Coquito, a creamy and dreamy Puerto Rican holiday drink. This festive concoction is rich, sweet, and infused with the warming flavors of the tropics, making it a perfect choice for holiday gatherings or cozy evenings. This post is for persons over the age of 21.
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
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blog post.
The Coquito, a traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink, is a delightful blend of sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a generous pour of Puerto Rican white rum. The result is a rich, smooth concoction like a Caribbean holiday in a glass.
My neighbor taught me how to make Coquito, which I like to have on hand during the Holidays. I usually prefer a glass of this Puerto Rican Rum Punch to traditional eggnog.
A traditional Coquito recipe uses white rum, but I like to add a bit of spiced rum. This makes it the perfect festive drink for the holiday season, bringing a unique tropical flair to your celebrations.
Consider trying a Bourbon Milk Punch or Caribbean Rum Cake for more delightful holiday treats with a tropical twist. These recipes will surely add a touch of the Caribbean to your holiday festivities.
Ingredients For Coquito
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds a luscious, creamy texture and a rich sweetness, balancing the spices.
- Evaporated Milk: Provides a lighter creaminess than condensed milk, contributing to the drink's velvety texture.
- Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez): The heart of Coquito! It brings a sweet, tropical coconut flavor, essential for the authentic taste.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile with its warm, aromatic essence.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds a subtle warmth and spice, complementing the coconut and rum.
- Nutmeg: Its spicy-sweet flavor deepens the complexity of the Coquito.
- White Puerto Rican Rum: Provides a smooth, slightly sweet base, integral to the traditional recipe.
- Spiced Rum: Adds an extra layer of warmth and spice, elevating the drink.
- Garnish: Ground Nutmeg and a Cinnamon Stick add a festive touch and a hint of additional spice.
Tools needed for this recipe
- Blender
- Jar for storage
- Funnel
How To Make Coquito
Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, white rum, and spiced rum in a large blender. Blend everything together on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture from the blender into a large pitcher or bottle. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
Once chilled, give the Coquito a good stir or shake (if it’s in a bottle). Serve it in small glasses or cups. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick. Serve and enjoy.
How to serve a Coquito Cocktail
- Serve Coquito chilled in small glasses.
- Garnish with a light dusting of nutmeg and a cinnamon stick for a festive touch.
- Pair with light pastries or cookies for a delightful holiday treat.
How to store Coquito
Refrigeration: Store Coquito in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 weeks. Keep it in a tightly sealed bottle or jar to maintain its flavor. Shake well before serving, as the ingredients may separate over time.
Freezing: You can also freeze any leftover Coquito! For an easy experience, freeze in silicone ice cube trays. This can be frozen for up to 1 month.
Substitutions & Additions
- Garnishes: In addition to cinnamon and nutmeg, garnish the inside or rim of your glass with a chocolate or caramel drizzle.
- Spice Variations: If you’re not a fan of cinnamon or nutmeg, try cardamom or a pinch of clove for a different spice profile.
- Dairy-Free Alternatives: For a lactose-free or vegan version, substitute sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk with coconut condensed milk and coconut cream. This will maintain the creamy texture while keeping it dairy-free.
Expert Tips
- Let the coquito sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving; ideally, leave it overnight for optimal flavor blending.
- Remember to use cream of coconut, not coconut milk, as they differ – cream of coconut includes added sugar, unlike coconut milk.
- For a smooth consistency, blend for 1-2 minutes, ensuring the ground spices are fully integrated with the milk.
- Stain the coquito if that's your preference. The cream of coconut can impart a few solid bits into the cocktail. Simply strain them out if you want.
FAQ's
Absolutely! For a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the rum. The drink will still have its delightful creamy and spiced flavor. Replacing the rum with a zero-proof option, or just adding a splash of rum extract, is also ideal if you want to maintain the original flavors. Try Sans Bar or Lyres for some great nonalcoholic spirit alternatives.
Coquito is often compared to eggnog due to its creamy texture and use of spices, but it's unique with its tropical coconut twist and doesn't contain eggs.
Looking for more cocktail recipes? Try these out:
If you have tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Coquito
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 12 oz can evaporated milk
- 1 15 oz can cream of coconut (Coco Lopez)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ¼ cup white Puerto Rican White Rum
- ½ cup Spiced Rum
- Ground Nutmeg and Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, white rum, and spiced rum in a large blender. Blend everything together on medium speed until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture from the blender into a large pitcher or bottle. Refrigerate it for at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
- Once chilled, give the Coquito a good stir or shake (if it’s in a bottle). Serve it in small glasses or cups. Garnish each serving with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg and a cinnamon stick. Serve and enjoy.
Suggested Tools
Notes
- Let the coquito sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving; ideally, leave it overnight for optimal flavor blending.
- Remember to use cream of coconut, not coconut milk, as they differ – cream of coconut includes added sugar, unlike coconut milk.
- For a smooth consistency, blend for 1-2 minutes, ensuring the ground spices are fully integrated with the milk.
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