Vegan Coquito Recipe (2024)

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By Carine Claudepierre
Published on 11/22/2020 - Last updated on 02/29/2024

4.87 from 110 votes

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💬 19 Comments

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You’ll love this easy Vegan Coquito Recipe with a creamy, sweet rum coconut flavor that is perfect for celebrating Christmas with a tropical touch!

Vegan Coquito Recipe (2)

Table of contents

What’s A Coquito?

A coquito is a rum-based Puerto Rican co*cktail with a creamy, sweet texture and tropical coconut flavor.

It’s also known as the Puerto Rican version of eggnog as it’s a traditional Christmas drink in Puerto Rico, just as eggnog is in the USA.

Is The Classic Coquito Vegan?

Unfortunately, no. The classic coquito recipe is not vegan as it’s made with evaporated milk.

To make your own coquito recipe, you need to tweak the original recipe.

Ingredients and Substitutions

A vegan coquito is a dairy-free version of the classic coquito recipe. Since it’s dairy-free, it’s also perfect for anyone with lactose intolerance as it doesn’t include milk.

All the ingredients you need to make a vegan version of a coquito co*cktail recipe at home are:

  • Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk – you will find this ingredient in a can next to condensed milk in most grocery stores. We recommend using Nature’s Charm’s condensed coconut milk.
  • Cream Of Coconut – this is not the same as canned coconut cream. Cream of coconut is also found in a can, but it also contains sugar and thickeners that add flavor and texture to the drink. The best vegan brand for this recipe is Coco Lopez, a Puerto Rican brand that makes the co*cktails perfect.
  • Unsweetened Canned Coconut Milk– I prefer unsweetened, because it makes it easier to adjust the sweetness.
  • Almond Milk – prefer unsweetened almond milk to avoid adding unnecessary sugar.
  • Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg – for classic winter flavors.
  • Vanilla Extract – for taste.
  • Shredded Coconut – this is optional, but I love the texture it adds to the co*cktail.
  • Rum– spiced rum or a combination of rums tastes better. See the note below on how to choose the best rum for coquito.

How To Make A Vegan Coquito

Before you start, make sure you shake all the cans of condensed milk and cream of coconut and coconut milk.

In fact, canned ingredients often separate in the can, fat going on top and liquid at the bottom.

Shaking the cans makes sure that you don’t miss an important part of the product.

Blending Everything

Add all the ingredients into a blender and blend on the high-speed setting until smooth.

Chilling

Vegan Coquito Recipe (3)

Place the co*cktail in a glass bottle or jug and chill for 3-4 hours in the fridge before serving.

To make this co*cktail faster, you can also chill the alcohol bottles and cans the day before.

Prepare the co*cktail 30 minutes before serving, chill for 30 minutes, then enjoy.

Swaps And Substitutions

If you can’t find the cream of coconut in the store, you can use the same amount of canned coconut cream.

However, you will have to add some maple syrup to the recipe to reach the sweetness and texture.

Usually, adding 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup is enough.

Storage Instructions

This vegan version of eggnog, also called coquito, doesn’t use egg yolks as classic eggnog.

It means it stores much longer and can be made ahead 2-3 days before.

Store your co*cktail in a glass bottle in the fridge and open it just before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Alcohol Should I Use In Coquito?

The main alcohol used in a coquito recipe is rum.
But to make this flavorsome Puerto Rican eggnog recipe, we recommended using a combination of 3 rums.
– White rum
– Golden rum
– Coconut rum
– Homemade flavored rum
This said, it can be expensive to buy 3 bottles of rum, so another option is simply to use white rum that you infuse with cinnamon sticks and dried raisins.
To flavor your own rum, simply place the ingredients below into a sealed jar in the fridge. Let infuse overnight, filter, and use in co*cktails the next day.
– 1 1/2 cup of white rum
– 1/2 cup of dried raisins
– 2 cinnamon sticks

Is Rum Vegan?

Yes, most rum brands and spirits are vegan-friendly and don’t involve animals in their process.
The only liquors that are not vegan are the ones using honey or cream.

How Should I Serve Your Vegan Coquito?

This co*cktail must be served chilled with a pinch of ground cinnamon on top.
You can also decorate the glass with shredded coconut and add a stick of cinnamon to the glass for extra flavor.

More Vegan co*cktails

For more vegan co*cktails recipes, try some of the below:

Vegan Horchata

Coconut Margarita Recipe

Raspberry Margarita

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Vegan Coquito Recipe (8)

Vegan Coquito Recipe

A creamy vegan coquito co*cktail with sweet coconut flavor perfect to celebrate during the holiday season.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Chill: 4 hours hrs

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American, puerto rican

Servings: 8 servings (7 oz/serving)

Calories: 448.6 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

4.87 from 110 votes

Ingredients

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a blender, add all the ingredients sweetened condensed coconut milk, cream of coconut, coconut milk, almond milk rum, vanilla extract, and spices and blend on high speed until smooth – about 1 – 2 minutes.

  • Chill the co*cktail in the fridge in a sealed glass bottle or jug, for at least 4 hours or overnight.

