Go Back
Coquito in glass cups with cinammon stick garnish
Print

Coquito - Puerto Rican Coconut Holiday Drink

Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 1.75 liters

Equipment

  • Digital scale (or liquid measuring cups and measuring spoons)
  • Blender
  • Can opener
  • Pitcher
  • Funnel (optional)

Ingredients

  • 1 can (12 oz, 354mL) evaporated milk
  • 1 can (14 oz, 396mL) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (15 oz, 425g) cream of coconut
  • ¼ cup (57g) coconut milk
  • 1½ cup (237g) Rum (I typically use Bacardi Superior)
  • ½ cup (118g) Brandy (I typically use Cognac)
  • 2 tsp (2.76g) ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp (0.5g) ground nutmeg

Instructions

Making Coquito

  • Place all ingredients in a blender and mix to combine. It is literally that simple.
  • If the drink is too thick, you can add up to an additional ¼ cup (57g) of coconut milk to thin it out. Keep in mind the drink will thicken slightly in the fridge as it cools.

Serving Coquito

  • This drink is best served cold. If you are serving it immediately after making it, add 1-2 ice cubes to the cup.
  • I also tend to serve it in small cups (e.g., a shot glass or small drinking cup) since the drink is pretty strong. Coquito is intended to be sipped as an after-dinner dessert drink. While this coquito recipe contains a fair bit of alcohol, the sweetness and richness of the ingredients tempers the alcohol flavor and it’s really a joy to drink.
  • Some people like to grate a small amount of nutmeg over the top or to rim the glass with toasted coconut. I personally don’t use these options because I only like a hint of nutmeg in my food and I dislike the texture of coconut, but you can absolutely add them for a garnish.

Storing Coquito

  • Pour the coquito into a pitcher or an airtight container. We like to use an old bottle of Bacardi that we took the plastic top out of. If you use a bottle with a small opening, I advise using a funnel to make the transfer easier between the blender and the bottle.
  • Store the bottle in the fridge for up to 4 months. Make sure to shake the mixture before drinking because the spices tend to sink to the bottom.

Non-Alcoholic Coquito

  • If you are looking for a virgin coquito recipe, you can absolutely make this recipe but replace the rum and brandy with an equal amount of coconut milk. It will still be rich and delicious.