How To Make Coquito, According To A Family Recipe From The Kimpton Epic’s Bar Team

By now, you’ve probably had your fair share of eggnog, mulled wine, hot buttered rums and themed cocktails from kitschy Christmas bars.

But in Miami, there’s something even better to imbibe with during the rest of the holiday season: Coquito, which translates to “little coconut.” The city’s strong Puerto Rican presence makes it the perfect place to try the traditional and festive Puerto Rican holiday drink that’s creamy and made with winter warming spices.

“Coquito is one of Puerto Rico’s most celebrated contributions to mixology and is typically enjoyed during the holiday season due to its warm, seasonal ingredients such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and rum,” says Emilio Santaella, Director of Food & Beverage at Kimpton EPIC Hotel.

The rum-spiked holiday drink is often served to carolers by homeowners during a traditional parranda, Puerto Rico’s version of late night, neighborhood Christmas caroling, explains Santaella. The drink is often made in batches, and recipes are passed down over the years through generations.

While it’s not clear who invented this creamy coconut cocktail, it’s a drink that’s associated with the holiday season that lasts around 45 days, starting the day after Thanksgiving and ending in mid-January with the celebration of the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián, according to Visit Puerto Rico.

To celebrate the holiday season and connect to Miami’s deep-rooted Latino heritage, Kimpton EPIC launched a holiday coquito cart for the month of December. The downtown hotel, which is set on Biscayne Bay, allows guests to enjoy coquito in the lobby during a social hour or via a specialty night cap that’s available on-demand throughout the month of December.

The Kimpton’s “Coquito Cart” is stocked with everything guests need to make the cocktail just how Santaell’s family makes it during the holidays.

But for those who can’t make it to Miami for the holidays, Santaella is also sharing the family recipe to try at home. You’ll want to use a Puerto Rican white rum (think: Don Q or Bacardi).

Here’s how to make an authentic Coquito, according to the treasured recipe from Santaella:

Ingredients:

• 12 oz of evaporated milk
• 14 oz condensed milk
• 14 oz coconut cream
• 1 tbs ground cinnamon
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1 cup Puerto Rican white rum

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a blender until combined and smooth.

2. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and serve cold in a short cocktail glass.

3. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and cinnamon powder.

The Kimpton Epic is also celebrating New Year’s Eve with an “early bird” menu from 6 to 8 p.m., and the meal includes a welcome glass of champagne as well as an optional wine pairing. Diners can choose between dishes like wagyu short trip ‘Manti, which is a dumpling stuffed with braised wagyu short rib, smoked tomato sauce, pernod yogurt, chili oil and pea tendril.

Then, at a 9 p.m. seating, the New Year’s Eve menu will include elevated dishes like filet mignon with the option to have it wrapped in 24K edible gold, plus shaved truffles on burrata and caviar served alongside king crab.