Puerto Rican Coquito (Vegan Coconut Eggnog Recipe) (Edit recipe)

Notes

Steeping the spices: You can steep the spices in the coquito mixture, the rum or make a tea in 1 cup of water. I prefer to steep the spices in the coquito mixture because I don’t want to water it down with tea.   Substitutions: If you can’t find whole spices, you can use ground spices instead. If you can’t find, star anise, cloves or allspice, you can omit from the recipe. Cinnamon and nutmeg will do the trick. You can use vanilla extract in place of almond extract. But I prefer almond extract because it adds another dimension of flavor! If you can’t find condensed coconut milk, you can use condensed oat milk instead. If you can’t find evaporated coconut milk, you can make it at home with regular coconut milk! Just heat coconut milk for 45 minutes to 1 hour until it reduces by half. One ingredient you cannot substitute is the cream of coconut, not to be confused with coconut cream. Cream of coconut is sweetened and its texture is like syrup. I like Goya or Coco Lopez brand.   Garnish: Make your coquito cocktail extra fancy by rimming your glass with shredded coconut flakes. Coat the rim of the glass in honey and then press into shredded coconut. Top your drink with a sprinkle of cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg and don’t forget to add a cinnamon stick!   Rum: You can use whichever type of rum you like. Some prefer light or dark. Others enjoy spiced rum, because it enhances the flavors of the spices in the coquito. You can also add vanilla or coconut rum!   Store: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Shake vigorously each time before serving!