Coquito - Puerto Rican Coconut Nog

Like many traditional foods or drinks that coquito can trigger some passionate debate. The biggest debate regarding coquito is with or without egg yolk.

Everyone that is familiar with coquito stands firmly in one camp. I am firmly in the no egg yolk camp. My abuela and mother made it with no egg yolk so I make it with no egg yolk. I always say coquito isn’t eggnog it’s coquito

Now I’m not knocking eggnog. In fact, my friend Rebecca has a killer eggnog recipe. But eggnog and coquito are not the same thing.

Abuela once told me that the addition of egg yolk was the influence of the classic American Christmas drink eggnog. How true that is I can’t say but I continue to stand firm in the no egg yolk camp. If your abuela made it with egg yolk go for it.

Regardless of the eternal egg yolk debate the main ingredients of coquito, are coconut milk, coconut cream, Puerto Rican rum, and sweetened condensed milk. The result is a creamy coconut rum drink that is essential to any Puerto Rican Christmas celebration.

This recipe calls for cream of coconut like Coco Lopez. This is different from coconut milk.
Coquito (without egg) will last in an airtight container refrigerated for 4-6 months.
If the some of the coconut fat solidifies let it sit on the counter for 10 minutes and give it a good shake before serving.
Traditional coquito is made with Puerto Rican Rum like Don Q.
These swing-top bottles are great for gifting coquito.

In the recipe, I suggest 1 1/2 cups of white rum. If that sounds like too much start with 1 cup and add more to taste. I like to add just enough rum that it’s prickly on the back of your throat and warms you on the inside. It will be one of the few drinks you’ll have that is cold that warms you up.

Just be careful because the flavor of the rum gets stronger the longer the drink “marinades”.