Sip & Celebrate: 5 Must-Try Coquito Recipes

Bottles of coquito make great holiday gifts Photo: Florida Dairy Farmers

Coquito – “little coconut” in Spanish – is sometimes known as Puerto Rican eggnog. Unlike holiday eggnog recipes, traditional coquito doesn’t call for eggs. It’s a creamy blend of coconut cream, evaporated and sweetened condensed milk and milk, plus vanilla, cinnamon and rum. Contemporary versions may add flavors like Nutella, pistachio, chocolate, turron and even coffee.

The history of coquito goes back to the 1900s, according to Diahann Smith of Florida Dairy Farmers. “Coquito first appeared in writing inside two Puerto Rican cookbooks, Cocine a Gusto and The Puerto Rican Cookbook, published between 1950 and 1970.” Coquito may have originated much earlier than that, she says. ”Some theorize that Spaniards introduced it to the Caribbean during Puerto Rico’s colonial era,” says Smith. “At that time it was made with Caribbean rum before Puerto Rico made the recipe its own by adding coconut.”

Coquito is often served in a shotglass or small glass cup that holds 1-2 oz. The following recipes make around 24 shots, a good start to a festive holiday party, but you may want to make plenty. “I have seen my husband with a way larger glass serving, especially the Nutella one,” says Smith.

All recipes and photos from Florida Dairy Farmers.