  • Before serving, shake/stir. If too thick to your liking, thin with 2-4 tablespoons of extra almond milk, stir to combine, and serve.

  • Serve in a glass with a stick of cinnamon and a pinch of ground cinnamon.

Notes

Dark rum swap: you can use a combination of the 3 rums below to replace 1 1/2 cup of dark rum and create a much more flavorsome co*cktail:

  • 1 cup white rum
  • 1/2 cup coconut rum
  • 1/2 cup golden/dark rum

Cream of coconut is a sweetened coconut cream made for co*cktails. If you can’t find this in your store, replace it with unsweetened canned coconut cream and add 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup into the blender to reach the correct sweetness.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1glass (7oz/200ml)) | Calories: 448.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.4g | Protein: 6.8g | Fat: 28.2g | Saturated Fat: 24.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.3g | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 284.2mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 25.9g | Vitamin A: 97.7IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 179.7mg | Iron: 1.9mg | Magnesium: 31.5mg | Phosphorus: 107.9mg | Zinc: 0.8mg

Vegan Coquito Recipe (9)

About Carine

Hi, I'm Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, photographer, and published author of a cookbook and founder of The Conscious Plant Kitchen with my husband Damien.Learn more about us.

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Vegan Coquito Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why did my coquito harden? ›

It's because the fat from the coconut is solidifying. If this happens to you, I would pop it in the blender right before serving. That should dissolve any bits that might've solidified.

Why is my coquito gritty? ›

Coquito should be smooth, but it can become chunky if you use coconut milk instead of cream of coconut. The fat in coconut milk can separate and solidify towards the top of the container. Returning it to the blender just before serving should resolve the issue.

How long does non dairy coquito last? ›

How long does non dairy coquito last? Vegan coquito can last up to 6 months when stored in the refrigerator. To do this, you'll need to keep it tightly sealed in an airtight container. You can also add a little bit of rum or vodka to help extend its shelf life.

How do I keep my coquito from getting chunky? ›

Coquito settles and separates due to the fat content in the milk and cream, so before pouring, poke it with a straw close it and shake vigorously so everything is combined thoroughly. The longer is stays in the refrigerator the better it gets.

Why does coquito get clumpy? ›

Rum, vanilla, and other extracts are added after it cools. Adding all ingredients with ground spices to the blender makes a fast alternative with no eggs. This usually results in the drink separating after a few minutes and the fat from the coconut solidifying, causing a chunky coquito with lumps.

How do I stop my coquito from clumping? ›

Pour the hot water from the bottles, then add two or three cinnamon sticks. You can omit them if you don't keep cinnamon sticks on hand. Put a fine-mesh sieve lined with a clean tea towel on a funnel. Straining the coquito through the towel and sieve before curing it reduces clumping in it later.

Does coquito ever go bad? ›

Does Coquito Need To Be Refrigerated? Coquito should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; kept that way, it can keep for anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. The ingredients may settle between servings, particularly if you used eggs, so be sure to stir before you pour.

Why does my coquito look curdled? ›

Why does coconut milk split and curdle? Coconut milk will separate if it dips below 57.2 degrees Fahrenheit. In the warm climates where it's produced, this isn't much of an issue, but it easily can be in other places (like your refrigerator when you're storing a can of leftover milk).

What is the best rum for coquito? ›

Best Rum For Coquito

Barcardi white rum provides a light and balanced flavor and, Captain Morgan provides a delicious nutty, caramel-like flavor. You can also make coquito WITHOUT rum for kids to enjoy and then serve the coconut co*cktail to the adults with the shots of the rum next to it.

Is there vegan evaporated milk? ›

Now, vegan versions of evaporated milk exist in grocery stores, but most store-bought evaporated milk is made with cow's milk and unsuitable for a vegan diet.

How much should I charge for a bottle of coquito? ›

Recently, I was getting that itch for some coquito and I started asking around what the price for a 750ml bottle of it cost. The going price ranged from $20-$35.

Why is my coquito thin? ›

As your coquito chills in the fridge, it will thicken. If you have already let it chill in the fridge and it is still too thin that usually means the coconut milk you used was one without the thick coconut cream on top.

Can you use dark rum to make coquito? ›

While you can use light rum, the dark rum adds a hint of sweetness and spice that really takes the coquito up a notch! Sweet Condensed Milk– This is what makes your Coquito sweet!

What to do when coconut milk hardens? ›

Sometimes in cold weather, even when kept in a pantry our Coconut Milk/Cream may solidify or curdle. To regain the liquid aspect, simply heat up in a pan, sit the can in a bowl of hot water or directly spoon into your food and stir well.

How to know if a coquito is bad? ›

What are some signs that Coquito has spoiled? Signs of spoilage include a sour or off smell, a change in texture to a lumpy or unusually thick consistency, or any signs of mold or discoloration.

Will coconut milk harden in the fridge? ›

Use and storage

If you won't use the coconut milk immediately, refrigerate it. Once chilled, the fat will harden into solid chunks.

References

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