Coquito
A creamy, chilled Christmas drink of coconut milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk and rum, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. The Puerto Rican coconut eggnog.
Method
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Put the coconut milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a blender.
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Blend on high for 1 minute, until completely smooth.
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Pour into clean bottles or a large jug, seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
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Shake well before pouring, as it separates on standing. Serve in small glasses over ice, with a cinnamon stick.
Chef’s Tips
- Shake the coquito before you pour it. The coconut fat settles at the top when it is cold.
- Use cream of coconut, the sweet syrupy kind, not coconut cream. It is what gives coquito its body.
- Taste it before chilling. It is sweeter than most people expect, and the rum can be adjusted.
Common Substitutions & Variations
- For a non-vegan version, double cream can generally stand in for the coconut milk; going the other way, a plant-based cream sold for cooking is the closer match to dairy than tinned coconut milk on its own.
Pairing Suggestions
- Pernil
- Pasteles
- Shortbread
Storage & Reheating
Keep in a sealed bottle in the fridge up to 2 weeks. Shake well before serving.
Common questions
How long does Coquito take to make?
About 10 minutes of hands-on work — 10 minutes of preparation and of cooking — plus 4 hours of Chilling, so allow 4 hours 10 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 12.
What are the key tips for making Coquito?
Shake the coquito before you pour it. The coconut fat settles at the top when it is cold. Use cream of coconut, the sweet syrupy kind, not coconut cream. It is what gives coquito its body. Taste it before chilling. It is sweeter than most people expect, and the rum can be adjusted.
What should I serve with Coquito?
Pernil; Pasteles; Shortbread.
How many calories are in Coquito?
About 335 kcal per serving, with 3 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate and 13 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.
Nutritional Highlights
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
Reader Reviews
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.