Icy Hot Coquito Recipe

Pour a glass of holiday heat. Serve chilled.

This traditional Puerto Rican holiday spirit swaps out eggs for rich coconut milk and cream in a luscious Caribbean take on eggnog.

Plentiful cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and Rum add more than a kick of spicy heat. While traditionally served cold, Coquito will warm you up right on a cold wintry night.

Local Flavor

Coquito exemplifies a drink or dish that speaks to centuries of history, indigenous, adopted, adapted, and imposed produce and practices. Read more here.

Many of the recipes refer to quantities simply in “cans,” but cans come in different sizes.

I’ve simplified it with cans, cups, and grams to make your life easier.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup / 150 grams sweetened condensed milk

• 1 cup / 300 grams evaporated milk

• 1 can OR 1 cup / 300 grams evaporated milk

• 1/2 can OR 1/2 cup / 150 grams cream of coconut

• 1 cup of white rum

• 1 cup of dark or spiced rum

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + plus more to garnish

• 1 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg + plus more to garnish

Procedure

Combine ingredients in a large blender on a very low speed, or do it in two batches.
I learned this the hard way.

Chill Coquito in a sterile glass container and chill for at least one hour.

Garnish with a dusting of spices and/or a cinnamon stick.

Coquito will last in the fridge for weeks (if not months) depending on the strength. Our recipe (1-2 cups of rum) ensures a minimum of 10-15% ABV.

*Be sure to give it a good shake before serving, as coconut will solidify in the cold (like me!)