Coquito Cookies

Bring a taste of the holidays in every bite with these Coconut Coquito Cookies with White Chocolate — a tropical twist on a classic Christmas treat. Inspired by Puerto Rico’s beloved holiday drink, these cookies are infused with creamy coconut, warm spices, and a hint of rum flavor, then studded with sweet white chocolate chunks for an irresistible finish.

Soft, chewy, and bursting with coquito-inspired flavor, they’re the perfect blend of comforting and festive, whether you’re baking for a holiday party or just craving a little island-inspired sweetness.

Why you'll love these coconut and white chocolate cookies

• Inspired by a holiday favorite – captures all the creamy, coconut and cinnamon flavors of traditional Puerto Rican coquito in cookie form.
• Perfectly chewy and soft – every bite delivers a tender texture with a melt-in-your-mouth center.
• Sweet tropical flavor – shredded coconut adds natural richness and texture, while white chocolate chunks bring smooth sweetness.
• Festive and unique – a creative twist on classic Christmas cookies that stand out at any holiday cookie exchange or dessert table.
• Simple to make – no fancy ingredients required, just big flavor in every batch.
• Crowd-pleasing combination – the cozy warmth of cinnamon pairs perfectly with coconut and creamy white chocolate.
• Perfect for gifting – beautifully tropical, nostalgic, and irresistible for anyone who loves coquito or coconut desserts.

Ingredients needed for these coquito cookies

Instructions for these coquito cookies 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place room temperature butter into a stand mixer along with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat to combine then add egg, rum, coconut extract and vanilla extract, beating to combine.

Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, pudding mix, baking soda, corn starch, salt. Continue mixing with the mixer until combined.

Fold in the coconut and white chocolate until just combined.

Scoop the cookies onto your prepared baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator to cool for 1 hour.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Variations and substitutions for these coconut cookies

Coconut:

• Unsweetened coconut → for less sweetness if desired.
• Toasted coconut → adds deeper, nuttier flavor and a bit of crunch.
• Coconut flakes (larger shreds) → for a chewier texture.

White Chocolate:

• Coconut chips or flakes dipped in white chocolate → for a textural twist.
• Dark or milk chocolate chunks → for a richer contrast to the sweet, creamy base.
• Caramel chips or butterscotch chips → for a more dulce de leche–like flavor.

Coquito flavorings:

• Rum extract instead of actual rum — ideal for a non-alcoholic version.
• Spiced rum for more depth if using alcohol.
• Swap vanilla extract for almond extract for a slightly nutty note.

Storage

unbaked cookie dough storage

I'm a big fan of making a big batch of cookie dough and freezing the bulk of the dough in order to have fresh baked cookies whenever I want. This is my process for freezing cookie dough:

1. Using your ice cream scoop, scoop out your cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer
2. Chill the scooped cookie dough balls in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and place the cold cookie dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag.
4. Place the freeze cookie dough for up to 2 months.
5. When it’s time to bake the cookies, bake them for two minutes longer since the dough is frozen.

baked cookie storage

To store your baked halloween cookies, place them in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for upto 3 days. 

Top tips for perfect cookies

• Use fresh and good quality ingredients.
• Measure the flour correctly. If you pack in too much flour, these cookies will puff up and be dry, rather than soft and chewy. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with the back of a butter knife.
• For the perfectly round cookie, the minute the cookies come out of oven, use the largest biscuit cutter you have or the opening of large round cup if the cookies are too big (anything round and wider than your cookies) Place the biscuit cutter over the cookies on the hot cookie sheet and move your hand in a circular motion for about 10 seconds.

Check out these other cookie recipes

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Coquito Cookies

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Cooling time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20

Calories: 343kcal

Author: Cari

Ingredients

• 1 cup of unsalted butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 2 tablespoon rum
• 3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 oz of chopped white chocolate
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconutx

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place room temperature butter into a stand mixer along with the brown and granulated sugar. Beat to combine then add egg, rum, coconut extract and vanilla extract, beating to combine.
• Add the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg pudding mix, baking soda, corn starch, salt. Continue mixing with the mixer until combined.
• Fold in the coconut and white chocolate until just combined.
• Scoop the cookies onto your prepared baking sheet and place them in the refrigerator to cool for 1 hour.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

Notes

Variations and substitutions for these coconut cookies

Coconut:

• • Unsweetened coconut → for less sweetness if desired.

• • Toasted coconut → adds deeper, nuttier flavor and a bit of crunch.

• • Coconut flakes (larger shreds) → for a chewier texture.

White Chocolate:

• • Coconut chips or flakes dipped in white chocolate → for a textural twist.

• • Dark or milk chocolate chunks → for a richer contrast to the sweet, creamy base.

• • Caramel chips or butterscotch chips → for a more dulce de leche–like flavor.

Coquito flavorings:

• • Rum extract instead of actual rum — ideal for a non-alcoholic version.

• • Spiced rum for more depth if using alcohol.

• • Swap vanilla extract for almond extract for a slightly nutty note.

Storage

unbaked cookie dough storage

I'm a big fan of making a big batch of cookie dough and freezing the bulk of the dough in order to have fresh baked cookies whenever I want. This is my process for freezing cookie dough:

1. 1. Using your ice cream scoop, scoop out your cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet in a single layer

1. 1. Chill the scooped cookie dough balls in the freezer for 20 minutes.

1. 1. Remove the cookie dough from the freezer and place the cold cookie dough balls into a freezer safe zip-top bag.

1. 1. Place the freeze cookie dough for up to 2 months.

1. 1. When it’s time to bake the cookies, bake them for two minutes longer since the dough is frozen.

baked cookie storage

To store your baked halloween cookies, place them in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for upto 3 days. 

Top tips for perfect cookies

• • Use fresh and good quality ingredients.

• • Measure the flour correctly. If you pack in too much flour, these cookies will puff up and be dry, rather than soft and chewy. Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with the back of a butter knife.

• • For the perfectly round cookie, the minute the cookies come out of oven, use the largest biscuit cutter you have or the opening of large round cup if the cookies are too big (anything round and wider than your cookies) Place the biscuit cutter over the cookies on the hot cookie sheet and move your hand in a circular motion for about 10 seconds.