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    Home » Drinks

    Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink)

    Published: Dec 21, 2015 · Modified: Jul 28, 2023 by Mamma C · This post may contain affiliate links.

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    This is an authentic Purto Rican recipe for Coquito, a Coconuto-Rum Drink for the holidays! It's like eggnog, but better!

    Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink) in a martini glass with cinnamon stickWell, hello there, Sunshine. Please have a seat while I tell you about my favorite cocktail from our collection of Drinks Recipes.

    It's called coquito (koh-kee-toh), and it's a Puerto Rican coconut-rum drink that's traditional for the holidays. I first tasted it a few years ago when a dinner guest brought me a bottle of his homemade coquito as a gift.

    My immediate reaction was, "Shut the door, hold the phone, get out of town, where has this been all my life?!!"

    If you've never tried it, coquito is similar to eggnog, but so much better! There are no eggs in this version, although some non-traditional recipes might call for a couple of yolks.

    Instead, this coquito gets its decadent richness from cream of coconut, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk. It all gets blended with white rum, vanilla, and cinnamon and needs to chill for at least a few hours in the refrigerator to thicken and allow the flavors to develop.

    Yum!

    overhead view of two martini glasses of Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink) with cinnamon sticks

    This year, I decided I to make my own coquito, but I wanted it to be authentic. So, I contacted my friend Zaida, who hails from Puerto Rico, and asked if she had a recipe to share.

    She generously offered a couple different versions, and after dutifully testing them out with my hubby and making minor adjustments...I went to bed feeling very sleepy but happy.

    "Smiling's my favorite..." when I'm drinking coquito.

    close-up overhead view of Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink) in a martini glass with a cinnamon stickAfter chilling overnight, the coquito was fabulous first thing in the morning. I mean...I'm guessing it would taste fabulous first thing in the morning...(shifting my eyes from left to right)...okay, you got me!

    Just give it enough time to chill, all right?

    In full disclosure, I have to tell you the cream of coconut can listed three ingredients I wasn't wild about, given my efforts to cut down on processed foods. I tried using coconut milk instead, but the consistency was too runny here.

    However...it's the holidays, and this drink is so delicious. (I heart coquito, in case you didn't notice my evergreen design in the top photo.)

    two martini glasses of Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink) on a tray

    And really, this coconut-rum drink is dessert in a glass. I don't even want to know how many calories are involved.

    But I probably should eat salad for the next couple of days.

    More drinks to try

    If you want something simple, don't miss this easy rum cocktail.

    And, if you like frozen drinks, you have to try these easy Red Wine Slushies. If you enjoy holiday drinks, don't miss this Apple Pie Moonshine, Chocolate Liqueur or Black Cherry Amaretto Sour!

    And if you love coconut, don't miss this alcohol-free Pineapple-Banana Smoothie with Coconut. It tastes like a piña colada!

    Enjoy!

    (Recipe Source: Adapted slightly from a recipe given to me by my friend from Puerto Rico.)

    Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink) in a martini glass with cinnamon stick

    Coquito (Coconut-Rum Drink)

    A deliciously rich and creamy Puerto-Rican holiday drink. Mix it in the blender and make sure to allow a few hours for it to chill and develop its flavors.
    4.50 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Go to Collections
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Puerto Rican
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Servings: 48 (Makes 6 cups)
    Calories: 86kcal
    Author: Mamma C

    Ingredients

    • 12- ounce can evaporated milk
    • 14- ounce can sweetened condensed milk
    • 15- ounce can cream of coconut (see notes)
    • 8 ounces white rum
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • cinnamon sticks for serving (optional)
    US Customary - Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Place all ingredients in the blender and mix until smooth.
    • Place in a pitcher or bottles and refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.
    • Shake well before serving. Serve with a cinnamon stick in each glass, if desired.

    Notes

    Recipe slightly adapted from a friend.
    Look for cream of coconut in the booze section of your grocery store.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 86kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 52mg | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 42mg
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    Comments

    1. Alan Price says

      December 06, 2020 at 9:24 am

      If you use Co Co Lopez, always shake the devil out of the can before opening it to avoid the natural separation of product.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        December 07, 2020 at 4:19 pm

        Hi Alan - Thanks for the tip!

        Reply
    2. TeNaj Alicea says

      July 28, 2018 at 9:59 am

      So I went to the stores looking for cream of coconut and could NOT find it. I normally find it at the 99 cent store because none of the big grocery stores carry it. So in order to get that coconut flavor I added coconut milk and condensed coconut milk. The condensed coconut milk is SUPER thick but it balances out the evaporated milk, coconut milk and condensed milk.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        July 28, 2018 at 10:28 am

        Hi TeNaj - I'm glad you were able to improvise! The cream of coconut is usually located by the booze in the grocery store, not with the other coconut products. I've added a note to the recipe.

        Reply
    3. Jenny Maldonado says

      June 23, 2016 at 1:18 pm

      4 stars
      I use 1 can of coconut milk instead of the condensed milk but I use evaporated milk. I think if you use coconut milk instead of the condensed milk it give you more coconut flavor. But next I going to try yours and I let you know. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Mamma C says

        June 23, 2016 at 4:17 pm

        Thanks for letting me know about your version, Jenny. I hope you enjoy this one!

        Reply
    4.50 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Andrea, also known as Mamma C. I've been sharing family-tested recipes from my Italian-American kitchen for a decade! I hope you'll visit often!

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