Substitutes:

• Coconut Milk: If you don't have coconut milk, you can use almond milk as a substitute. It will be less creamy but still give you a delicious drink.
• Cream of Coconut: If available, the best option is to use Coco López Coconut Cream; if not, any other brand can be used as a substitute. Just make sure it has a creamy texture and a high-fat content for optimal results.
• Sweetened Condensed Milk: If you can’t find sweet condensed milk, use evaporated milk and sweeten it by adding fine sugar and whipping thoroughly until combined.
• Evaporated Milk: In some countries, evaporated milk is known as “unsweetened condensed milk”; that’s maybe an alternative you could be looking for. If you still can’t find any, substitute it with a blend of coconut cream and sweetened condensed milk, paying attention to the ratio depending on the level of sweetness you want to achieve.
• Vanilla Extract: For a more natural option, use a vanilla pod sliced in two. Just remember to scrape it after cooking to fully extract its flavor.
• Puertorican Dark Rum: Although Puertorican is traditional, you can use any dark rum of your liking to prepare this recipe (we don’t recommend using agricole or Jamaican rum as their potent flavor will likely overpower the rest of the ingredients). Spiced rum is also a good alternative for an extra Christmassy touch!

Making it Non-Alcoholic:

• Rum Substitute: You can omit the rum to make a non-alcoholic version. The drink will still be creamy and delicious without it. You can also use a non-alcoholic dark rum substitute; these are available in the market and do a good job of mimicking the flavor of dark rum. If you’re feeling crafty, you can also make your own dark rum substitute by infusing together rooibos tea and a bunch of spices of your liking (vanilla, cinnamon, clove, allspice, and banana are always a good way to start). Mix all the ingredients together, add hot water, cover, and let it infuse for at least 3h (the stronger the better, so if you have time let it infuse overnight. In that case, you can either let it rest in the fridge once the liquid has cooled down). Give it a taste, adjust the spice level if necessary, and strain it once you’re happy with the result. Stored properly (in an airtight container in the fridge), this “tea rum” can be kept for up to a week.

Making it Vegan:

• Sweetened Condensed Milk and Evaporated Milk Substitute: To make this recipe vegan, you can substitute the sweetened and evaporated milk with plant-based evaporated and sweetened condensed milk. These alternatives are available in most health food stores or online, and they'll give you the same creamy texture while keeping the recipe dairy-free.