Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)

Prep Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
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Puerto Rican Coquito is a sweet, thick, and creamy rum cocktail with lots of tropical coconut flavor. Our test kitchen has tested at least 10 different versions, but this recipe always wins!

Gifted to us by our friend Christina, this Coquito recipe has yet to beat. As soon as my husband Jorge took his first sip, we knew weโ€™d finally found the one!

It has the perfect milk ratios to keep it extra thick, rich, and creamy. Plus, her family’s trick of soaking cinnamon sticks in the rum gives it a great spiced flavor.

What Is Coquito?

Coquito (translated to “little coconut” in Spanish)ย is a traditional Puerto Rican holiday drink. Thick, rich, and creamy, it is often called โ€œPuerto Rican eggnogโ€.

However, unlike eggnog, itโ€™s bursting with coconut flavor, always made with rum, and is usually made without eggs. Coquito is served chilled and in small glasses since itโ€™s very rich.

โญ๏ธ Test Kitchen Approved โญ๏ธ

A glass of chilled Coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog) being held by a hand.

“This is our favorite Coquito recipe and we have been making batches of it for years and years! It is so thick, rich and creamy with tons of real coconut flavor. Soaking the rum with cinnamon sticks really makes a big difference.” โ€” Juanita, home cook for over 40 years.

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Coquito ingredients arranged to make this Coquito recipe. From top to bottom: ground cinnamon, rum, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk and cream of coconut.

Coquito Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

Rum: Traditionally a light Puerto Rican rum is used, like Bacardi Superior or Don Q Cristal. A dark aged rum is also a great choice to boost the spiced flavors. You can even use coconut rum or a mixture of rums.

For a non-alcoholic version, skip the rum. Just add more evaporated milk to thin it out and a splash of rum extract for flavor, if desired.

Sweetened Condensed Milk: Use traditional sweetened condensed milk, or sweetened condensed coconut milk, but do not swap this for any other type of milk. It’s essential for achieving the right sweetness and texture!

Cream of Coconut: Cream of coconut is sold under a few different names. Goya makes one, but we prefer the flavor of Coco Lopez.

Coconut Milk: Use a canned coconut milk with a thick layer of coconut cream on top, as this is important for thickening the Coquito. I find the Badia brand usually has a good thick layer of cream.

Evaporated Milk: You can replace this with extra coconut milk to keep it vegan, but we like the creamier flavor from using a combination of both.

Cinnamon: You’ll need both cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon.

Rum, raisins and cinnamon sticks in a glass bottle with a stopper on top.

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How To Make Coquito

Thankfully this Coquito recipe is incredibly simple to make, all you need is a blender! Below are some helpful tips, visit theย printable recipe cardย below for full directions.

Soak the cinnamon sticks for at least 24 hours, or up to a week. The longer they soak the better to give your Coquito a great spiced flavor!

Coquito in a blender after blending.
Blended coconut milk mixture being poured into a glass jar filled with rum.

Blend all the ingredients together (minus the rum) until smooth. Then combine this creamy mixture with the rum, stirring or shaking until well combined.

Chill for at least 4 hours before serving, but overnight is best! This will give the Coquito time to thicken and will also give it time for the flavors to meld together.

Puerto Rican eggnog in two glasses with coconut rim and a bottle of eggnog in the background.

Variations To Try

We love pumpkin Coquito and have also enjoyed pistachio Coquito (add 1 cup of pistachio puree) and Nutella Coquito (add 1 cup of Nutella).

Last Christmas we tried swapping half of the rum for Fireball whisky. It was surprisingly good and smooth and added even more cinnamon flavor.

You can also try adding rum raisins. Soak up to 1 cup of raisins in the rum up, with the cinnamon sticks, up to a week before.

A close-up of a creamy glass of Coquito, topped with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.

Make Ahead, Serving, and Storage Tips

Coquito tastes better after chilling for a day or two, so it’s the perfect make ahead Christmas party cocktail. Always give it a good shake before serving as it can separate.

Serve it chilled, without ice as this will just water it down. For garnish, sprinkle the top with cinnamon or add a cinnamon stick to the glass.

Made without eggs and with canned milk, it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a couple of months. But don’t expect it to last that long! ๐Ÿ˜‰

A close-up of a creamy glass of Coquito, topped with a sprinkle of ground nutmeg.
4.5 from 1984 votes
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Yield: 8 servings

Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)

This thick and creamy Coquito recipe has been our family's favorite for years! We make it every holiday season and it's always a hit.
Prep Time10 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

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Instructions 

  • OPTIONAL: In a large pitcher with a lid (or two large jars with lids – this will make about 56 oz of liquid total) add rum and cinnamon sticks. Let soak for at least 24 hours, or up to a week. This will add an extra depth of spiced flavor to your Coquito!
  • In a blender, puree all the other ingredients (sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, coconut milk, evaporated milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla extract and optional shredded coconut) until smooth.
  • Pour mixture into the bottle of rum and shake well to combine. Chill for at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to meld and for the Coquito to thicken. The coconut cream will help it thicken as it chills. If it's not thick enough after chilling, check the notes below to thicken it even more.
  • Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up 8 weeks.ย Shake vigorously each time before serving. Serve chilled, in a glass, with a little cinnamon or nutmeg on top and enjoy! Wepa!

