Coquito is a coconut flavored eggnog that is very popular during the holidays in the Caribbean. It is a classic drink that has many different family versions. I have made my remix of coquito many times and this is my favorite recipe. This Dominican coquito has a good mixture of coconut, rum, and is not overly sweet. Making it perfect for any beginner to advanced coquito lover like myself and hopefully you as well.
What Makes this Coquito Dominican?
What makes this coquet unique and Dominican? We start the process by boiling some water with cinnamon and cloves. We want to get all the flavor out of the spices and into the coquito for a richer depth of flavor. This is a popular practice that we do for our oatmeal and other porridges. Another option that I wasn’t able to do because of my location is using the Dominican rum called Brugal. They have several versions of Brugal in white and brown that can be used to replace the Bacardi rum. This will take this coquito to the next level and make it super Dominican.
Egg or no Egg
As a kid, I remember having the non-alcoholic version and being grossed out that it had egg yolks. The first few times I made this recipe I personally didn’t put egg yolks in them because I didn’t think I would like it. Now that I’ve tried it with egg in it, I honestly can say that you can’t even taste it. Blending it well for 2 minutes will cut the egg yolk so much that you won’t be able to taste it. Because this recipe does have egg yolks in it, please keep the beverage refrigerated and consume within a few days. I personally only keep coquito for a maximum of 4 days. Usually, within the first 3 days, I personally finish it or have gifted some to close friends and family.
How much Alcohol should I use?
This is probably the most popular debate, how much alcohol to use. Some people like a light coquito to enjoy the flavor of the coconut, while others want to taste the alcohol. For me, I had to test this out to get a drinkable coquito that’s not too heavy on the alcohol. So, yes I’ve tried adding a whole 750 ml bottle and that was a lot. But 1-2 cups of Bacardi silver is my preferred alcohol measurements. I love how you can also add Hennesy, cognac, or any type of rum. My next version of coquito will be with the classic Dominican rum called Brugal.
Here is my current Dominican Coquito recipe that can be modified with more or less alcohol or no alcohol.
Dominican Coquito Ingredients:
- 1 Cinnamon stick (2 inches)
- 7-9 Cloves
- ½ tbs pumpkin spice
- ¼ cup of water
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup cream of coconut
- 1 can coconut milk
- 2 cans evaporated milk
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tbs vanilla
- 1 ½ cups of (Bacardi) White Run
Dominican Coquito Recipe:
- Boil ¼ cups of water with 1 cinnamon stick, 7-9 cloves, and ½ tbs of pumpkin spice or ½ tbs of nutmeg. I like the pumpkin spice because it has a little bit of everything. You want to boil this mixture until it turns brown to spice up the coquito recipe.
- Add the 2 egg yolks, the cream of coconut, coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. Blend for about 2 minutes to mix thoroughly.
- Strain the boiled water mixture into the blender, add the 1 tbs of vanilla, and the rum. Blend for an additional minute.
- I usually taste the blended coquito to see if the rum stands out. Another option is to only add 1 cup of rum if you don’t want a soft drink, 1 ½ cups of rum to get a tasty drink, or 2 cups to get the party started.
- Chill in the fridge for a few hours until it is cold, usually 3-5 hours if stored in a large container.
- Serve and garnish with a dash of pumpkin spice and cinnamon stick.
Sahirenys Pierce
I am a millennial mom of two living in San Diego, CA with my husband. I love watching comedies, baking, and taking photos of our children.
