Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)
Enjoying a thick, creamy glass of coquito with coconut milk enhanced with rum and holiday spices is incredible. Eggnog’s sassy cousin sports a tropical flair. Deliciously creamy, rich, and cozy, perfect for Christmas or any time of year.
The holidays aren’t complete without a boozy drink to set the mood. What makes this fantastic coquito recipe work? The condensed, coconut, and evaporated milks and warm spices balance the rum for warmth without being overpowering or too thick.
You’ll love making this recipe because it transforms simple ingredients into magical goodness. My friends lovingly call this the HHH drink (holiday happy hour drink) because it tastes incredible! And the only equipment you need is a blender.
What Is Coquito?
While it’s called Puerto Rican eggnog, it has no eggs. People often drink it on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Every abuelita has her own recipe, but as long as you have the main ingredients, use your creativity to make your own recipe.
Even better, coquito is so shareable! Increase your festive feel by bottling it and spreading cheer this holiday season. What an easy gift idea solution!
How to Make Coquito
- Combine all your ingredients in a blender and blend for about a minute.
- Refrigerate the drink in a sealed container; it stays good for over two weeks.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick or sprinkle with cinnamon spice if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations & Tips
- Feel free to adjust the amount of rum to personal tastes, or skip it for delicious, festive, and kid-friendly refreshment.
- Ginger, star anise, and allspice are fantastic additions to your non-egg eggnog.
- Shake your coquito mix before serving.
- Chill the ingredients before blending for a smooth and creamy coquito.
Make-Ahead Instructions
Coquito is best made ahead and stored in a clean glass bottle with a lid in the fridge. The alcohol in the rum is a natural preservative, so it should stay safe for 4-8 weeks.
It makes great gifts and is so cute in personalized bottles.
Making it Ahead and Serving It
Store coquito in a clean glass jar or bottle. Alcohol is a preservative, so it will last in the fridge for 4-8 weeks or in the freezer for 2-4 months.
When ready to serve, blitz it in the blender for a creamy, refreshing drink.
FAQs
Yes, if you put rum in it. So please drink responsibly or omit the booze.
No. Though similar, they are different. American eggnog has eggs, cream, and whole-fat milk with rum. Coquito has coconut milk and no eggs (unless you want them).
Leaving coquito in the fridge for a couple of days before enjoying allows the flavors to meld beautifully. Because of the alcohol content, it should last 4-8 weeks. You can keep it colder and longer in the freezer, but leave room for expansion as it freezes. If freezing it, storing it in a plastic bottle is safer.
More Delicious Holiday Recipes to Try
By Imma
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Vq1TsSc8″ upload-date=”2019-12-03T23:46:48.000Z” name=”Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)” description=”Coquito, also known as the Puerto Rican Coconut Nog or Eggnog, is a thick, creamy holiday drink made primarily with coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, rum, and spices. This is like the sassy cousin of eggnog with a tropical flair. Deliciously creamy, rich, cozy drink!” ]
This blog post was originally published in December 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce can (350ml) sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups (480ml) coconut milk or cream (see notes)
- 1 12-ounce can (354ml) evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon (1g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- ½ – 1 cup (120-240ml) white rum (more or less to suit taste buds)
- cinnamon sticks for garnishing
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for about a minute.
- Bottle or place in a sealed container and then refrigerate. Serve as soon as it's cold, but it will last up to 2 weeks.
- If desired, garnish with a cinnamon stick or sprinkle with ground cinnamon.
Tips & Notes:
- Coquito is usually made with coconut cream (homemade is the best). However, I substitute it with homemade coconut milk. Feel free to go with thick coconut cream.
- Shake your coquito mix before serving.
- Adjust the amount of rum to taste, or leave it out for a virgin coquito. If you want to feel it on the back of your throat and warm you on the inside, go with 1½ cups of white rum.
- Chill the ingredients before blending for a smooth and creamy coquito.
- If you want to thicken it up, add 2 egg yolks and whisk it in to blend thoroughly until frothy.
- Chill for 2-6 hours before serving.
- You can play around with your Coquito, add a spoonful of cocoa powder or a thinned chocolate ganache for a chocolaty version.
- Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
This was WONDERFUL! I made it for a family gathering and it was a hit! I also doubled the recipe, but kept the sweetened condensed milk to 14 oz. and it was still sweet and tasty! Thank you so much! I wish you and yours blessings and a love-filled holiday season!
Hi Paige!
I’m thrilled to hear that the coquito was a hit at your family gathering! It’s always great when a recipe not only turns out well but also receives such positive feedback from loved ones. Your adjustment with the sweetened condensed milk sounds like a smart tweak to balance the sweetness to your preference.
Thank you for your kind wishes! Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season filled with joy, love, and, of course, delicious food. If you ever need more recipes or cooking tips, feel free to reach out. Enjoy your celebrations!
I was meeting my new boyfriend’s best friend for the first time and wanted to make a good impression. I’m a terrible cook so I was looking for a recipe that reflected my Hispanic roots but wasn’t gonna embarrass me. I made this for them and they just loved it!! It was super easy to make and delicious!!
Thank you, Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
I made this with 1 1/2 cups of rum and coconut cream. It’s really good but the next time I’m going to use coconut milk instead or maybe half coconut cream and half coconut milk.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is my first time making at home, can you use can coconut milk? Also just to confirm it’s coconut cream & not cream of coconut right?
I usually add 1/4 cup of water to the mixture and it makes it a little less thick when I use the cream instead of the milk.
This will be my first time making at home/ just to clarify, its coconut cream in the can and not cream of coconut right? Also if using coconut milk thats also in the can??
Yes 🙂
For the coconut milk, if you are using the coconut milk instead of the one in can, you can use same measurement.
I just made this, still chilling in fridge, but snack a sip after blending. Oh my God is it delicious! I only had spiced rum in the cupboard to use and I really like how it turned out. Next time I’ll get a white rum to try! Thanks so much for sharing this!
Glad it worked out well for you.
This is good but…ha e you everest heard of another drinks just as good or maybe better, it’s called Kremas / Crémas a Haitian drink.ike egg nog, made without eggs. I served it last year to friends, and the consensus was, it better than coquito! It’s time that we share information about black cultures around the world. Are you with me? Want to know more. Please contact me. My mother makes the best Krémas!
Agree! Definitely need to try it .
Coquito has nothing to do with Eggnog the recipe is completely different.
Really it does bc coquito is A nog NO not EGG but coco…happy New Year to you and your family
Where can I find coquito jars I live them
They are also available at Marshalls, Micheals. or Homegoods, depending on your neighborhood. You can also get it on Amazon.
In PR with egg is call punch, version de champola.
Coquito con huevo y era con Anis Canario , se daba en velorios ,velorios de reyes y so venian de parrranda de madrugada para quitarle la resaca y despues in asopao caliente.
Where can I find those lovely bottles to store the Coquito?
Hi Denise,
I got mine at Micheals. They are also available at Marshalls or Homegoods, depending on your neighborhood.
Dollar tree,
Sound delicious and looks like and easy to make. If you use coconut cream how much do you add and can I use spice rum
Soory I just read everything and saw the amount of coconut milk or cream was included but is the spice rum ok
I can’t find the note(s). Could you please tell me what they are? I want to make this for next weekend. Thank you.
They are at the bottom of the introduction – just before the ingredients.
Please tell me a serving is 32oz! 😉
Oh yes it is . LOL
I’m cooking for Christmas and I know how to make the rice and the beans with hammock but going to try the beans your way and the pork roast and coquito drink i’m excited haven’t cooked like that for a long time.
Wishing you all the best Lisa! Am sure you are going to have a blast. Merry Christmas !!!!!
I am goi g to try this for Christmas this year. In Trinidad we make Pounche d Cream very simular but without the coconut milk. Will be trying your version for sure.
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you. Happy Holidays !!!
Yeah we make it in Barbados too minus the coconut milk. Will have to try this version for Xmas
Yes, please. I would love to hear how it turned out for you.
I will try, being a Gujarati,, I am interested for something new from your recipes, nice ⏳
Oh WOW! Thanks for feedback Chris. So happy to hear this!!!
Happy Holidays!!!
Thank you so much. Wow!
Glad you like it !!!