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Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 8 weeks. Shake well each time before serving, as it will separate over time.ย 
Yield: An entire batch will make approximately 58 oz, which will serve 8 people a little over 7-0z each.
Make it Thinner: During the blending step, leave out the shredded coconut and add a little more evaporated milk. You can also use less of the thick cream from the top of the coconut milk or skip it altogether.
Make it Thicker: Use less evaporated milk if you want an even thicker Coquito. Keep in mind that coquito will naturally thicken as it chills in the fridge. If itโ€™s already been chilled and is still too thin for your liking, grab a can of coconut cream (not coconut milk). Scoop out only the thick cream from the top (not the watery part at the bottom) and blend it with the coquito. Once blended, put it back in the fridge to chill again.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 611kcal, Carbohydrates: 68g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 21mg, Sodium: 111mg, Potassium: 338mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 64g, Vitamin A: 169IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 197mg, Iron: 2mg

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What To Serve With Coquito?

So you’ve made a batch of Puerto Rican eggnog and are now wondering what to serve alongside it? I highly recommend trying the traditional Puerto Rican holiday feast of pernil and arroz con gandules!

You also can’t go wrong with this spiral ham or Thanksgiving turkey. Many Puerto Rican families here in the states will make both pernil and a turkey! For sides, we always enjoy sweet fried plantains, crispy tostones, and ensalada de coditos.

For dessert, try a cinnamon dusted tembleque, this easy tres leches cake, a batch of creamy arroz con leche, or our favorite queso flan!

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5 stars
This is the BEST coquรญto recipe Iโ€™ve ever made, itโ€™s perfect and love the thickness and the cinnamon-rum flavor, and all recipients canโ€™t wait till Xmas for me to gift them. Excellent! Thanks so much.

Sounds wonderful, so I’m sure that I’ll want to try it right away as soon as it’s mixed. Before I’ve chilled it. could I serve some of it over ice, on the rocks?

4 stars
I highly recommend starting off with 1/2 cup of rum THEN work your way up to taste – DO NOT add the 1.5 cup right off the bat – it is waaayyy to much (for some of us).

5 stars
Wonderful. Made it with rum extract and it turned out great.

Would it be ok If I used unsweetened condensed milk instead of sweetened condensed milk? The recipe sounds a little too sweet for me. I know the cream of Coco is very sweet.

4 stars
This was not good. Followed the recipe exactly and it tasted overwhelmingly of cinnamon. Made a second batch without soaking the cinnamon sticks in the rum and adding zero cinnamon to the recipe to mix with the awful overly cinnamon concoction. Itโ€™s still nothing special. Save your calories for something more worthwhile. This recipe is a dud.

Everyone, be aware that the Grinch goes online to spread their grinchiness under the pseudonym โ€œLeslie Smith.โ€ I love the recipe.

I’d love to make this and put it in a pitcher dispenser. Is that possible? Will it still hold up if i mix with a large wooden spoon and put in the refrigerator?

I have evaporated coconut milk, can I use that instead of plain evaporated milk?

5 stars
Iโ€™m not a huge fan of eggnog but have guests that are. This was sooo much better than eggnog in my opinion and everyone loved it. Without rum it was a bit too sweet for me, but extra evaporated milk helped with that. Thanks for a yummy recipe!!!

Do I add the whole can of cream of coconut?

Looking forward to making this recipe! I am wondering if anyone used a plastic pitcher for soaking the cinnamon sticks and raisins. Does it have to be a glass container?

In the first step when you allow it to marinate I placed it in the fridge by habit that wonโ€™t alter the drink in anyway when I finish making it right?

What should I do if I added to much star anise to my coquito

Can you provide the measurements or at least somewhere to start for the recipe?

When you let it sit, is it on the counter or in the fridge? I was also wondering what kind of container you used? TIA!

Not when itโ€™s prepared. She means when you let the cinnamon sticks and raisins marinate in the rum- is it on the counter or in the fridge?

4 oz evaporated milk or the entire 14 oz can?

Omg here we go with the raisins!? No no no. Not coquito reserve that for rum raisins ice cream but no matter what not in any island drinks like coquito or ponche none of them we don’t do that.

Yes! I was just saying that I ain’t ever heard of anyone putting raisins in coquito and my tรญa makes her own. Other than that the recipe looks good

I left out the raisin part and itโ€™s still fantastic! Yum!! Thank you so much for sharing!!

Hi! I made this and itโ€™s delicious! The only trouble Iโ€™m having is after chilling the coconut fat formed a firm later at the top of the jar. Should this shake up? Or do i need to re blend it?

How mych rum do you add?

Do you use sweetened shredded coconut or unsweetened?

Thank You For Being Here!

Jessica
For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.