Puerto Rican Coquito (Vegan Coconut Eggnog)
Puerto Rican coquito is a creamy holiday drink made with coconut milk, spices and rum. It is served chilled and is absolutely delicious. Along with a plate of arroz con gandules, pernil and pasteles, coquito is a staple during the holidays!
Ingredients
Spices
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 10 cloves whole
- 3 star anise whole
- 1/4 tsp allspice whole
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg grated or ground
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger optional
Coquito
- 1 can coconut milk 13 oz
- 1 can cream of coconut 15 oz
- 2 cans evaporated coconut milk 12 oz each
- 1 can condensed coconut milk, sweetened 11 oz
- 1 tsp almond extract can sub with vanilla extract
- 1 cup light, dark or spiced rum or to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients (except the rum) in a large saucepan. Warm over medium-high heat until it begins to simmer.
- Remove from heat, add rum (if using) cover and allow the coquito to become infused with the spices for 30 minutes.
- Strain the coquito and pour into a glass airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.
- The coquito will thicken over time. Shake vigorously before serving.
- Serve coquito in a glass rimmed with coconut flakes, a cinnamon stick and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon on top. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Steeping the spices:
You can steep the spices in the coquito mixture, the rum or make a tea in 1 cup of water. I prefer to steep the spices in the coquito mixture because I don't want to water it down with tea. But if you want a stronger taste of spices in your coquito, I recommend making a tea with the spices.
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.
You can use vanilla extract in place of almond extract. But I prefer almond extract because it adds another dimension of flavor!
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 shredded coconut flakes. Coat the rim of the glass in honey and then press into shredded coconut. Top your drink with a sprinkle of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg and don't forget to add a cinnamon stick!
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 6 weeks. Shake vigorously each time before serving!
Link to Items in Photos/Video:
Here is the link to the cocktail glasses and ornaments I used in the photos and video!
Also, you can add the whole spices to the bottle you use to store your coquito to further infuse with flavor.