If Only One Summer Dessert Could Make You Famous, It Would Be My No-Bake "Piña Colada Delight"

June 19, 2025

When temperatures begin to rise, I almost always find myself craving a cold, creamy piña colada. The bright, fruity flavor that comes from the signature combination of pineapple and coconut is one that's hard to beat - and one I think everyone should be using more in any and all desserts. Enter: this piña colada delight, which captures all those tropical flavors that make the classic so delicious and transforms it into a supremely satisfying, ultra-creamy dessert that's perfect for summer.

Although there are a few different components, this delight is much more straightforward than you'd think. I turn to a handful of thoughtful tricks throughout to ensure each layer is packed with flavor. Adding toasted coconut with the vanilla sandwich cookies adds a pleasant nuttiness to the buttery crust. Using more toasted coconut in the cream cheese layer (which you can also spike with a splash of white rum!) yields a much better texture and flavor than using un-toasted (which becomes chewy and lost in the cream).

In the pudding layer, rather than make the instant pudding with milk as the box instructs, I combined it with crushed pineapple plus a little lime zest and juice, then fold in whipped cream to yield a layer that's bright, fruity, and able to hold up to the creaminess of the other layers. Assembled in under an hour, this tropical, fruity delight is great for sharing. It's the ideal make-ahead dessert for summer parties, celebrations, or whenever you need a little taste of a vacation from the comfort of your home.

Why You'll Love It

It actually tastes like a piña colada. Making the pudding with crushed pineapple instead of milk and adding a bit of lime zest and juice results in a zippy, fruity pudding layer that holds its own against the cream cheese layer and mimics the brightness of pineapple in a piña colada.
Coconut flavor throughout. Incorporating lots of toasted coconut throughout, in addition to the crushed pineapple, adds wonderful texture to an otherwise creamy dessert.

Key Ingredients in Piña Colada Delight

Banana Pudding

Sweetened shredded coconut: Toasted coconut yields the most bang for your buck, as it enhances the texture and flavor.
White rum (optional) : A nod to the piña colada drink, the mild, subtle vanilla flavor rounds out the delight, but can be easily substituted for vanilla extract if needed.
Canned crushed pineapple: Fresh pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which causes dairy to curdle. Using canned pineapple, which does not have that enzyme, ensures the creams don't break. Take care to use pineapple in 100% juice and not syrup, as you need some of the juice to make the pudding.
Lime zest and juice : This recipe uses just enough to add brightness and tang as well as bring out the floral notes of the pineapple without actually tasting like lime.
Cream cheese: Be sure to use softened cream cheese to avoid lumps!
Instant vanilla pudding mix: Whereas the vanilla flavor can be strong when made according to box directions, making the pudding with the crushed pineapple yields delightfully sweet, nuanced fruitiness that shines against the other cream layers.

How to Make Piña Colada Delight

Make the crust. The food processor makes prep a breeze, but you can alternatively use a resealable plastic bag and a rolling pin.
Prepare the cream cheese layer. You don't have to be too precious about incorporating the toasted coconut. It's totally OK if the coconut breaks down into smaller pieces!
Make the pudding. The pineapple and instant pudding mixture is going to look wild before you fold in the whipped cream - don't be alarmed. Make sure to drain 1/2 cup of the pineapple juice from the crushed pineapple first or your pudding will be too soft and won't set into a sliceable texture.
Top with whipped cream. I like to swoop the whipped cream with a spoon so the maraschino cherries have little divots to rest in, but smooth as desired! And it's OK if it's not perfect - the toasted coconut hides any imperfections.
Garnish with toasted coconut and maraschino cherries. Toasted coconut furthers the coconut flavor, while the maraschino cherries are a nod to the namesake drink's typical garnish.

Piña Colada Delight Recipe

If you like piña coladas, you'll love this no-bake dessert.

Prep time 1 hour

Cook time 10 minutes to 15 minutes

Serves 16

Ingredients

For the crust:

Cooking spray
18 vanilla sandwich cookies, such as Golden Oreos (about 7 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup toasted sweetened, shredded coconut
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the cream cheese layer:

5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon white rum (optional)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
1 cup toasted sweetened, shredded coconut

For the pudding layer:

1/2 cup cold heavy cream
1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple in 100% juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest (1 to 2 medium limes)
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1/2 medium lime)
1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix

For the whipped cream and garnish:

1 cup cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 tablespoon white rum (optional)
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup toasted sweetened, shredded coconut
16 maraschino cherries, for topping (optional)

Instructions

Make the crust:

Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan (at least 2 inches high) with cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 sheets of parchment paper positioned perpendicular to each other so that there is parchment overhanging on all sides. Lightly spray cooking spray between the sheets if needed to keep the paper in place.
Process 18 vanilla sandwich cookies, 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt together in a food processor, stirring a few times, until the cookies are broken down into fine crumbs, about 1 1/2 minutes total. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter and pulse until evenly moistened and the mixture clumps when squeezed, about 5 (1-second) pulses.
Transfer to the baking pan and use the bottom of a flat measuring cup to press the crust into an even layer. Freeze while you prepare the cream cheese layer.

Make the cream cheese layer:

Beat 5 ounces room-temperature cream cheese, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon white rum if using, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on medium speed until smooth and combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 1 minute.
Reduce the speed to medium-low. Slowly pour in 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat, scraping the bowl as needed, until stiff peaks form, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Fold in 1 cup of the toasted coconut with a flexible spatula until evenly distributed. Spoon over the crust and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the pudding.

Make the pudding layer:

Beat 1/2 cup cold heavy cream in the stand mixer (no need to clean) with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed, scraping as needed, just until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
Drain 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple into a liquid measuring cup or bowl until you've drained out 1/2 cup juice.
Place the remaining pineapple and juice in the stand mixer (no need to clean). Add 1 tablespoon lime zest, 4 teaspoons lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of the reserved pineapple juice. Sprinkle 1 (3.4-ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix over the pineapple and stir with a flexible spatula until combined. Fold in the whipped cream until well-combined.
Spoon over the cream cheese layer and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the whipped cream.

Make the whipped cream and finish:

Beat 1 cup cold heavy cream, 3 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon white rum if using, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract in the stand mixer (no need to clean) with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed just until stiff peaks form, 1 to 3 minutes. Spoon over the pudding in an even layer and smooth or swoop over the top as desired.
Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well-chilled and set, at least 5 hours and up to overnight. (If chilling overnight, store the remaining toasted coconut in an airtight container at room temperature.)
When ready to serve, sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup toasted shredded coconut over the top. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the slab out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 16 pieces, wiping the knife between each cut for the cleanest-looking slices. Garnish each slice with a maraschino cherry if desired.

Recipe Notes

Toasting coconut: Spread 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup sweetened, shredded coconut into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in a 350ºF oven, stirring every 3 to 5 minutes, until evenly golden-brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool before using.

Substitutions: If not using white rum in the cream cheese layer, replace with 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract. If not using white rum in whipped cream topping, use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract total.

Make ahead: The delight can be assembled up to 24 hours before serving. Do not top with the toasted coconut and maraschino cherries until ready to serve.

Storage: Leftover delight can be refrigerated covered in the baking pan with plastic wrap or sliced and stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Jago Kitchen