Traditional Puerto Rican Coquito - HalfPastHungry (2024)

Christmas isn’t Christmas without a glass of cold Coquito. This Traditional Puerto Rican Coquito recipe is a thick, creamy and rich coconut-based cocktail. A delicious holiday drink loaded with spices and rum!

Jump to Recipe

While some may love the traditional holiday eggnog, I could never get over the idea of having eggs in my drink. So if you’re like me and you're also not a fan of eggnog, then I highly suggest you try this Traditional Puerto Rican Coquito recipe.

Coquito is a great make-ahead holiday drink to have on hand for your guest. It’s a quick and easy drink to make that's creamy, delicious and perfect for the holiday season. It’s full of coconut flavors and all of its sweetness comes from the sweetened condensed milk and cream of coconut. This drink is usually spiked with some Puerto Rican rum and is served chilled. It’s sure to put you and your guest in the festive holiday spirit!

For another drink perfect for the winter holidays, try my pomegranate mocktail or my hot chocolate recipe.

Is Coquito the Same as Eggnog?

Coquito (co-kee-to) is a traditional Puerto Rican coconut-based drink that is usually made around the holidays for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Coquito literally translates as “little coconut”. It is sometimes referred to as the “Puerto Rican Eggnog” due to its similarity to the egg-based holiday drink, but it contains no eggs.

What’s in a Traditional Puerto Rican Coquito recipe?

While there are many variations of Coquito, every recipe starts with similar base ingredients:

• Coconut milk - full fat coconut milk will give your drink the best flavor, however for a lighter version you can opt for lite coconut milk
• Cream of Coconut - it’s sweetened, pureed coconut and comes in a can. Make sure to shake the can before adding it to the blender.
• Sweetened condensed milk - helps to add sweetness to the drink and make it extra creamy.
• Evaporated milk - makes the drink rich and creamy
• Spices and flavorings - cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla is used in this drink to add warming seasonal flavors
• Rum - typically white rum is used in coquito. I like to use Don Q or Bacardi as a substitute. You can also use spiced rum or coconut-flavored rum.

How to make the Coquito:

1. Combine in a blender the coconut milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk, and evaporated milk.
2. Add in the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
3. Pour in the rum and blend until all is well combined.
4. Transfer the Coquito into an large mason jar and place inside a refrigerator to chill for a minimum of four hours. Shake the bottle before serving.
5. Serve chilled in a drink glass. You can sprinkle some cinnamon and nutmeg on top and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

What Kind of Rum to Use in Coquito

This boozy holiday drink is typically made with white rum. Although everyone has their preference on brands of rum, I prefer to use Don Q or Bacardi white rum, which is used for traditional Coquito. I always suggest starting with a small glass because it’s very rich but it’s so hard to only have one glass.

How to Serve Coquito

Let the Coquito chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. Serve your coquito in small drink glasses and add a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg on the top. I would suggest not to add ice to your drink since it will dilute the drink as the ice melts. For serving a larger crowd, pour the Coquito into a pitcher so that everyone can help themselves to a nice cold glass.

Recipe FAQ

More Recipes You May Like:

Pomegranate Mocktail

Hot Chocolate

Margarita Mocktail

Soft Baked Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Oat Flour Pancakes

HUNGRY FOR MORE?Subscribeto receive 6 Free exclusive homemade healthy smoothie recipes. You'll also get a sneak peak at upcoming recipes and nutrition and wellness tips.

I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Follow me onInstagram,Pinterest,FacebookTik-TokandTwitterfor updates, recipes, and more!

More Holiday