Coquito (Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog)
A rich, creamy coconut and rum holiday drink from Puerto Rico, blended together in one batch and served chilled.
Equipment
- Blender
- Large pitcher or 2 clean glass bottles (750 ml each, such as empty rum bottles)
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for a smoother texture)
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for a smoother texture)
Ingredients
- 1 can 13.5 oz / 400 ml full-fat coconut milk
- 1 can 15 oz / 425 g cream of coconut, shaken well before opening (such as Coco López)
- 1 can 12 oz / 354 ml evaporated milk
- 1 can 14 oz / 396 g sweetened condensed milk
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups 240 to 355 ml white Puerto Rican rum, such as Bacardí or Don Q, to taste
- 1 teaspoon 5 ml pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon 0.5 g ground nutmeg
- 2 cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)
- Additional ground cinnamon for dusting on top (optional)
Instructions
Blend the coquito
- In a blender, combine the coconut milk, cream of coconut, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. You may need to do this in two batches depending on your blender's size.
- Add the rum, starting with 1 cup, and blend again for 10 to 15 seconds to combine. Taste and blend in the remaining rum if you'd like it stronger.
Chill and serve
- Pour the mixture into a large pitcher or clean glass bottles using a funnel if needed. If you'd like an extra-smooth texture, pour it through a fine mesh strainer first.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, though overnight gives the best flavor. Coquito keeps well in the refrigerator for several weeks.
- Shake or stir well before each serving, since the ingredients naturally separate as it sits.
- Pour into small glasses, top each with a light dusting of cinnamon, and garnish with a cinnamon stick if desired. Serve very cold.
Notes
- Contains alcohol: This recipe is intended for adults 21 and older. Please drink responsibly.
- Non-alcoholic version: Omit the rum entirely for a virgin coquito. The texture and flavor will still be rich, just less boozy.
- Traditional egg-yolk variation (ponche): Some families add 3 to 4 raw egg yolks to the blender along with the other ingredients for extra richness and thickness. If you do this, use pasteurized eggs to reduce food safety risk from consuming raw yolks, and keep the coquito refrigerated at all times. A version made with raw egg yolks should be consumed within about a week, rather than the several weeks a no-egg coquito will keep.
- Cream of coconut vs. coconut cream: These are not the same product. Cream of coconut is sweetened and syrupy (used here); coconut cream is unsweetened. Using coconut cream instead will make the drink far less sweet.
- Storage: Store in a sealed bottle or airtight container in the refrigerator. The no-egg version keeps for several weeks; always shake before serving.