Image via Goya, whose ingredients you’ll mostly be using for this tasty drink.
As a Puerto Rican, it doesn’t feel like the holidays if I’m not snacking on turrón (a slab of almonds with a hard nougat holding it all together), having perníl (slow-roasted pork shoulder rubbed in seasoning) for Christmas Eve dinner, and drinking as many bottles of coquito (a sweet, creamy drink comparable to eggnog) as I dare.
Every Puerto Rican has their own recipe for coquito and will swear that every other recipe is incorrect/ridiculous. I’ve seen recipes that call for eggs (what?!) or orange liqueur (absolutely not), but why mess with my mom’s version when it’s better than the rest and sooo much easier to make?
Try your hand at her version below (with a few notes, specifically about measurements because she’s notoriously vague about amounts):
Susie’s Coquito
Ingredients
1 12oz. can of evaporated milk
1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 15 oz. can of cream of coconut (Coco Lopez is her brand of choice)
A splash of vanilla extract (or 1/2 tsp, to be more exact)
White Bacardi to taste (anywhere from 1/2 cup to 1 cup)
Directions
Mix all the ingredients in a blender, starting with 1/2 cup rum. If you don’t feel 🥴 tipsy keep adding rum.
Store in a glass bottle in the fridge and shake before serving.
Notes
My mom balked at any deviations from this recipe, though other people will add 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp nutmeg, and a cinnamon stick. You’re welcome to try any of these, just don’t tell Susie cuz she doesn’t want to hear it.
Also, feel free to skip the rum if that’s not your thing. Coquito tastes delicious on its own, too.