Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

The notion of coconut-themed cocktails has long tempted me. While I’ve made a couple of cocktails with coconut *water* before, this drink is my first with coconut *milk.* It is creamy and rich but also citrusy and (most importantly) very, very enjoyable. 

Please note that I found this recipe online at an interesting and ambitious website (it didn’t fall out of a coconut tree), originally labeled as a “Creamy Coconut Pearl Paloma.” While I admire the creator’s innovations and blog and love the cocktail, I took the liberty of renaming it to simply “Coconut Margarita” because it does not include grapefruit. Grapefruit is mandatory in any drink called a Paloma, right along with tequila.

The photos show a double recipe in a large Margarita glass, but I found it so rich that I had trouble finishing it. Also, due to the size, the drink warmed and the coconut solids began to settle before I could finish it. Therefore, I recommend the single-serving recipe below for most drinkers. In a large enough shaker, however, the double recipe is easy to mix and share.

The only downside to using coconut milk (or coconut water, for that matter) is that the retail packaging tends to be 16-ounce cans or boxes, while recipes such as this one call for only an ounce or so. You’ll have lots of leftovers, but the good news is that it’s not expensive at all. Coconut milk will keep 7-10 days refrigerated in a sealed container, and coconut water will keep just 4-5 days. Plan accordingly; I have several other recipes lined up to try before the coconut milk goes bad. 

COCONUT MARGARITA
1 oz Tequila Reposado
½ oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1¼ oz Unsweetened coconut milk 
¾ oz Freshly squeezed lime juice 
½ oz Rich simple syrup

Combine the ingredients in a large shaker tin and add plenty of ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to chill the drink well and integrate the coconut milk smoothly with the other ingredients. The coconut milk may appear to curdle initially, reacting with the lime juice, but shaking well will smooth it out. 

Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail coupe. If you double the recipe, it will fit nicely into a large Margarita glass, as shown. 

Optional garnishes: Lime wheels or edible flowers pierced on a cocktail pick.  

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.