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Creamy Homemade Coquito Recipe: Best Puerto Rican Coconut Eggnog

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This creamy homemade coquito is a rich, coconut-based holiday drink from Puerto Rico. It’s quick to make, uses simple ingredients, and is perfect for festive gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cans (13.5 oz each) full-fat coconut milk
  • 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut (preferably Coco López)
  • 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
  • 1 to 1.5 cups white rum (e.g., Bacardi, Don Q, Captain Morgan)
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2–3 cinnamon sticks (for garnish and infusion, optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine the coconut milk and spices: Pour both cans of full-fat coconut milk into a large saucepan. Add the ground cinnamon, ground cloves, and ground nutmeg. Whisk until fully incorporated.
  2. Heat gently: Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Warm the mixture, stirring occasionally, until tiny bubbles form around the edges (about 5-7 minutes). Do not boil. Remove from heat immediately.
  3. Cool slightly: Let the spiced coconut milk sit for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld and cool enough to prevent curdling.
  4. Blend the base: Pour the warm coconut milk mixture into a blender. Add the cream of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract. Blend on medium speed for about 30 seconds until completely smooth and pale.
  5. Add the rum: With the blender running on low speed, slowly pour in the white rum (start with 1 cup). Blend for another 10 seconds. Taste and add up to ½ cup more rum if desired.
  6. Strain (optional but recommended): Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Pour the blended coquito through the strainer, pressing gently with a spatula to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
  7. Bottle and chill: Using a funnel, pour the strained coquito into glass bottles or jars, leaving about an inch of headspace. Add a cinnamon stick to each bottle if desired. Seal tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  8. Shake before serving: Shake each bottle vigorously for about 10 seconds before pouring. Serve cold in small glasses.

Notes

Do not boil the coconut milk to prevent separation. For best flavor, chill overnight. Shake well before each serving as ingredients separate. Double the batch for gatherings. For a non-alcoholic version, omit rum and add ½ cup coconut water or milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: coquito, Puerto Rican eggnog, coconut eggnog, holiday drink, creamy coquito, homemade coquito

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