Beat the heat with our Piña Verde recipe! Blend Green Chartreuse, pineapple juice, lime juice, and cream of coconut for an ideal summer cocktail.
Prep time: 1 minute minute
Mixing time: 1 minute minute
- 1½ oz Green Chartreuse
- 1½ oz pineapple juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ¾ oz coconut cream
- Crushed ice
- Mint sprig - for garnish, optional
Prep Glass: Fill a rocks or Old Fashioned glass with ice. Give it a quick stir and set it aside.
Add Lime Juice: Pour ½ oz fresh lime juice into the shaker.
Add Coconut Cream: Add ¾ oz coconut cream.
Add Pineapple Juice: Measure and pour 1½ oz pineapple juice into the shaker as well.
Add Chartreuse: Finally, add 1½ oz Green Chartreuse to the mix.
Shake Well: Fill the shaker with ice, close it and give it a good shake (10-15 seconds).
Strain: Discard the ice in the Old Fashioned glass and use the cocktail strainer to strain the drink into chilled glass.
Add Ice: Add a straw (optional) and fill the glass with a generous amount of crushed ice.
Garnish: Garnish with a mint sprig (gently tap it over the back of your hands a few times before to release its aromas) and serve immediately.
Substitutes:
- Green Chartreuse: If you don't have Green Chartreuse, try using yellow Chartreuse as a substitute. If you do not have any of them, you can try using a herbal liqueur like Strega or Benedictine for a similar flavor profile. However, keep in mind that green Chartreuse has a very distinctive flavor, so using another ingredient as a substitute may alter the overall taste and balance of the drink greatly.
- Fresh Lime Juice: You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be less bright and fresh. Another option is to use fresh lime juice for a slightly different citrus kick.
- Cream of Coconut: Any cream of coconut such as Coco Lopez can be used to prepare this cocktail. Coconut milk with a bit of sugar or sugar syrup can replace the cream of coconut if necessary, though it may be less creamy.
Making a Pitcher of Piña Verde:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all ingredients by 8. That would be 12 oz of green Chartreuse, 12 oz of pineapple juice, 6 oz of coconut cream and 4 oz of fresh lime juice.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients, add ice and stir well.
- Serve: Strain to remove the ice and serve immediately into chilled rocks glasses. Add a straw, fill each glass with a generous amount of crushed ice and garnish each drink with a mint sprig. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container.
Tips: To make a large batch of this cocktail, you can also mix all the ingredients into a blender bowl (crushed ice included) and process for a few seconds over high speed until the drink reaches a slushy texture. Serve immediately after blending.Making it Vegan:
Unfortunately, the Piña Verde cocktail is not vegan-friendly as Chartreuse is sweetened with honey. You can try using another herbal liqueur you like, such as Strega or Galliano with maybe a touch of added absinthe, but it will alter the original taste and balance of the cocktail.