Blue Hawaiian Cocktail
Published July 18, 2021 • Updated March 7, 2026
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If you like pina coladas, this keto Blue Hawaiian cocktail is your new favorite. I make it with coconut cream, rum, and a natural blue dye instead of sugary Blue Curacao, and it tastes like a tropical vacation without the sugar crash.
I started making this Blue Hawaiian after realizing how much sugar is hiding in a traditional one. Blue Curacao alone packs in more sugar than I want in a full day of eating, so I figured out how to get that same citrus-forward, tropical flavor without it. This version uses orange extract (or fresh orange zest) instead, and I think it tastes brighter and more natural than the liqueur version.
A Blue Hawaiian is basically a keto pina colada with a citrus twist and that signature blue color. I use Ultima Replenisher’s Coconut Pina Colada mocktail mix as the base, which gives you that pineapple-coconut flavor with zero carbs and zero sugar. Then I add coconut cream for that thick, creamy texture that makes a frozen cocktail actually feel like a cocktail and not a watered-down slushie.
For the blue color, I use Blue Butterfly Pea Powder, a plant-based dye that turns everything this gorgeous deep blue without any artificial junk. I keep a jar in my pantry because I use it for drinks all summer long. Reader Katie nailed it when she said half a teaspoon is the sweet spot. Go heavier and the color turns almost purple with an earthy flavor. Regular blue food coloring works too if that is what you have on hand.
The rum is optional. I have made this as a sugar free mocktail plenty of times by just adding extra water or a splash of coconut water in place of the alcohol. My friends who do not drink actually prefer the mocktail version because the coconut and citrus flavors come through even more without the rum competing. If you are making cocktails, stick with a white rum. I use Bacardi Superior because it is zero carb and blends clean.
If you are hosting, this is one of those drinks that looks impressive with almost no effort. I have made a big batch by quadrupling the recipe in my Vitamix and pouring them out for a backyard party. Serve it in a hurricane glass with sugar free whipped cream and a lime wheel for the full tropical look. If you want more keto cocktail ideas, I rotate through my strawberry daiquiri, keto mojito, and keto margarita all summer.
One more thing: if you have leftover coconut cream from this recipe, use it. I have thrown it into coffee, whipped it for dessert topping, or saved it for my next batch of frozen drinks. It keeps in the fridge for about a week.
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Ingredients
3 cups ice -
3 oz rum
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1/5 oz coconut cream
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1 packet Ultima Coconut Pina Colada Electrolyte Mix
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1 teaspoon powdered erythritol blend sweetener
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1/2 teaspoon orange extract or orange zest
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1/2 teaspoon blue butterfly pea powder
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Add blue piña colada ingredients
Add ice, rum, Ultima coconut piña colada mix, sweetener, orange extract or orange zest, blue butterfly pea powder or blue dye to a blender.
Blend
Blend until smooth. Pour in your favorite cocktail glass. Garnish with sugar free whipped cream.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Blue Hawaii and a Blue Hawaiian?
I get asked this a lot. A Blue Hawaii uses both vodka and rum with no coconut cream, so it is lighter and more citrusy. A Blue Hawaiian swaps the vodka for coconut cream, making it creamy and frozen. I make the creamy version because I prefer that thick, frosty texture. If you want something closer to the original 1957 recipe, add an ounce of vodka alongside the rum and skip the coconut cream.
Can I make this on the rocks instead of blended?
I have made it both ways. For on the rocks, I shake everything (minus the ice) in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice cubes, then strain it over fresh crushed ice in a hurricane glass. You lose the frozen slushie texture but the flavor is the same. I actually prefer this method when I am making just one drink because it is faster than dragging out the blender.
Can I use coconut milk instead of coconut cream?
I have tested both, and reader Travis confirmed the same thing I found. Coconut milk works but the texture is noticeably thinner. If you go that route, I would add a tablespoon of cream cheese or mascarpone to thicken it back up. That trick gets it closer to the coconut cream version without being too heavy.
Can I use blue spirulina instead of butterfly pea powder?
I have tried both. Blue spirulina gives you a vibrant blue and adds some extra nutrients (it is packed with antioxidants), but it has a slightly more earthy taste than butterfly pea powder. If you are used to adding spirulina to smoothies, you probably will not notice. I keep both in my pantry and reach for the butterfly pea powder when I want a cleaner, more neutral color without any flavor interference.
Can I use vodka instead of rum in a Blue Hawaiian?
