Coquito is a Puerto Rican version of eggnog which uses delicious coconut milk as its flavor base. Rich with natural coconut flavor, this holiday beverage has become a favorite here at the ranch. Way before I was married, I lived and worked in Manhattan. I discovered so many different foods and beverages there, and Coquito was one of those discoveries.
A Puerto Rican Holiday Tradition
During the holidays, a Puerto Rican co-worker of mine told me about the Coquito his grandmother made. Of course, this was almost 35 years ago, when I worked at a record store next to Lincoln Center (and yes, in those days, they still sold records.) I have forgotten my co-workers name, but I can still see the longing twinkle in his eyes as he told me about his favorite holiday beverage.
Similar to other Latin American milk-based punches, Coquito is enriched with eggs and flavored with cinnamon. The coconut aroma is incredibly subtle, adding the flavor of Puerto Rico to your Christmas table.
Make Vegan Coquito too!
If members of your family follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can easily switch the milk for unsweetened almond milk. Omitting the eggs will cause the Coquito to be less thick, but I don’t really see that as a problem. However, you can add a teaspoon (2g) of corn starch to the water in the recipe for better thickness. Make sure that the water is cool before you add the cornstarch. Also, the cornstarch and water need to be well combined before you add them to the warm saucepan. The mixture should thicken up nicely.
In the photo, I garnished the Coquito with ground cinnamon and a little bit of unsweetened toasted coconut. Small servings of Coquito are recommended as it is very rich. However, I always drink two or three portions! So good!
Of course, the addition of rum in optional but it definitely enhances the enjoyment of the Coquito. Happy Holidays!
Coquito (Coconut Eggnog)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
13.5oz can coconut milk (382 ml – not coconut water, nor coconut cream)
14oz can (396ml) sweetened condensed milk
1 cup water (240ml)
1 cup whole milk (240ml)
2 cinnamon sticks
4 egg yolks
1 cup white rum (optional – 240ml)
Ground cinnamon
Instructions
In a 2 qt saucepan (2lt), heat the coconut milk, condensed milk, water, whole milk and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer briefly, then remove from the heat.
In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg yolks with a whisk or electric hand mixer. While whipping, drizzle about a cup of the hot coconut milk mixture into the eggs. Return the milk/egg mixture to the saucepan and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding the rum. Store in the refrigerator, best when made 1 day in advance. Sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on each serving.
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