This Brazilian Cachaca Coconut Cocktail, with pure sugar cane Cachaca, coconut milk, topped with toasted coconut, is the perfect summertime sip!
A Tropical Toast To Summer!
This Brazilian Cachaça Coconut Cocktail, with pure sugar cane cachaça, creamy coconut milk, and a crown of toasted coconut, is the perfect summertime sip, smooth, refreshing, and just exotic enough to make you feel like you’re sunbathing on Copacabana Beach.
Once night falls, you won’t want to be without this refreshing drink while dance Samba till dawn on a Rio rooftop, while watching the sun come up!
Cocktails Of Brazil
Once in a while we want to just get on a plane and go to the land of Samba, Carnival and fresh coconuts right off the tree.
But today, I’m going to bring that experience to you, wherever you are, because I’ve been there, lived there, and even managed to survive Carnival!
Brazilian Cachaca Cocktails
From the classic caipirinha to any number of cocktails made with the exotic fruits of Brazil, cachaca makes cocktails unlike any you will drink!
As simple as a mound of muddled limes in a glass filled with ice and Cachaca poured over, to this silky rich coconut cocktail.
What Makes Cachaca Unique?
The simple answer is, purity.The long answer? It starts with the heart of Brazil, freshly harvested sugarcane.
The juice is pressed straight from the cane, then carefully distilled into cachaça, Brazil’s beloved national spirit.
Unlike rum, which is made from molasses, cachaça comes directly from the juice itself, giving it a clean, grassy sweetness that tastes like sunshine in a glass.
Throughout Brazil, sugarcane is harvested, pressed for juice at markets, molded into rustic blocks of raw sugar called Rapadura, and of course distilled into cachaca, for sipping and celebrating. The national drink of Brazil.
What Makes Cachaca Different From Rum?
Like rum, the alcohol content in Cachaca is high, but that is where the similarity stops.
I would say that Cachaca is distinguished by its unique flavor, for two reasons:
- It is not aged in wood barrels, as rum is.
- Also, while rum is made from sugarcane molasses, cachaca is made from the cane juice itself.
Coconuts In Brazil
What better fruit is there in Brazil than coconuts?
When I lived in hot, humid, rhythm-filled Brazil, hydration was an art form. My ritual wasn’t coffee, it was água de coco, fresh coconut water.
Everywhere you went, from city corners to stretches of sand, there were pushcarts piled high with ice and young green coconuts.
The vendor would lop off the top with a few swift chops, stick a straw inside, and hand over nature’s coldest, most nourishing drink.
Coconut water became my lifeline, packed with vitamins, electrolytes, and a touch of sweetness that felt like the tropics themselves.
Coconut Water And Hydration
Because of the incredible health properties of the coconut, from its antibacterial properties to is powerful antioxidants, Brazilians incorporate it into many foods.
As a matter of a daily routine, while living in ‘hot’ Brazil, ‘agua de coco’, coconut water, was a must for hydration.
However, now that I am back home in the states, I’ve become aware of the coconut water popularity for post workouts, an aid in reducing blood pressure and stroke risks, as well as part of a daily beauty treatment in making the skin more radiant when consumed daily.
How To Make This Scrumptious Brazilian Cachaca Coconut Cocktail
Back home, I don’t have a beachside coconut cart (sadly!), so I reach for canned coconut milk or cream instead. You can also add a splash of coconut water for that fresh, light flavor I miss so much.
To finish, grab a small bag of shredded coconut, toast some until golden and fragrant, and keep some pure white for contrast. That sprinkle on top gives every glass a festive, island touch.
Simply proceed by placing ice, coconut milk, simple syrup, and cachaca into a shaker. Rim the glasses with a brush of coconut milk and dip into the white shredded coconut, saving the toasted coconut for last.
This luscious Brazilian coconut cachaca cocktail is now ready to pour, top with toasted coconut and sip!
For an extra treat, freeze coconut water into ice cubes, they’ll melt slowly and keep your drink flavorful to the last sip.
