Coquito
Puerto Rico's creamy answer to eggnog: coconut, rum, condensed milk, and warm spice, served ice cold in small glasses.
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total
- 20 min
- serves
- 10
- level
- easy
Coquito carries the coconut flavors of the Caribbean into Christmas: rum blended with coconut milk, cream of coconut, and sweetened condensed milk, warmed through with cinnamon and clove before it is chilled hard and poured in small glasses.
It is central to Puerto Rican Christmas celebrations and often bottled up and given as a homemade gift. The mixture separates as it sits, so a good shake before pouring is part of the ritual.
method
Simmer one can of coconut milk with the cinnamon sticks and cloves for 5 minutes to infuse. Remove from the heat and let cool, then strain out the spices.
Blend the infused coconut milk with the remaining coconut milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla until smooth.
Stir in the rum to taste.
Pour into bottles and chill for at least several hours, ideally overnight, for the flavor to come together.
Shake well before serving, as it separates in the fridge. Pour into small glasses and dust with nutmeg.
chef's tips
- It keeps in the fridge for about a week, well shaken each time.