Egg nog seems to be a universally loved drink at Christmas time, and the Rompope Costa Rica version is as delicious as any other.
Egg nog, known in Spanish as rompope, is a dairy-based drink comprised of liquid or powdered milk, egg whites or yolks, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Its origins are widely debated with everywhere from Europe to the Americas claiming to be the owner of the original recipe. What we do know is that rompope dates back to the 17th century and that it’s delicious.
You can find rompope in all of Mexico and Central America, and each variation is slightly different. However, Costa Rican rompope is a gorgeous yellow color because we use only egg yolks and not egg whites. It is served cold, and an essential part of a Costa Rican Christmas menu. This delicious recipe was given to me by a dear Costa Rican friend who had never shared it until now. Enjoy!
Rompope Costa Rica Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-quart whole milk
- 1 package Romporika powdered egg nog mix OR 1-quart liquid egg nog mix
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or Vitamaiz in Costa Rica)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4-5 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup dark rum (I use Flor de Cana, Ron Centenario is used in Costa Rica)
Instructions
Place 1/2 quart milk, sugar nutmeg, and cinnamon sticks into a saucepan and bring almost to a boil on medium-high heat. Add the cornstarch and whisk until completely integrated into the mixture. Put heat on low while you do the next steps.
In a blender, take the other half of the milk, the three egg yolks, and the packet of Romporika and blend until foamy. If you are using liquid egg nog, put in 4 cups of the liquid egg nog and do not put in any milk.
Combine the egg yolk mixture from the blender mixture with the warm milk mixture. Bring to a boil again on medium-high heat.
Strain the mixture and put it in a large container. You can serve hot or cold. In Costa Rica, we drink this cold and generally let it sit in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
At this point, you can add the rum and blend it right in, or you can blend the rum in per serving depending on if people want it served as a Costa Rican cocktail or just as egg nog.
You can double or triple this recipe with no problem- you don’t need to make any adjustments to the ingredients.
Note- this recipe calls for the Romperika, but we can’t get it in the United States. So that’s why I substituted the liquid egg nog mix. If you are in Costa Rica- then definitely use the Romperika even if you can find the liquid mix too!
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled. Some people sprinkle a bit of extra nutmeg on top.
This is a great drink to serve with other Costa Rican Christmas recipes such as:
- Filled pork tenderloin (lomo relleno)
- Queque Navideno (Christmas cake)
- Costa Rican Tamales
Variations
This rompope is often made with Cacique guaro- the local Costa Rican firewater. It’s clear, inexpensive, and a national product. But I don’t do it that was as I think the rompope lends itself more to a dark liquor like the Ron Centenario- the national rum of Costa Rica.
Many people add a tablespoon of vanilla to this recipe. Others omit the sugar and use sweetened condensed milk. Others used evaporated milk in place of whole milk to cut down on calories.
You can even freeze this (without the rum) to make the popular rompope ice cream.
Substitutions
Rompope is made in the United States with Flor de Cana rum, or any dark rum (such as Meyer’s Dark Rum or Bacardi dark rum) or can be made with whiskey or brandy.
In the US, it’s traditional to use powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar. You can use whatever you have on hand- even caster sugar or turbinado sugar.
Printable Recipe – Rompope Costa Rica
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