How To Make Coconut Simple Syrup
While simple syrup is often made by boiling water and sugar together, until the sugar melts, I wanted a syrup richer in flavor.
Therefore, we can substitute water for coconut milk, add the sugar, and bring to a slow boil, stirring all the while, until the sugar melts.
From there, let it cool, not too cold because it will begin to solidify, and use it in the making of this coconut cocktail.
Other Coconut Recipes You Are Sure To Love
Once I returned home, from Brazil, I was missing my daily fix of coconuts, so I probably went a little overboard in creating as many recipes as I could, to bring back their memory:
- Coconut Citrus Gluten-free Cake – Gluten-Free, dairy free, light and refreshing citrus with the tropical twist of coconut flakes, coconut oil and coconut yogurt.
- Golden Milk Turmeric Cocktail – Far East meets Middle East in this wintery warm turmeric milk and Arak cocktail, made with coconut milk and turmeric root.
- Lavender and Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins – Lavender, tropical freshness of lemons and the nutritional, nutty flavor of poppy seeds makes the perfect dairy free muffin.
- Pantry Seafood Casserole – A pantry seafood casserole, with smoked seafood, sea vegetables, dried mushrooms, dried chilies in a coconut gravy, is the result of a delicious, brilliantly stocked pantry.
- Vegan Frozen Strawberry Dessert – Vegan Frozen Strawberry Dessert is for those of us in want of healthy fruits and nuts, a hint of sweetness, frozen into a creamy vegan strawberry pie!
Equipment Needed
- Cocktail shaker to mix and chill the ingredients before pouring.
- Small saute pan for making the simple syrup.
- Measuring cup and measuring spoons for accurate flavor combinations.
- Small brush to brush coconut milk around the rim of the glass before dipping in toasted coconut.
- Small bowl for the toasted coconut.
- 6 oz. serving glasses.
Ingredients Needed
Every ingredient in this cocktail captures a piece of Brazil’s vibrant flavor and warmth:
- Full cream coconut milk – Lush, velvety, and rich, it gives the drink its signature creaminess while balancing the sharp, earthy notes of the cachaça. It’s like a silky cloud of coconut bliss.
- Sugar – A touch of sweetness enhances the tropical flavors and ties the cocktail together. You can use simple syrup, cane sugar, or even a drizzle of honey for a more natural sweetness.
- Cachaca – The soul of Brazil! Made from pure sugarcane juice, it’s smooth, slightly floral, and alive with character. It gives the cocktail its sunny depth and unmistakable Brazilian charm.
- Shredded coconut – Toasted or plain, it’s the finishing touch that adds both texture and fragrance. Think of it as a tropical confetti that makes every sip a celebration.
- Ice – Don’t underestimate this simple ingredient. Cold ice not only chills the drink but slightly dilutes it as it melts, creating that perfect balance between creamy, sweet, and spirited.
This cocktail is tropical simplicity at its best, cool, creamy, lightly sweet, and full of sunshine. Whether you’re sitting poolside or dreaming of Rio from your backyard, this Brazilian Cachaça Coconut Cocktail will transport you straight to the beach.
Brazilian Cachaca Coconut Cocktail
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Cocktail shaker
Ingredients
- 12 oz Full cream coconut milk
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 2 oz Cachaca or to taste
- 1/3 cup Shredded coconut
- 1 cup Ice
Instructions
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of shredded coconut to garnish glasses. Lightly toast the remaining shredded coconut and set aside.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of full cream coconut milk. If the remaining coconut milk has solids in it, as it often does out of a can, melt it briefly in a small pan on top of the stove, then set aside.
- With the reserved coconut milk, brush a little around the rim of the glasses and dip in reserved shredded coconut. Place the remaining coconut milk into a small saucepan and melt the sugar in it, to form a coconut syrup, set aside and cool.
- In a shaker, place the ice, cachaca, coconut syrup and coconut milk and give a good hard shake. Pour into two glasses and top with toasted shredded coconut and serve.
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I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.