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Here in Puerto Rico, it’s just not Christmas without coquito. And exactly what is coquito? Also know as “Puertorican eggnog”, coquito is a sweet, creamy drink usually served during the holiday season. It’s traditionally made with condensed milk, coconut milk, coconut cream, vanilla, spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, and rum. There are also different coquito flavors, from almond to chocolate to pistachio coquito. Since there’s been more and more interest in following a vegan diet pattern from many of my readers, in this post I’ll walk you through this easy vegan coquito recipe, that’s completely dairy-free, and also perfect for those with lactose intolerance. You can also omit the rum for a virgin coquito recipe. Keep reading to learn how to make this puertorican favorite!
Vegan Coquito Ingredients
For this vegan version of coquito, I used different types of coconut milk. The most difficult ingredient to find here was the condensed coconut milk, so I made my own! It’s actually pretty easy to make, it just takes some time, as I’ll show you soon. I also used:
- Coconut cream
- Evaporated coconut milk
- Canned coconut milk
- Cane sugar
- Vanilla
- Ground cinnamon
- White rum
If you prefer to buy the condensed coconut milk, I’ll leave an affiliate link here below for various price points:
Buy it Here: Condensed Coconut Milk
How to make condensed coconut milk
Condensed coconut milk only needs 2 ingredients: canned coconut milk and sugar. First, add 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk to a small, heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Next, add 1/4 cup of sugar and combine well.
Once it’s boiling rapidly like this, lower heat to medium and leave caramelizing for 45-50 minutes, stirring frequently and making sure the mixture doesn’t burn.
You’ll know your vegan condensed milk is ready when it takes on that characteristic thick, caramelized consistency, as seen in the video below. Easy huh? Just make sur to cool it down before blending with the rest of the ingredients. If you won’t be using it immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to make a vegan coquito
This recipe is as easy as pouring all the ingredients together into a blender, and go! Literally ready in 10 minutes or less (unless you’re making your own condensed milk, in which case add an extra hour).
Buy it Here: Evaporated Coconut Milk
Once the ingredients are well blended, refrigerate mixture at least 1 hour before serving. You can serve it in festive shot glasses, such as these, sprinkled with some ground cinnamon or garnished with cinnamon stick. or pour into decorative coquito bottles and give them out as gifts, like we do here during the holiday season. Just make sure to keep it refrigerated.
Buy it Here: Coquito bottles
Different coquito flavors
You can make a lot of different flavors of coquito, adding a few simple ingredients. One of my family’s favorite is Nutella coquito, for example. Here are some different flavors you can also try.
Just make the basic vegan coquito recipe below and add to the blender the following:
- “Nutella” coquito: 1/3 cup Nutiva (a vegan version of Nutella)
- Almond coquito: 1 cup of slivered almonds + 2 tsp almond extract (omit the vanilla in this case)
- Chocolate coquito: 1 1/2 cup ground Cortés chocolate
- Coffee coquito: 3/4 cup brewed espresso, cooled
Vegan Coquito Recipe from Puerto Rico
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can of coconut cream
- 1 12 oz can evaporated coconut milk
- 1 11.3 oz can of sweetened condensed coconut milk*
- 1 cup white rum optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend at a high speed until completely combined (about 1-2 minutes).
- Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
- Sprinkle some ground cinnamon or garnish with a cinnamon stick, if desired. You can also pour it into decorative bottles to give as gifts. ¡Salud!
Notes
Hi! I’m Melissa, Registered Dietitian and mother of two dragons. When I’m not talking nutrition you can find me rolling around the floor with my kids, sewing, crafting, cooking or missing the 90s (seriously, music just isn’t the same). Read More…
