At a glance
- Crémas is a creamy, alcoholic drink from Haiti, made with coconut milk, condensed milk and spices
- Origin: Haiti, a drink for the end-of-year festivities, particularly Christmas
- Essential ingredients: coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed milk, rum, cinnamon
- Served very cold, in small glasses, at the end of a meal
Origins and cultural history of crémas
Crémas, or kremas in Haitian Creole, is a creamy, alcoholic drink from Haiti, strongly associated with the end-of-year festivities: it is traditionally drunk during the Christmas period, in Haitian households as well as in their diaspora. Its exact origins remain difficult to establish with certainty, but the drink is generally linked to the Creole influences of the colonial era, both European and African.
Customs vary by region and family: the north of Haiti sometimes adds pineapple, the south favours a richer coconut base, and some diaspora versions come in chocolate, strawberry or almond flavours. Served in a bottle, shaken then poured over ice, crémas is sometimes compared to Puerto Rico's coquito, another creamy rum and coconut drink for the end-of-year festivities.
What are the essential ingredients of crémas
Crémas is made from canned milks and a few spices, found in most African and Caribbean grocery stores, including NKOSI, with the exception of the rum.
- coconut milk
- sweetened condensed milk
- unsweetened condensed milk
- white or amber rum
- cinnamon and nutmeg
- vanilla
- lime
What to know about crémas
Crémas, or kremas in Haitian Creole, is a creamy alcoholic drink from Haiti, traditionally drunk at Christmas and during the end-of-year festivities. It is made with coconut milk, sweetened and unsweetened condensed milk, white or amber rum, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and lime. It is served very cold, in small glasses, at the end of a meal. It contains rum and is not meant for children.
Frequently asked questions about crémas
Is crémas an alcoholic drink?
Yes: traditional crémas contains rum, generally a Haitian white or amber rum. This recipe is not intended for children or for people who do not wish to consume alcohol; it is served in a small quantity, in a small glass.
How long does crémas keep?
Poured into a well-sealed bottle, crémas keeps for several days in the refrigerator; its taste often improves after a night's rest. As the ingredients can separate slightly, shake the bottle before each serving.
Where to find the ingredients for crémas in France?
NKOSI sells the coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened condensed milk and cinnamon in this recipe on nkosiagro.com and ships them from the Paris area within 24 to 72 working hours, to mainland France (2 to 3 working days) and to ten European countries. The minimum order is 39 €: in France, delivery to a pickup point is then free, and home delivery is free from 69 €.
