The Lava Flow Drink
The flavors in this lava flow drink are amazing. Pineapple, coconut, and strawberry combine into a magically delicious, yummy cold drink.
This is the second beautiful and refreshing drink I’m sharing this week, just in case you need beverage inspiration for the upcoming 4th of July holiday – or anytime, for that matter.
The flavors of this drink are a combination made in heaven, if you ask me. Pineapple, coconut, and strawberry with a slushy, creamy undertone combine into a magically delicious, cold and wonderful drink.
I made this drink a few months ago during a really warm spell in our unusually hot spring and my kids were crazy for it (don’t worry, my version is non-alcoholic!).
I shooed them outside to slurp in wild abandon while I stayed in the kitchen and finished off all the pitchers…with wild abandon, too.
Don’t judge me. I was about 11 months pregnant at that time.
Although it does require three components of readiness (and subsequently will require a bit of washing afterwards), it is well worth it. Mighty delicious, this lava flow drink!
The Lava Flow Drink
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups pineapple juice
- 2 cans (15-ounces each) cream of coconut, (like Coco Lopez brand)
- 1 cup half-and-half, fat-free or regular
- 24 ounces frozen strawberries in syrup, slightly thawed until slushy in texture
- Ice
- Fresh pineapple for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a blender, puree the slightly thawed strawberries with 1/2 cup water. The mixture should be syrupy and thick. Transfer to a liquid measure, bowl or pitcher and set aside.
- In a pitcher, whisk together the pineapple juice, cream of coconut and half-and-half.
- In a blender (washed from pureeing the strawberries), fill up halfway with ice. Pour in the coconut/pineapple mixture until it comes up to an even height with the ice. Blend until slushy (add more coconut/pineapple mixture if it is too thick to blend easily).
- Pour about an inch of the strawberry syrup mixture into a cup. Pour the icy coconut/pineapple mixture into the center of the strawberry mixture in the cup until the cup is filled. If desired, gently swirl the mixture with a straw.
- Garnish with fresh pineapple, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from The Coterie Blog
Sometimes in Mexico I get the perfect Miami Vice and then I’m chasing that same flavor the whole trip as they give me mediocre ones. This recipe tastes like the PERFECT Miami vice. I’ll use this again and again!
Can you make with strawberries and regular maple syrup or honey if you don’t have frozen-in-syrup strawberries? And also can you sub half-and-half for milk?
I haven’t tried those subs, but it’s definitely worth experimenting!
We just got back from Mexico and this recipe is just like the ones we had there! So delicious and now I can pretend I’m back there sipping these on the beach anytime!
I made this last night for our 4th of July party and it was a HUGE HIT. Everyone loved it and it was SO GOOD. Definitely making this again and again!
This was sooooo DELICIOUS!! I have been trying new smoothie recipes to get ready for the summer, and this was BY FAR my favorite so far. Thank you for this recipe
This was EXCELLENT! Thank you for the recipe!
I cans find frozen strawberries with syrup. Did you mean frozen strawberries with sugar?
Yes, sometimes they are labeled differently.
We had this today with eleven people. Absolutely delicious, a hit with everyone, which is a bit rare for our crowd. Thank you so much for sharing.
How many servings would you say this makes? We are a household of two and I would love to try this. Could the pineapple/coconut mixture be kept in the freezer for use at a later date?
About 8-10 servings. And yes, I think the pineapple coconut mixture would keep well in the freezer.
We just had these in Maui and when I searched for the recipe of course Mel came through big! Thanks for sharing this! One question… you mention above that there are three components to this drink. I’m only seeing two. Am I missing something? It’s the strawberry mixture with the pineapple/coconut mixture added to it, right?
I think the third is just the fresh pineapple for garnish. 🙂
SO delicious. Tastes exactly like the one on the beach of Maui!! In the middle of February!
Thanx mel 🙂
Hey mel..I belong to mumbai, india where strawberrys r not available all round the year. .plz can u help me with other fruit options?
Payal – I think you could probably use a variety of fruit as long as you taste it along the way to add more or less sugar. Mangoes and other soft fruits (other berries like blueberries or raspberries) should work great.
