice
- 1 ounce cream of coconut
- 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
- 1 ounce Licor 43
- 1 cup ice
- 1 lime wheel
Instructions
- Dip the rim of your hurricane glass in a small bowl with water then press the wet rim into a shallow dish of graham cracker crumbs to create an even coating.
- Add the vanilla rum, lime juice, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, Licor 43, and 1 cup of ice to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
- Pour the blended colada into your prepared glass and garnish with a lime wheel. Serve with a straw.
Nutrition
What glassware and garnish are used?
Grab a hurricane glass, and if you’re in the mood for an extra-cold experience, pop it in your freezer for up to 30 minutes before you plan on drinking. Garnish the rim with graham cracker crumbs, and pop a few straws and a lime wheel on top when you’re all set to start imbibing.
What is the best cream of coconut to use?
I’m a big fan of using Coco López in any drink that calls for cream of coconut. Coco Reàl is excellent as well, and both will give your mixture an authentic tropically-tinged flavor. Other varieties can sometimes taste too artificial, which is the opposite of what you want.
Other Colada cocktails worth trying
If you like Piña Coladas, and getting caught in… You know what, everybody does that and I’ll spare you the eye rolling. I have half a brain, if you will. Anyway, Twist & Toast has a nice number of Colada variants that you might enjoy sipping on over the weekend. Try them out and tell us what you think.
- Keto Piña Colada – Cut the carbs with this guilt-free refresher.
- Virgin Piña Colada – Take a booze break with this alcohol-free treat.
- Chocolate Piña Colada – Cocoa and coconut make a delicious combination.
- Shaken Piña Colada – Skip the blender and shake up a few of these Coladas instead.
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