Quick Creamy Coquito with Toasted Coconut
A quick and easy coquito recipe that skips the traditional stovetop simmering by using cream of coconut. Ready in under 15 minutes, this creamy Puerto Rican holiday drink is rich, smooth, and topped with toasted coconut for a nutty crunch.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut (like Coco López)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup white rum (like Bacardi or Don Q)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- Optional: Cinnamon sticks and star anise for garnish
Instructions
- Toast the coconut: Place a small skillet over medium heat. Add the shredded coconut and spread into an even layer. Stir constantly until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool completely.
- Combine the liquids: Open the cans. Pour the cream of coconut, full-fat coconut milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and white rum into a blender. Add the vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.
- Blend until smooth: Pulse a few times, then blend on medium speed for 20-30 seconds until fully combined and creamy.
- Strain (optional): For an ultra-smooth texture, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher.
- Chill: Cover the pitcher or bottle and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to let the flavors meld.
- Serve and garnish: Stir the coquito before serving. Pour into small glasses, sprinkle with toasted coconut, and add a cinnamon stick or star anise if desired. Serve cold.
Notes
For a dairy-free version, replace evaporated milk with full-fat coconut milk and use dairy-free sweetened condensed milk. For a lower-sugar option, use ‘lite’ cream of coconut and reduce sweetened condensed milk to 3/4 cup. If coquito is too thick after chilling, stir in a splash of milk. The flavors improve after 24 hours. Do not freeze.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 ounces (about 1/2
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 80
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 33
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: coquito, Puerto Rican coquito, coconut drink, holiday drink, creamy coquito, quick coquito, toasted coconut coquito