Every time December rolls around, Big Holiday insists I either costume myself in the glitz of a Dynasty matriarch, or stay home and swaddle myself in a big fluffy robe, find an open fire, and throw some chestnuts into the mix. Two very different kinds of parties, both alike in dignity. Let’s paint a different picture, shall we? Imagine this: on one side of the proverbial dinner table, a group of human Christmas ornaments ready to partay, and a tribe of robe-dwellers on the other. Each has a glass of coquito in hand. The vibe? At ease.
An indulgent cup of coquito lands in the middle of the festivity turn-up scale. It’s rich and creamy enough to chill you out (that’s the coconut cream, condensed milk, and vanilla extract doing their thing), but you can spike it with a bit of rum to punch things up. Each time I’ve had it, I’ve been in social situations that don’t require too much from me–a Guatemalan Thanksgiving with my girlfriend’s family, a tiny holiday get-together at my friend’s apartment, and a lowkey happy hour at Glossier HQ. In regards to the latter, the coquito was supplied by our resident hostess with the mostest Cherie Camacho who explained, “My family is not big on traditions, so coquito is the only thing that makes the holidays feel special. Even if we aren’t having a family dinner or a big party, we always have a bottle of coquito in the fridge.”
Cherie gave me her family recipe, which I’m now passing on to you. It’s the best thing to sip on this season—here’s how you can make it at home.
The Ingredients:
2 cans cream of coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 cups Don Q Cristal Rum
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (to sprinkle on top)
The Process:
- Combine the cream of coconut, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla and rum in a blender on high for five minutes
- Refrigerate until chilled
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon on top to your liking
- Enjoy!
Happy sipping, folks.
—Utibe Mbagwu
Photo via ITG.