Coquito de calabaza or pumpkin spice coquito is a creamy holiday drink made with coconut milk, pumpkin puree, and rum. It is served chilled and is absolutely delicious. Along with a plate of arroz con gandules, pernil and pasteles, Puerto Rican coquito is a staple during the holidays! If you love coquito and the taste of pumpkin pie, save this recipe. This pumpkin spice version does not disappoint!
Last year I got a little fancy and made the viral Christmas ornament cocktail (but with coquito) and they turned out FABULOUS! Check out my viral video to see how I made this festive holiday ornament cocktail! So many people have requested links to the items I used in the video! Here is the link to the cocktail glasses and ornaments.
This year I wanted to kick things up a notch and I made the viral Christmas ornament cocktail with different flavors of coquito! Coconut, pistachio, Nutella, and strawberry. Later I added Oreo after receiving many requests on social media.
What is coquito?
Coquito literally translates to “Little Coconut” in Spanish. It is a traditional holiday drink that originated in Puerto Rico. It is served from Thanksgiving through Christmas and sometimes up until Three Kings Day in January. This coconut cocktail is similar to eggnog and is often referred to as “Puerto Rican Eggnog” even though it doesn’t contain eggs.
Coquito de calabaza has all of the traditional flavors of coconut coquito with the creamy addition of pumpkin and warm spices. It’s like pumpkin pie in a glass!
It is believed that coquito originated in the 19th century after condensed milk was introduced in Puerto Rico. It is not clear who made the first coquito but the first published coquito recipes were in the Puerto Rican cookbooks “Cocine a Gusto” and “The Puerto Rican Cookbook,” between the years 1950 and 1970. After this, coquito’s popularity took off.
Ingredients for making pumpkin spice coquito:
The ingredients for coquito may vary by recipe but the main components are coconut milk, coconut cream and rum. Making coquito is quite similar to making limber de coco, another popular Puerto Rican treat! P.S. I’m convinced I have the BEST limber de coco recipe in the world, be sure to check it out. But let’s get back to this pumpkin spice coquito…
This version adds pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice for a deliciously creamy holiday drink! It tastes similar to pumpkin pie!
- Coconut milk
- Cream of coconut
- Evaporated coconut milk
- Condensed coconut milk
- Vanilla extract
- Light or dark rum
- Oreo cookies
- Cocoa powder
How to make pumpkin spice coquito?
Add all of the coquito ingredients to a blender. Blend for about 30 seconds or until smooth.
Tip: If your blender is full to the brim, remove half of the coquito mixture and set aside. You can blend it with the rest later in a large bowl.
Pour the coquito into a glass, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
The coquito will thicken over time. Shake vigorously before serving. Serve coquito in a glass rimmed with condensed coconut milk and ground cinnamon.
What is the best rum for coquito?
You can use whichever type of rum you like. Some prefer light or dark. You can also try coconut or vanilla flavored rum. When choosing the right rum, it is really up to your preference!
You can also choose the quantity of rum to add to your coquito. If you like it light on the alcohol, start with 1/2 cup and build from there. Some people add 1-2 cups of rum. Again, it’s all up to you.
You could also omit the rum if you want to make virgin or non-alcoholic coquito. I always save a bottle of virgin coquito for my kids to enjoy. They feel happy when they can participate in the festivities too! Keep in mind, non-alcoholic coquito will not last as long because alcohol helps preserve it.
Can you make coquito vegan?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, this pumpkin spice and my coconut coquito recipes are completely dairy-free and vegan. They do not contain eggs or milk products and are just as delicious as traditional coquito! If you are vegan or lactose intolerant, try them out!
I like to use Nature’s Charm brand evaporated and condensed coconut milk. Also, my favorite coconut milk is the Whole Foods 365 brand. It tastes delicious and has no weird aftertaste like Goya’s coconut milk. IYKYK. The best cream of coconut, in my opinion, is the Coco López brand. Using the best quality ingredients will result in the BEST tasting coquito, so it is worth spending a little extra!
If you want to make the traditional coquito recipe (non-vegan) just swap out the evaporated and condensed coconut milk for regular evaporated and condensed milk.
How to make homemade evaporated coconut milk?
If you can’t find evaporated coconut milk, you can make it at home with regular coconut milk! Just place coconut milk in a saucepan over low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Heat until it reduces by half. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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Coquito de Calabaza (Pumpkin Spice Coquito)
Equipment
- 1 Blender see notes for links
Ingredients
Spiced Tea
- 1 cup water
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 whole star anise
- 1/4 tsp allspice, whole
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg grated or ground
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger optional
Coquito
- 2 cans coconut milk 13 oz each
- 1 can cream of coconut 15 oz
- 1 can evaporated coconut milk 12 oz
- 1 can condensed coconut milk, sweetened 11 oz
- 1/2 cup spiced tea
- 1 cup light or dark rum or to taste
Pumpkin Spice Mixture
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ground ginger
Instructions
- Fill the glass bottles with very hot water and allow them to sterilize for about 10-15 minutes. Empty the bottles and add a cinnamon stick to each bottle. Set aside.
- Place a small pot over high heat. Add 1 cup of water and the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, allspice, nutmeg. A small piece of fresh ginger is optional. Bring this to a boil and steep for about 10 minutes. If you prefer a strong spice taste, steep for longer.
- To a blender, add the coconut milk, cream of coconut, evaporated milk, condensed milk, 1/2 cup of the spiced tea, and rum. Blend for 1 minute on low speed until smooth.
- Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice. Blend again until smooth.
- Pour the coquito into the glass bottles using a funnel. You can also use a strainer if you prefer, for a smoother texture. Leave a 1-inch space at the top of each bottle to allow room for shaking later.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. The coquito will thicken over time. Shake vigorously before serving.
- Serve chilled coquito in a glass rimmed with ground cinnamon, a cinnamon stick and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top. Enjoy! ¡Buen provecho!
Video
Notes
Substitutions:
If you can’t find whole spices, you can use ground spices instead. If you can’t find star anise, cloves or allspice, you can omit from the recipe. Cinnamon and nutmeg will do the trick. If you can’t find condensed coconut milk, you can use condensed oat milk instead. If you can’t find evaporated coconut milk, you can make it at home with regular coconut milk! Just heat coconut milk for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it reduces by half. One ingredient you cannot substitute is the cream of coconut, not to be confused with coconut cream. Cream of coconut is sweetened and its texture is like syrup. I like Goya or Coco Lopez brand.Garnish:
Make your coquito cocktail extra fancy by rimming your glass with condensed coconut milk and ground cinnamon or coconut flakes. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top. ¡Buen provecho!Rum:
You can use whichever type of rum you like. Some prefer light or dark. Others enjoy spiced rum, because it enhances the flavors of the spices in the coquito. You can also add vanilla or coconut rum!Store:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. Shake vigorously each time before serving!Shop my Amazon Favorites for this recipe:
I love using my Ninja Foodi Power Blender for making coquito, juice, smoothies, dough, even masa for pasteles and alcapurrias! It’s my favorite kitchen appliance ever! Shop my other favorite amazon items that I used for this recipe.
Check out more holiday recipes!
Coquito (Vegan Coconut Eggnog)
Pastelón de Maduro (Plantain Lasagna)
Aceite de Achiote (Annatto Oil)
Jamón con Piña (Pineapple Glazed Ham)
Ensalada de Coditos (Macaroni Salad)
Ensalada de Papa (Potato Salad)
Pastel al Horno (Easy Pasteles)
Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas)
English 
Spanish 
