Puerto Rican · Drinks · SAMPLE RECIPE
Coquito · coconut, cinnamon & rum
A chilled, creamy Puerto Rican coconut drink with rum, vanilla, and cinnamon. Rich enough for a small glass, it is especially associated with holiday gatherings.
Save to your Saucey Space, or keep a bookmark on this device.
A NOTE FROM THE KITCHEN
An egg-free version, served well chilled.
Use sweetened cream of coconut, not unsweetened coconut cream; they are different products. This recipe contains rum and is an alcoholic drink for adults. It has no eggs. Keep it refrigerated and do not treat the rum as a way to make a dairy drink shelf-stable.
Ready to get started? The ingredients and steps are right below.
LET’S MAKE SOMETHING GOOD
Coquito · coconut, cinnamon & rum
Sample recipe awaiting kitchen testing. Timings are estimates. Contains alcohol.
The good part
Check off each step as you cook.
0 of 4 steps complete
BEHIND THE DISH · Puerto Rican holiday drinks
Coquito · coconut, cinnamon & rumBeyond the plate.
Coconut, cinnamon, and rum come together in a rich drink poured into small glasses.
ORIGINS & EVOLUTION
A festive drink with many family formulas.
Coquito is strongly associated with Puerto Rico and its Christmas celebrations. There is no single agreed origin story or universal household formula. Coconut milk, sweetened coconut products, dairy milk, spices, and rum appear in familiar versions, with proportions adjusted by the maker.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
Part of a season of sharing.
Coquito accompanies holiday visits and gatherings, including the season of musical parrandas. Its richness suits a small serving. Time in the refrigerator brings the mixture together, and a shake before pouring redistributes the coconut and spices.
AT THE TABLE
An explicitly egg-free version.
Our recipe blends coconut milk, cream of coconut, evaporated milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and white rum. It is an alcoholic drink for adults and must remain refrigerated. A small pinch of the measured cinnamon finishes each glass.
What else sounds good?
There’s a little more inspiration in the kitchen.
Back to the recipes