Cinnamon Strawberry Tequila Colada recipe by Colleen Jeffers

Cinnamon Strawberry Tequila ColadaYour icy, refreshing, muddled strawberry tequila cocktail is ready to go, friends! Had such a fun time crowdsourcing this recipe (if you caught my stories this weekend, you may have weighed in) and I have to say, you guys have EXCELLENT taste. Farm fresh strawberries and tequila are a killer combo, especially when you bring coconut, pineapple, vanilla bean, cinnamon, and lime to the party. It's like all of your poolside margarita/pina colada/strawberry daiquiri dreams came true in one lightly spiced, well balanced glass.BONUS: for all of you who voted rum, I made sure this recipe could stand up to either, so I included that version below. DOUBLE BONUS: couldn't help but test a non-alocohlic option that looks the same and tastes amazing. That's down there too!RecipePrep time 15 minutesYield: Serves or Makes 1

Ingredients

oz tequila
0 3/4 oz coconut cream
0 3/4 oz pineapple juice
0 1/2 oz fresh strained lime
0 dash of bitters
0 strawberries, for garnish
cinnamon stick
0 optional: 1 vanilla bean

Method

Step 1

Gently muddle 1 strawberry in the bottom of an empty cocktail shaker.
Step 2

Using a micro-plane zester, grate the cinnamon stick into the shaker to almost cover the bottom.
Step 3

If using the vanilla bean, cut off a half-inch piece and split it lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and add them to the shaker, along with the rest of the half-inch piece.
Step 4

Add ice to the shaker along with all the remaining ingredients. Shake well for 15 seconds, then strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
Step 5

Add more crushed ice to the top, then grate more cinnamon stick over the ice.
Step 6

Garnish with a halved strawberry and optional vanilla bean. Serve with a straw.
Step 7

Alcohol-free variation: use 2 oz good coconut water instead of the tequila, and use .75 oz (instead of .5 oz) fresh squeezed/strained the lime juice.