Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Rum Cocktails

Coquito

Coquito in rocks glass on tan marble countertop, with cinnamon stick garnish

Liquor.com / Carson Downing

Rich, creamy Coquito is a classic Puerto Rican cocktail made with coconut cream, coconut milk, baking spices and, most important, rum. It is a centerpiece of the year-end festivities for many families on the Caribbean island.

The History of Coquito 

“My mother would make Coquito every year for the holidays,” says New York bartender Darnell Holguin, co-founder of The Silver Sun Group. “She would make a variation that is very similar to eggnog, called Ponche [de Coquito], which [includes] egg and condensed milk added for nutrition during difficult economic times in Puerto Rico in the 1940s.” Aside from Coquito’s nostalgic allure, Holguin is a die-hard fan of the beverage for its singular texture and balance. Coquito is rich and zippy; festive and comforting; boozy and homey.

Coquito, which translates to “little coconut” in Spanish, has deep roots in Puerto Rican history—or, at least, Spain’s colonization of the island. Holguin elaborates: “It is said that the Spanish brought [Coquito] over by introducing the island to their version of an eggnog. Utilizing the abundant resource of coconuts on the island, a version was created that is unique to Puerto Rican culture.”

Today, there are countless family recipes specific to Puerto Rican households on the island itself and in the Puerto Rican diaspora across the world. But there’s one key Coquito element that remains entirely non-negotiable, according to Holguin. “There is always one important ingredient that must be in Coquito, and that is Puerto Rican rum.

Why Coquito Works

While there’s plenty of room for interpretation and experimentation when making Coquito at home, you’ll want to follow a few general guidelines from an expert like Holguin.

“When making your Coquito, it’s important to use a good coconut milk—read the labels on the cans you purchase and make sure you get one that has a lot of coconut fat. This is what gives this drink great texture and body," says Holguin. None of that light coconut milk. You want full-fat coconut milk. The kind you would use in a Thai curry. Or, as done in this recipe, you could go even fattier and use cream of coconut for its inimitable richness and dense coconut flavor.

"Also, sourcing quality spices like good vanilla extract and cinnamon makes a world of difference,” notes Holguin. If you wanted to really amplify the spice notes in your Coquito, you could use a real vanilla bean, scraping the seeds into the base, and grind your own cinnamon from cinnamon sticks.

“The balance of fatty texture and a dry finish from spices and the rum makes Coquito irresistible and impossible to just have one cup!” This large-batch recipe, contributed by legendary bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez, is an excellent place to begin your Coquito explorations.

Ingredients

  • 56 ounces sweetened condensed milk

  • 48 ounces evaporated milk

  • 24 ounces cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez)

  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 750 milliliters (1 bottle) white, añejo or spiced Puerto Rican rum

  • Garnish: cinnamon sticks (1 per storage bottle and 2 per individual serving)

Steps

Serves at least 16.

  1. Add sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, cream of coconut, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg into a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and let cool.

  2. Add the rum and stir to combine.

  3. Transfer to sealable bottles and add 1 cinnamon stick to each bottle. Seal and store in the refrigerator.

  4. Serve over ice in rocks glasses.

  5. Garnish each glass with 2 cinnamon sticks.

Coquito and Eggnog Variations

Eggnog: A classic take, including your choice of base spirit among rum, brandy and bourbon.

Uncle Angelo’s Eggnog: Especially festive and luxurious, this recipe from Dale DeGroff is capped with beaten egg whites.

Añogo: Where añejo tequila and traditional eggnog meet.

Baltimore Eggnog: Hosting a crowd? This large-format recipe melds cognac and Jamaican rum.

Posset: A precursor to modern eggnog, with beer as the base.