Have a winter potluck coming up and want to impress? Hoping to introduce new culinary cultures into your holiday cooking? Either way, you’ve come to the right place. Join us as we tour Mexico, Puerto Rico, and more, exploring the tropical twists and cozy sips that make these traditional treats worth a try!
As much as we love a white Christmas, thoughts of warmer weather and sandy beaches are never far away. Gift your holiday party a little slice of paradise with this summery switch-up to a creamy Mexican classic.
Rompope is similar to eggnog, made with many of the same ingredients, like milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. However, whole eggs are swapped out for just the yolks and slivered almonds are often added to introduce a rich, nutty base to the drink.
In this rompope variation, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves keep up the winter cheer, while GOYA® Coconut Milk provides a refreshingly tropical twist.
Because it needs to be refrigerated for at least 6 to 8 hours and up to 3 to 5 days, it’s the perfect party punch. Simply whip it up in advance and add the gorgeous final garnishes when you’re ready to serve–warm or chilled.
For those who aren’t yet acquainted, allow us to do the honors. Coquito, meaning “little coconut” in Spanish, is a rum-based holiday punch hailing from Puerto Rico.
As a drink, coquito is far from a one-hit wonder. Traditionally, the first batch is made shortly before Thanksgiving, and it just keeps coming throughout the holiday season and into the new year.
This traditional recipe mixes silky GOYA® Coconut Milk, sweet GOYA® Cream of Coconut, earthy ground cinnamon, and a pop of white rum. Best served cold–and in the company of loved ones!
Pistachios add the perfect pop of earthy, nutty flavor to so many sweet menu items–ice cream, cookies, cakes, lattes, and more. So it only makes sense that the next step in innovation is a fabulously creamy Pistachio Coquito.
This twist on Puerto Rican tradition is not only tasty, but it also takes on a festive green color. Few spiked drinks are as picturesque in a holiday spread.
Want to know the secret behind this one-two pistachio punch? Pistachio gelato is blended with GOYA® Coconut Milk, GOYA® Cream of Coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and dark rum to make the base of the drink. Then, a sprinkling of crushed, salted pistachios makes the most delicious garnish.
Chocolate makes everything better, so of course we had to indulge in this darker, richer spin on the classic coquito.
Between coconut flavor galore, vanilla extract, cinnamon, dark rum, and cocoa powder…once you start sipping, it’s nearly impossible to stop.
Feel free to go all out with the garnishes on this one; Whipped cream, shredded coconut, crumbled chocolate Maria cookies, and more make this holiday drink the best-dressed thing in the room.
Now that you’re familiar with coquito, let’s take things a step further. Since the drink itself is super thick and creamy, it translates perfectly into frosting form!
GOYA® Coconut Milk and Cream of Coconut bring heaps of island flavor, while fresh raspberries top the cupcakes off with a punch of tartness. You can also swap out the garnish for cherries or pomegranate seeds, as you prefer.
Last but certainly not least of our coquito-inspired creations is a luscious layer cake infused with all the same flavors as the drink you now know and love.
This dessert is soaked in an extravagant cinnamon-rum-coconut cream syrup, then frosted with a creamy coconut icing to create total tropical bliss.
Silky, smooth, and delightfully fancy flan is already a crowd-pleaser, and even more so with a coconut-y, Caribbean twist.
The dessert’s place of origin is up for debate, but many food scholars trace its roots to ancient Rome. Flan was brought to the Americas via the Spaniards, where it quickly became a gourmet treat, introducing caramelized sugar into the traditional recipe of cream + eggs.
However, it was the Mexicans who truly turned the delicacy into an everyday dish, innovating chocolate, coffee, and coconut variations that are still beloved today.
This recipe, utilizing GOYA® Cream of Coconut and GOYA® Coconut Milk, will whisk you away from winter and into a warmer state of mind.
Intricate, layered, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, this Piña Colada Pie is a must-have at all events this winter season. (But don’t forget to take a photo before you dig in–it’s also gorgeous!)
Iconic Spanish Maria Cookies are the star of the crust, while the decadent filling is made up of two layers–a sweet pineapple curd and a rich coconut cream.
A blanket of lime-zested shredded coconut, dollops of whipped cream, fresh pineapple wedges, and maraschino cherries make decorating easy, yet the end result looks like it came straight from the bakery.
Perhaps the best part? The whole thing comes together in under an hour!
If you’re hosting lots of family and friends this holiday season, shareable, sugary cakes are the way to go!
Tres leches, or “three milk,” cake is exactly what the name implies. Light, fluffy sponge cake is soaked in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and whole milk, then chilled to take on a consistency almost like pudding.
However, for this island-inspired version, we’re swapping out whole milk for GOYA® Coconut Milk–plus garnishing with toasted shredded coconut to add an extra kick of flavor.
The flavors of oh-so-sweet tres leches cake combined with traditional eggnog ingredients? Now, this is a holiday mashup made in heaven.
Adults-only parties can spike the drink with rum or brandy; Alternatively, leave the alcohol out and garnish with a homemade whipped coconut cream to keep it kid-friendly.
Feeling particularly festive? Use sticky agave syrup and crushed Maria cookies to create a tasty edible rim around the glasses.
