Forget Eggnog: Rum-Spiked Puerto Rican Coquito Tastes So Much Better

Today is National Coquito Day, which means there’s no better time to get acquainted with this creamy coconut milk- and rum-based cocktail that’s a popular Christmas cocktail in Puerto Rico.

Coquito, which means “little coconut” in Spanish, is made with a base of coconut milk, coconut cream, sweetened condensed milk, and sometimes evaporated milk. It’s spiked with Puerto Rican rum, and flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. Like eggnog, coquito is super rich and creamy, and is usually served only at the holidays. But unlike American ‘nog, traditional coquito isn’t made with eggs. In Puerto Rico, families have their own secret recipes, and there are lots of variations, like guava, chocolate, and pistachio varieties, or additional spices like nutmeg and anise seed. But the classic version flavored with cinnamon and vanilla is still the most popular.

I’d never tried coquito until last month when I visited the tasting room at Ron del Barrilito rum distillery just outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico in Bayamón, where the company has been crafting small-batch premium rum using the same methods since 1880. After a tour of the distillery, the newly-opened historic hacienda, an expert-led tasting of Barrilito’s two, three, four, and five star rums, and a mixology class, my group gathered at the tasting room’s bar to sip and sample some more.

When our bartender offered our group — all of whom were visiting the island — if we’d ever had coquito, we all admitted that we’d never even heard of it. He explained that Puerto Ricans revel in having the “longest holiday season in the world,” which starts in November just after Thanksgiving and stretches past Christmas and New Year’s Day, all the way to mid-January. And they drink coquito throughout that gloriously long, festive season.

When our bartender generously offered to share his freshly-made batches of traditional, chocolate, and pumpkin coquito with us (the first batches of the season!), every local within earshot excitedly gathered around the bar clamoring for a sample too. The chocolate and pumpkin versions were delicious. But for me, the classic, creamy, cinnamon-scented version paired with Barrilito’s small-batch rum — which develops complex notes like vanilla and almond as it ages in vintage Spanish white oak sherry barrels — was impossible to improve upon.

I asked the team at Ron del Barrilito to share their recipe for the festive cocktail, and a bit about its popularity:

“Coquito is the quintessential holiday cocktail that originated in Puerto Rico. Its rich flavors are deeply rooted in our culture, but it has truly conquered the palate of people everywhere,” says Maggie Matias, Ron del Barrilito’s Chief Commercial Executive. Coquito recipes have been passed down from generation to generation, and the drink is a staple in Puerto Rican holiday celebrations. What really elevates the cocktail is fine, premium aged rum like our Ron del Barrilito Two Star light-medium bodied, premium rum with smoky, woody notes and tastes of caramelized fruits and sugarcane with a lasting oak finish.”

Classic Coquito

Yield: this bag-batch recipe makes about 8 cocktails.

1. Combine all ingredients except for cinnamon sticks in a large container like a large pitcher, bowl, or pot with at least an 8-cup capacity.
2. Using a hand blender or whisk, combine all ingredients and chill for at least two hours.
3. Serve and garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick.

If you’ll be in Puerto Rico in January, be sure to check out Ron del Barrilito’s “Longest Christmas Celebration.” Their special events during the extension of the holiday season, known as “Octavitas,” will be held from January 7-14 at their distillery and tasting room in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, just outside of San Juan.