Puerto Rican Coquito (Vegan Substitutes Included)

This Puerto Rican Coquito is a classic cocktail made with seasonal spices, coconut and rum, giving it a taste similar to eggnog. It's a creamy yet light, cinnamon & nutmeg infused cocktail. Keep reading for details on how to make it with easy vegan substitutes.

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Coquito is a popular drink enjoyed around the holidays in Puerto Rico. 

This festive drink features ingredients that are commonly found in Puerto Rican cuisine, like rum cinnamon, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk.

There’s something really special about cozying up next to the fire with a sweet cinnamon seasoned drink during the Winter months.

If you enjoy the flavors in this popular drink, be sure to check out this arroz con dulce (rice pudding with coconut milk) and tembleque (Puerto Rican coconut pudding).

Ingredients

Here's what you will need to make your coquito (plus some easy vegan substitutes if you prefer a plant based diet):

• rum 
• nutmeg
• cinnamon
• vanilla extract 
• cans of sweetened condensed milk or sweetened condensed coconut milk
• cans of evaporated milk or evaporated coconut milk
• can of coconut milk
• cinnamon sticks
• Optional Garnish: cinnamon, coconut flakes, whipped cream or coconut whipped cream 

Step by Step Instructions

When you wake up, your coquito should be ready to serve! Not that I recommend starting the day with it… but I’m also not judging. 

Storage

This coquito should keep for up to 1 week in the fridge. It does not stand up well when frozen, so I recommend enjoying it fresh.

Toppings

Traditionally, this cocktail is served as is, with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Here are some other options if you feel like getting fancy:

• a whole cinnamon stick
• coconut flakes
• a dollop of whipped cream or whipped coconut cream

Perfect Puerto Rican pairings

Looking for the perfect Puerto Rican dessert to go with your Coquito? Look no further! 

Here are some of my favorite Puerto Rican dishes to enjoy with this spiced cocktail: 

• Maduros - these fried sweet brown plantains make a delicious and filling pairing with notes that compliment the cinnamon in the coquito very well
• Flan - a classic creme caramel goes excellent with the creamy sweet flavors of this cocktail
• Arroz con Dulce - coconut and cinnamon highlight the flavors in both this sweet rice dish and coquito
• Tembleque - this coconut based pudding has similar spices and a creamy smooth texture that's super popular across the island
• Piragua - this famous shaved ice (perfect for the holidays on an island) can be found all over Puerto Rico, with hundreds of combinations of flavors, my favorite being the coconut, cinnamon and sweet cream one featured in my piragua recipe

Vegan Coquito vs. Traditional Coquito 

This recipe is can be made vegan with easy plant based substitutions thanks to a couple different alternative ingredients.

I recommend using sweetened condensed coconut milk and evaporated coconut milk as our vegan substitutes. I find that this makes the recipe lighter and also helps to amp up the coconut flavor. 

Additionally, to make this vegan whipped cream recipe, all you’ll need is a can of coconut cream and some powdered sugar. 

Buen provecho and please remember to always drink responsibly,

Salima

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