Yes. I have made it with vodka and the drink still works, it just shifts the flavor profile. Rum gives you that warm, slightly sweet tropical backbone. Vodka makes the coconut and citrus sharper and more forward. If you use vodka and keep the coconut cream, you are technically making a hybrid between a Blue Hawaii and a Blue Hawaiian. I prefer rum, but vodka is a solid swap if that is what you have.
How do I make a big batch for a party?
I have quadrupled this recipe in my Vitamix for backyard parties and it works perfectly. Just multiply all the ingredients by however many servings you need. If your blender is on the smaller side, blend in batches. I do not add the ice until right before blending each batch so the earlier ones do not get watery while they sit.
Can I make this without a blender?
I have done it in a pinch by shaking everything with ice in a cocktail shaker. You will not get that frozen slushie texture, but it still tastes great over crushed ice. I just muddle or stir the butterfly pea powder in a little warm water first so it dissolves fully before adding it to the shaker.
Is Malibu rum keto-friendly?
Malibu has about 5g of sugar per serving because it is a coconut-flavored liqueur, not a straight rum. I avoid it for keto cocktails. If you want that coconut rum flavor, I use regular white rum (Bacardi Superior is my go-to) plus coconut cream, which gives you the same coconut taste with zero sugar. That is the approach I use in every keto rum drink I make, including my pina colada smoothie.
I've been keto for four months and basically accepted that summer drinks were gone, so when I made this last Saturday and took it outside I wasn't expecting much. One sip and I kind of just stopped. The butterfly pea powder turns it this incredible blue that you'd actually get at a beach bar, and it tastes so much like the frozen drinks I used to make every summer that I had to check the carbs again (0.7g, I still can't). Making it for my first backyard cookout of the season and not telling anyone it's keto.
That cookout reveal is going to be satisfying. I'd make a double batch, nobody stops at one of these.
Served these at a Saturday afternoon thing and three people squinted and asked if they were actually keto. The butterfly pea powder color is close enough to Blue Curacao that nobody guessed. Only feedback: bump the sweetener for guests not used to keto drinks.
Kept scrolling past this one because butterfly pea powder sounded like a photography prop, not an actual ingredient. Made it last week. That blue is freaking real, and the coconut rum combo hits way harder than I expected from something with zero sugar. Still not sure if the slight aftertaste is the erythritol or just me being a snob about it.
That's the erythritol. It has a cooling aftertaste for some people and nothing for others. Allulose swaps in 1:1 and has zero of that if you want to test it.
Squeezed half a lime in right before drinking and the whole thing went from deep blue to this crazy magenta-purple. Butterfly pea powder is pH-sensitive, which I knew but had never actually watched happen in a cocktail. Now I build it in the glass and let people add their own wedge. Watching them see it shift is honestly the most fun I've had with a cocktail in years. Recipe's solid. But if you want a conversation piece for spring, that lime wedge is the move.
Making this for a spring get-together. One friend doesn't drink, so I'm doing a mocktail version for her. If I skip the rum, do I just add more ice, or does it need something else?
More ice just dilutes it. I'd bump the orange extract to a full teaspoon and add a little extra coconut cream to fill the volume. If she's not strict keto, a small splash of pineapple juice rounds it out really well.
Never made a keto cocktail before, and the butterfly pea powder was the thing I was most nervous about. Ordered it just for this recipe. It came out this deep, vivid blue that looked like something from a real bar, not a sad diet version of a drink. The orange extract against the coconut was something I kept trying to place while I was drinking it, couldn't figure out why it tasted so complete. Made two servings, took them out to the porch last weekend, and didn't feel like I was missing out on anything. First recipe in a while that made me feel like I actually have this whole keto thing figured out.
The orange extract is standing in for Blue Curacao, which is why it tastes complete but you can't quite name it. Half a teaspoon sounds like nothing. Porch was the right call for this one.
Batch four of this and I finally dialed in the butterfly pea powder amount. I was going heavier than the recipe calls for and the color turned almost purple, which looks cool but the flavor gets a little earthy. Half a teaspoon is the sweet spot and the blue comes out this perfect tropical shade. My February pick-me-up on cold nights.
Four batches to nail it is commitment. The purple is cool to look at but you're right, something gets earthy at that dose. Half teaspoon is exactly where I ended up too.
My husband was skeptical about the blue butterfly pea powder until he tried it. Now it's my go-to when February needs fixing.
The powder is the thing people doubt most and then can't stop talking about. February needs fixing, March probably will too.
used coconut milk instead of coconut cream, still came out good but less thick
Yeah, coconut milk will work but you lose that creamy thickness. If you want to try it again, I'd add a tablespoon of cream cheese or mascarpone to get it closer to the coconut cream version.