If you’re in the mood for ice cream but looking for something a little healthier, this coconut pineapple frozen yogurt is for you. Combining Greek yogurt with coconut milk, pineapple and coconut, this is the best frozen yogurt recipe I’ve made in a while. Sweetened with sugar and given a kick with a splash of vodka, it’s a real treat! If you have always wanted to make froyo or frozen yogurt in an ice cream machine, then test the waters with this tropical piña colada frozen treat.
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If you want to know how to make frozen yogurt, there are several methods. I used an ice cream maker for this tropical pina colada frozen treat to make things easy. Invest in a good ice cream maker and you will never have to drive to the store for frozen yogurt or ice cream again! There are plenty of different ice cream recipes to try as well as making frozen yogurt in an ice cream machine.
A Closer Look at the Ingredients
You only need six ingredients for this coconut pineapple frozen yogurt. The main ingredient is Greek yogurt.
I like to use plain Greek yogurt and add other flavours to the mixture. If you have flavoured Greek yogurt though, that would work too. Pineapple flavoured Greek yogurt would work for this frozen yogurt in an ice cream machine. Another fruit flavour, maybe strawberry or cherry, would add a contrasting flavour.
The coconut milk adds that tropical coconut flavour to the best frozen yogurt recipe. You could use any kind of milk you want and perhaps add a few drops of coconut extract instead. If you know how to make frozen yogurt you also know how you can change your ingredients and still get a great result.
The sugar sweetens this tropical pina colada frozen treat. If you prefer, swap it for agave syrup, honey, maple syrup, or your preferred sweetener. As for the vodka, omit it if you prefer, or swap it for Bacardi, Malibu, or another preferred drink. Don’t want to add alcohol? No problem, you can leave it out.
The pineapple can be fresh, canned or frozen. Finally this coconut pineapple frozen yogurt has a toasted coconut topping which offers crunch and extra coconut flavour.
How to Make the Best Frozen Yogurt Recipe
Coconut pineapple frozen yogurt is a breeze to make. Making frozen yogurt in an ice cream machine makes it so easy.
Blend the Greek yogurt with the coconut milk, vodka, and sugar in a blender, then chill the mixture. When it’s very cold, you can pour the mixture into an ice cream maker. Different ice cream makers work in different ways, so check the manufacturer’s instructions that came with yours.
When it’s fully frozen, transfer the topical pina colada frozen treat mixture into a container. Stir in the crushed pineapple and then cover and freeze. Now you know how to make frozen yogurt you’ll definitely want to try this tasty recipe!
History of Frozen Yogurt
Although ice cream and other frozen treats have been around for a long time, frozen yogurt is newer. Yogurt itself has been around for millennia but freezing it is a concept that came much later. It’s a healthier option, being lower in fat, carbs and sugar than traditional ice cream.
HP Hood, an entrepreneur, introduced frozen yogurt in the 1970s, calling it ‘frogurt’. TCBY, an ice cream company, opened a frozen yogurt shop back in 1981. By 1986, the industry had $25 million in sales. And by the 1990s, 10% of the frozen dessert market was frozen yogurt. Since then frozen yogurt has gone from strength to strength!
Can I Make Froyo without an Ice Cream Maker?
This coconut pineapple frozen yogurt is easy to make with an ice cream maker. But what if you don’t have one?
In that case you can combine the ingredients in a food processor, blender or Vitamix. Freeze the mixture until it’s partially set. Then you can cut it into pieces and beat them with a hand mixer. Finally freeze the mixture for a couple of hours or until frozen. This yields a very similar result to frozen yogurt in an ice cream machine.
If you put a sheet of parchment paper on top of the frozen yogurt before freezing it, that helps stop ice crystals forming on top. It is so easy to make froyo!
This coconut pineapple frozen yogurt makes a satisfying treat after dinner. It’s also nice for cooling off in the afternoon. You can tweak the ingredients however you want, subbing another sweetener for the sugar or switching the vodka for a splash of light rum. This is definitely the best frozen yogurt recipe if you want a tropical dessert with plenty of exotic flavour. You will want to make froyo like this all the time because it tastes so fresh!
Tips for Choosing a Pineapple:
- Choose a pineapple that is fresh with green leaves and a firm outer layer.
- The pineapple should have a distinctive pineapple smell when you put your nose at the bottom of the fruit.
Tips for Storing a Pineapple:
- Pineapples will keep for 3 to 5 days if refrigerated in a perforated plastic bag.
- If you plan on using the pineapple within 1 to 2 days, you can store the pineapple at room temperature and out of the sun.
You might also like 60 of the Best Ice Cream Recipes, Magically Delicious Shamrock Shake or You Hold the Kiwi to my Heart.
Coconut Pineapple Frozen Yogurt Recipe
Coconut Pineapple Frozen Yogurt | Tropical Piña Colada
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 Cup coconut milk fat
- 6-7 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp vodka optional
- 1/4 Cup pineapple Fresh or canned plus crushed and drained
- 1/4 Cup coconut toasted to garnish
Instructions
- Combine the yogurt, coconut milk, sugar and vodka in a blender and blend until well mixed.
- Cover and place in the refrigerator until well chilled (at least 2 hours).
- Pour the yogurt mixture into your ice cream maker, and process according to the manufacturers directions on your ice-cream maker. Mine only took about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the frozen yogurt to a large container with a lid and stir in the crushed pineapple. The frozen yogurt will go quite liquid at this point, but that is okay. Make sure to mix well to avoid any pineapple juice ice chunks.
- Cover and place back into the freezer until solid, about 2 to 3 hours.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
Let me know if you try to make froyo with this tropical piña colada frozen treat recipe. It is the best frozen yogurt recipe and full of flavour with a bit of a kick from the vodka.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a storyteller, food lover, dog mom and adventure seeker living on the Pacific coast. She shares her passion for food, dogs, fitness, adventures, travel and philanthropy, in hopes of encouraging followers to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places and stand for a cause. Bella lives with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease.
Looks so good!
Carrie
http://www.wearwherewell.com
thank you Carrie!!
I will have to make this!
yes do try!
I don’t have any vodka other than limoncello that I made. Can the vodka be omitted or could I use the limoncello? Thanks!