Cream of Coconut
A very sweet, thick coconut product (different from coconut milk) used in Piña Coladas.
Origin
A sweetened, thickened coconut product distinct from unsweetened coconut milk or cream, commercialized in the mid-20th century (Coco Lopez, launched in Puerto Rico in 1954, is the best-known brand).
History
Coco Lopez, developed in Puerto Rico and launched commercially in 1954, essentially created the cream of coconut category as a shelf-stable, pre-sweetened product specifically designed for cocktails, and it became inseparable from the Pina Colada, invented in San Juan around the same period and now Puerto Rico's official national drink. Unlike plain coconut milk, cream of coconut is deliberately thick and heavily sweetened, built to be a cocktail ingredient first rather than a general cooking product.
Flavor profile
Very sweet and rich coconut flavor, thicker and more heavily sugared than coconut milk or coconut cream.
Tasting notes
Dense, sweet, and unmistakably coconut, built specifically to blend into a frozen or shaken tropical drink where its sweetness and thick texture do double duty as both flavoring and body.
Substitutes
- Coconut milk with added sugar, for a homemade approximation that's less thick.
- Coconut syrup, for a thinner, still-sweet coconut flavor.
- A different brand of cream of coconut, since the product category is fairly standardized.