Next time try throwing in a banana- it’s a delightful addition to the lava flow. We had these in Kuaui and Maui and then again in the Grand Caymans though they are called “Miami Vice” there.
We made this again tonight for our family’s Valentines’ Day dinner (to go with heart shaped pizzas), and it was a hit as always. My toddler burst into tears when his was all gone. I didn’t have any frozen strawberries in syrup on hand, so I made some sugar syrup (1 cup water + 1/3 cup sugar, boiled for 3 minutes) and poured some (not all was needed) over some unsweetened frozen strawberries I did have. I didn’t need to add water to the strawberries as called for in the recipe, and it tasted the same to me. Sorry to post twice about the same recipe, but it really is that good!
You can never have too many cold drink recipes for the triple digit temps we have been having the past few weeks! Totally bookmarking this!
Hi Kristen – I have found them anywhere from Walmart to my large grocery store. They are usually in plastic tubs not bags. Hope that helps!
Hi Mel,
Happy anniversary!!! I’m just wondering where you find the frozen strawberries in syrup? I can’t find them anywhere. Thanks!
Oh, my! This is delicious. My husband and I tried this Sunday night after a long, hot afternoon of working in the yard. Boy, did it hit the spot! We will definitely be making this again very soon. Thanks for sharing this recipe Mel!
mmmmm…
Made these yesterday when it was 101 outside. Delicious! Reminded us of our honeymoon in Hawaii where we first had lava flows in a restaurant we dined in.
For those wanting to add rum, I added 8 ounces of Malibu Coconut Rum and that was just right. Don’t be afraid of the steps in making this drink. It’s easier than it sounds and well worth the effort!
Thanks for the recipe, Mel! I have been looking for the right one since our trip and this is now it. Looking forward to making these again at a luau themed birthday party next month!
My husband and I went to Hawaii six years ago and bought Lava drinks every day from this little shack by the road. This tasted just like those drinks we loved so much! Thanks for this recipe. We had them last night and it took us back to the tropics. I think this will become a new fourth of July tradition for us.
Yum!! This looks amazing. Will have to try it ASAP.
I sipped on this to cool down while cooking your Steak and Veggie Kebabs on the grill, it was the perfect fruity concoction, LOVED IT!
just needs some rum 🙂
Cool drink, love the name! Perfect summer fare
how cool, mel! this makes me want to throw a pool party, even though i have no pool and hate being a hostess! 🙂
This looks and sounds amazing! I doubt I make it though because of the steps involved. I am sooooo lazy when it comes to drinks!!!! That’s why I love your orange julius so much! =) Oh, and your ’11 month of pregnancy’ comment made me laugh out loud. At 11:08 PM. Hope I didn’t just wake the kids up!
Yay! This will make the perfect drink for a supper with the extended family on Canada Day this weekend. Glad I just got a Blendtec to help. Thanks Mel.
This looks so good and sounds refreshing. I can use one now! Gotta give this a try this weekend.
Jill – you sure could but then you wouldn’t get the really cool layered, colored effect that makes it look like, well, lava!
This may be a dumb question, but why can’t you just mix the pineapple/coconut concoction and the strawberry syrup all together in the blender?
Ooh… this looks good! I just found your site and LOVE it… especially the “best recipe” section. I am guilty of looking up and comparing recipes forever, and I very frequently spring new recipes of things on my husband, to the point where he doesn’t ask anymore if it’s a new recipe: he just assumes it is. 🙂 I love your compilation, though – I’m definitely going to start cooking and baking my way through your lists to see if I can find some new favorites!
Katie – sorry about that – the BBQ Make-a-Menu will be up tomorrow!
This looks great. I would love to see the BBQ make a menu, but it looks like the link it missing–or maybe I’m missing it?
I did a little happy dance when I saw that cream of coconut was on the ingredient list. I can’t wait to try this!!
Oohh I want one of these right now! Looks amazing!
I could sure use this today! It’s 100+ here!
This looks soooo yummy! We’ve been facing 100+ degree temps and this looks like the perfect solution 🙂