Three glasses filled with coquito and topped with cinnamon with a cinnamon stick inside each next to a few extra cinnamon sticks with a white and red towel behind all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog

33 Comments / By /

Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog) is a traditional holiday boozy drink from Puerto Rico that is tropical, creamy, and easy to make!

Jump to Recipe

A few years ago, when I was working at the doctor’s office in Orlando, one of our providers brought in Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog at the holiday season. Since she was bringing it to work, she went extremely light on the alcohol, but it was still delicious!

Coquito means “little coconut” in Spanish. The drink is a coconut-flavored drink that originated in Puerto Rico. Coquito is a traditional Christmas drink similar to eggnog. That’s why it’s considered the Puerto Rican version of eggnog. 

Although there aren’t any actual raw eggs in this eggnog recipe, the drink is just as creamy. The recipe that we have calls for cinnamon as the only added flavor. Of course, the coconut flavor is strong, but I think I will try adding a bit of pure vanilla extract next year, too, and maybe some ground nutmeg. The drink goes really well with my chocolate chip cookies. 

The drink has a very tropical feel, which is perfect for Christmas in the South. I remember quite a few years that it was so warm on Christmas day that we would jump in the pool after opening gifts. But, that’s Christmas in Sunny South Florida for you!

Also, this is such an easy recipe. It took me about 5 minutes to put it all together. The hardest part is waiting for it to cool in the refrigerator. Justin and I both tried some as soon as it was blended, and it just wasn’t the same as when it was cold. So, we will be patient, I guess. 

The first time I read the recipe from my coworker/friend, I wasn’t sure of a few of the ingredients. I searched them on Google and realized that she had given me the Spanish name on a couple of items, such as Coco Lopez which is the brand name for the coconut cream. Once we learned what we were looking for, it was easy to find. Most of your ingredients will be found with the canned milk in the baking section of your grocery store. 

This recipe is full of dairy, so if you are looking for a dairy-free version, try Vegan Egg Nog. 

You can also make this a virgian coquito by eliminating the rum altogether. I do this for the kids to be able to drink it and when I don’t want an alcoholic beverage. It’s still a very festive drink. 

A bottle of Coquito would make a great Christmas gift to friends or neighbors. 

Puerto Rican Coquito Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 15 oz cream of coconut
  • 13.5 oz full-fat coconut milk
  • 12 oz evaporated milk
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup white rum
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 cinnamon sticks

Gather all of your ingredients. As I mentioned, it’s almost all canned items that can be found with all of the baking ingredients. True Coquito would use Puerto Ricans rum, but we had some Bacardi in the pantry so went ahead and used that. You can also use dark rum or spiced rum if you prefer that flavor.

Ingredients ready for coquito: cans of cream of coconut, coconut milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk with a bottle of ground cinnamon in front of a glass bottle of rum and a blender all on a wooden surface

Preparation

Pour everything into the blender. I needed a spoon to scoop out the cream of coconut and sweetened condensed milk since they are thick (this is what gives the eggnog its creamy texture). It’s also chilly in the house so the coconut is close to solidifying at this temperature. 

Coquito ingredients poured into a blender on a wooden surface

Note: If you have a small blender, you’ll need to do this in batches by only adding half of each ingredient. My blender is a 7-cup blender and it was just big enough to make the whole batch at once. 

Blend everything together. I used the “mix” setting on mine and it worked really well. 

Coquito being blended in a blender sitting on a wooden surface

Place a few cinnamon sticks in the Coquito and set in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4-5 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, give the Coquito a good shake or stir one more time and serve chilled. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg if desired, or serve with a cinnamon stick.

Three glasses filled with coquito and topped with cinnamon with a cinnamon stick inside each next to a few extra cinnamon sticks with a white and red towel behind all on a wooden surface (vertical)

Coquito Leftovers

Storage: Store remaining coquito in the refrigerator in an airtight container or a pitcher covered with plastic wrap for up to 2-3 days. Make sure to stir before serving. You could also portion the drink into mason jars and seal each to keep it longer. 

Recipe

Originally Published On: November 14, 2017

Last Updated On: August 27, 2023

Three glasses filled with coquito and topped with cinnamon with a cinnamon stick inside each next to a few extra cinnamon sticks with a white and red towel behind all on a wooden surface

Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog

Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog) is a traditional holiday drink from Puerto Rico that is tropical, creamy, and easy to make!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 5 minutes
Course:
Drinks
Cuisine:
Puerto Rican
Keyword:
alcoholic
|
coconut
Servings: 7 cups
5 from 5 votes

Ingredients

  • 15 oz cream of coconut
  • 13.5 oz coconut milk
  • 12 oz evaporated milk
  • 14 oz sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 cup white rum
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 cinnamon sticks

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Add all ingredients except cinnamon sticks to a blender
  • Blend until everything is combined and the mixture is creamy
  • Add cinnamon sticks to the eggnog
  • Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight
  • Serve your eggnog cool and garnish with cinnamon, nutmeg, or a cinnamon stick
Click the buttons below to share and print this recipe
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
Nutrition Facts
Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 664 Calories from Fat 270
% Daily Value*
Fat 30g46%
Saturated Fat 24g120%
Cholesterol 33mg11%
Sodium 161mg7%
Potassium 484mg14%
Carbohydrates 81g27%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 76g84%
Protein 9g18%
Vitamin A 270IU5%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 324mg32%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

More Cocktail Drink Recipes to try

33 thoughts on “Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog”

  2. Joshua

    Ok pure creaminess and looks absolutely delicious. I love eggnog during the holiday season. Reminds me of festive gatherings at grandmas house.

    Reply
  5. Nicole Gilbert

    5 stars
    Coquito is one of the absolute best parts of Christmas!! My family starts making it for Thanksgiving and all the way through the new year. You can find some stored in a milk jug in every puerto rican’s fridge around this time of year!

    Reply
  9. Christa

    I’ve never had this and now I really can’t wait to try it! I live in a warm climate, too. This is a great way to be festive!

    Reply
  11. Jack branson

    This is great, we might consider it for Christmas dinner. Plus, I havent tried before which makes it interesting for me. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  16. Charline

    I am food lover and this blog is absolutely amazing! the Coquito aka Puerto Rican Eggnog is on cards this weekend. Nice meeting you STEPHANIE LYNCH. The chocolate chip cookies is next in the list. Keep them coming every week. Thanks so much for sharing this with me!!

    Reply
  17. Marysa

    This sounds really good! I love sweetened condensed milk, and this certainly would be a great holiday drink. I’ll have to grab some rum so I can make this.

    Reply

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating