Go Back Email Link

Coquito

Christina Miranda
Coquito is a traditional Puerto Rican Christmas rum-based drink similar to eggnog, and is sometimes referred to as Puerto Rican Eggnog.
Print Recipe
Total Time 1 hour
Course Drinks
Cuisine Caribbean

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can evaporated milk may substitute unsweetened coconut milk if you prefer
  • ½ cup coconut flakes sweetened or unsweetened, either is fine
  • 3 large egg yolks separated or 4 small egg yolks, separated.
  • 1 TB sugar
  • 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup dark spiced rum plus 1-2 tablespoons
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp almond extract
  • ½ of a vanilla bean pod
  • Cinnamon stick star anise, or nutmeg for garnish.

Instructions
 

  • Toast the coconut flakes. Combine the can of evaporated milk and toasted coconut flakes to infuse the evaporated milk for about 20-30 minutes. Allow the milk to cool, drain coconut flakes out and discard.
  • Make a zabaglione (custard)-like mixture by assembling a double boiler with boiling water and place the 3 separated egg yolks in the top part along with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
  • Whisk the egg yolks until pale and frothy or fluffy and it has increased in volume.
  • Add 1 or 2 TB of the rum to the egg custard and whisk until incorporated for the last 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the eggs from the double boiler. Allow it to cool while you work on the other steps.
  • In a blender, combine the can of condensed milk, the extracts, scrape the vanilla bean pod and reserve pod for vanilla sugar or other use. Add the cooled coconut evaporated milk/coconut milk. Blend on low until all ingredients mixed.
  • Add the cool egg custard/zabaglione and blend on low 20-30 seconds. Finally, add the rum, ¼ cup at a time, blend 20-30 seconds in between, until you’ve reached the desired boozy level.
  • Pour with a funnel into your washed wine bottle and cork.

Notes

I find it tough to control the heat at the same time I’m keeping a handle on my gerrymandered double boiler and whisking so I just take the top part with the eggs on and off the heat to make sure I don’t do scrambled eggs.
Some folks will let this sit for a few days before drinking so that the flavors fully develop and meld but its ready for consuming right away. Drink 5 ounce portions chilled garnished with a cinnamon stick, star anise, or nutmeg. Star anise is pretty but I find that nutmeg is the ideal touch to bring out the smoke and spice of the rum and cut the sweetness. Most recipes also only call for evaporated and condensed milk, rum, and cinnamon and that’s it. This recipe is my way of making it more flave-interesting.
Many recipes for coquito call for white rum. I happen to think the spiciness of dark rum is better suited to the sweetness of this drink. The zabaglione/egg custard is my addition so that it gets a similar consistency and richness of egg nog. The almond extract is in there because I think it complements coconut nicely. I’ve also tried this with half coconut rum and half spiced rum and that was good though I didn’t think the coconut flavor was much stronger at all.
Keyword cocktail