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 incredible recipe is like the sassy cousin of eggnog with a tropical flair. Deliciously creamy, rich, cozy drink!
Christmas isn’t complete without a boozy drink over festive songs and loud chatter. So I’m pretty thankful for a few cocktails and mocktails that allow me to take on a few more sips before I space out, like this Coquito drink here.
It has rum in it, but the condensed milk, coconut milk, and warm spices balance out this holiday drink – not too overpowering nor too thick. It’s perfect just the way it is! Yaaay!
What is Coquito?
Coquito is a Puerto Rican version of eggnog but sassier. It is usually served on Christmas Eve or Nochebuena and New Year’s Eve. It’s also given away bottled as Christmas gifts.
This luscious drink has many versions, but the base ingredients of this popular Puerto Rican traditional holiday drink will always be coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum. After that, you can twist it up any way you like it.
Coquito Recipe Ingredients and Substitutes
To make this deliciousness, simply combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree for a minute, and voila! Holiday coconut punch is a cinch! Probably the hardest part will be waiting for it to chill in the fridge. Just gather these ingredients below to make it at home:
- Condensed Milk – It’s creamy, thick, and sweet – no wonder it makes our coquito drink is such a delightful drink. If you don’t have condensed milk in your pantry, try this Homemade Condensed Milk instead. 😉
- Coconut Milk – Our Christmas drink here wouldn’t be complete without the wonderful tropical taste from the smooth and creamy coconut milk. And yes, coconut cream works too!
- Evaporated Milk – The creamier, the better, of course! Just like condensed milk, you can also make your own Evaporated Milk from scratch using only one ingredient, and that’s whole milk. Oh yes! It will also add more creaminess without watering down our drink.
- Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg – Of course, it wouldn’t be a Christmas drink without these warm and cozy spices. You can also add more of your favorite holiday spices, like ginger and star anise, to add another fantastic burst of flavors.
- Vanilla Extract – A teaspoon is enough to do its magic. Always the best flavor enhancer for baked goodies and drinks. And, of course, it’s another ingredient that is even better when homemade.
- White Rum – I prefer the white or light rum because it’s really good for cocktails and dessert drinks. It also keeps the beautiful creamy color. However, you can always use spiced or dark rum if you want a deeper color and bolder alcohol kick.
- Cinnamon Sticks – Aside from adding a fresh sweet flavor profile, the sticks also make a great garnish for our Puerto Rican Eggnog. However, you can skip them if you don’t have any on hand. Don’t worry because the cinnamon powder already got you covered. 👌
What’s the Best Rum for Coquito?
Traditional coquito uses Puerto Rican rum Don Q, which is also what I use for this recipe. As for using coconut rum, I haven’t tried it personally, but I think this recipe is already coconutty to add another coconut flavored drink. And it would certainly alter the taste.
Recipe Variation
- Chocolate-Flavored – Aah! Chocolate! Whether you have cocoa powder or melt a chocolate bar, either will make it more luscious and enjoyable to drink. Be careful, though, because this drink may be light, but it can still make you drunk if over-consumed.
- Alcohol-Free – If you don’t want alcohol, feel free to skip it because it’ll still be fabulous and festive. ❤
- More Spices – Ginger, star anise, and allspice are fantastic additions, too. It’s surprising how these spices add sensational flavors to our cocktail drinks despite their savory flavors.
- Raisins and Coconut Flakes – Talk about adding lovely textures to our coquito recipe. The raisins will surely give our coquito recipe a fruity twist while the coconut flakes intensify the tropical goodness. Double yaaay!
- Vegan Version – Yes! It is possible with coconut condensed milk and coconut evaporated milk. Awesome!
Tips and Tricks
- Coquito is mainly made with coconut cream (homemade is the best). However, coconut milk works perfectly fine as well. Feel free to go with thick coconut cream if that’s what you prefer.
- Always stir or shake well before serving.
- Adjust the rum content according to your preference. If you want it prickly on the back of your throat and warms you on the inside, go with 1½ cup of white rum.
- If you want to thicken it up, you can add two egg yolks and whisk it in to blend thoroughly until frothy. My Homemade Eggnog recipe explains how to temper eggs if you feel nervous about consuming raw eggs.
- Chill at least two hours and up to six hours before serving it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
My Puerto Rican Eggnog here can be made ahead in big batches to be given as gifts and, of course, for personal consumption, too. And since it’s made without the eggs, you actually don’t have to worry as much about its shelf life. Woohoo!
Make-Ahead and Leftover Coquito
- Store – You can store them in an air-tight container, or better yet, in a clean glass jar or bottles. If you decide to give them as gifts, you may add adorable bows and personalized tags to make them even more special.
- Refrigerate – The alcohol also acts as a preservative. So, it can be stored safely inside the fridge for 4-6 months.
- Freeze – Yes, you can freeze it, too! Just make sure that your container is completely sealed, leak-proof, and freezer-safe. When ready to serve, just pulse them in a blender and tadaaah! Instantly frozen coquito to cool you down. 👌
Note: If you find your coquito drink separating or the coconut fats solidifying, just give it a quick shake, and it’ll be ready again in no time.
FAQs
Yes, you can. But how quickly depends on how much alcohol you add to your coquito and how much you drink. So please consume carefully, especially if you have a low alcohol tolerance.
They may look the same, but Coquito and Eggnog are two different drinks. The American eggnog drink has raw eggs as its base, hence the name, and uses sugar to sweeten it up. Coquito, on the other hand, gets its sweetness from condensed milk and doesn’t have eggs. And, of course, let’s not forget the rum.
The alcohol content will stay the same, although the taste will definitely become better and tastier because it allows the alcohol and all the flavors to come together and meld beautifully the longer it chills in the fridge. For the best results, you can make this excellent drink a couple of days ahead.
Eggnog has eggs. Coquito does not. I like to keep it light and straightforward, and this one hits the spot every time. Plus, it lasts longer in the fridge without the egg. Feel free to add some egg yolks, though, if that rocks your boat.
Other Puerto Rican Recipes to Explore
If you enjoyed our Christmas drink here, then get ready to fall in love with these equally amazing Puerto Rican dishes below.
More Coconut Recipes You’ll Love
- Coconut Cake
- Samoan Bread Rolls aka Pani Popo
- Coconut Rice
- Braised Chicken in Coconut Milk
- Coconut Bread
How to Make Coquito
Blend, Chill, and Enjoy
- Combine and Blend – Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend for about a minute.
- Refrigerate – Bottle or place in a sealed container and then refrigerate. It will keep for over two weeks.
- Serve – If desired, garnish with a cinnamon stick or sprinkle with cinnamon spice.
Watch How to Make It
This post was first published in December 2017 and has been updated with an additional write-up and a video.
Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)
Ingredients
- 1 14-ounce (354 ml) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups (480 ml) coconut milk or cream (see notes 1 )
- 1 12-ounce (354 ml) can of evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon (1.3g) ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon (4.2g) vanilla extract
- ½ – 1 cup (120-240 ml) 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. It will keep for up to 2 weeks .
- If desired garnish with cinnamon stick or sprinkle with cinnamon spice .
Tips & Notes:
- Coquito is mostly made with coconut cream (homemade is the best ). However, I sub it with coconut milk. Feel free to go with thick coconut cream.
- Stir or shake well before serving.
- Adjust the rum content according to your preference. If you want it prickly on the back of your throat and warms you on the inside, go with 1 1/2 cup of white rum.
- If you want to thicken it up, you can add 2 egg yolks and whisk it in to blend thoroughly until frothy.
- Chill at least 2 or up to 6 hours before serving it.
- You can play around with your Coquito like adding some cocoa powder into it or a thinned chocolate ganache for that 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 products used.
Lizeth Morales says
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!!
Imma says
Thank you, Stay tuned for more amazing recipes.
Ed says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Pat says
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?
Janna says
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.
Pat D says
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??
ImmaculateBites says
Yes 🙂
For the coconut milk, if you are using the coconut milk instead of the one in can, you can use same measurement.
Brandi B. says
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!
ImmaculateBites says
Glad it worked out well for you.
Roc says
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!
ImmaculateBites says
Agree! Definitely need to try it .
Augusto Cesar Aquino says
Coquito has nothing to do with Eggnog the recipe is completely different.
Jacqueline Santos says
Really it does bc coquito is A nog NO not EGG but coco…happy New Year to you and your family
Regi says
Where can I find coquito jars I live them
ImmaculateBites says
They are also available at Marshalls, Micheals. or Homegoods, depending on your neighborhood. You can also get it on Amazon.
Lud Arvel says
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.
Denise D Williams says
Where can I find those lovely bottles to store the Coquito?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Denise,
I got mine at Micheals. They are also available at Marshalls or Homegoods, depending on your neighborhood.
Lud Arvel says
Dollar tree,
Iris says
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
Iris says
Soory I just read everything and saw the amount of coconut milk or cream was included but is the spice rum ok
Lupe kenn says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
They are at the bottom of the introduction – just before the ingredients.
Gen says
Please tell me a serving is 32oz! 😉
ImmaculateBites says
Oh yes it is . LOL
Lisa Lunn says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
Wishing you all the best Lisa! Am sure you are going to have a blast. Merry Christmas !!!!!
Kim says
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.
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Do let me know how it works out for you. Happy Holidays !!!
sacha says
Yeah we make it in Barbados too minus the coconut milk. Will have to try this version for Xmas
imma africanbites says
Yes, please. I would love to hear how it turned out for you.
Nakum Vikramsinh says
I will try, being a Gujarati,, I am interested for something new from your recipes, nice ⏳
ImmaculateBites says
Oh WOW! Thanks for feedback Chris. So happy to hear this!!!
Happy Holidays!!!
Aca says
Thank you so much. Wow!
ImmaculateBites says
Glad you like it !!!