There are many stories surrounding its origins. But whatever the case, it’s impossible to imagine life without it today. This coffee speciality is firmly associated with the Canary Islands. The drink was once particularly popular on Tenerife. It is now available throughout the archipelago.

Barraquito – facts and recipe

The Barraquito consists of several layers in a glass: you’ll need sweetened condensed milk, liqueur – usually Licor 43 -, espresso, frothed milk, cinnamon and a slice of lemon for decoration.

Although the recipe is now widely known, there are various theories about the origins of the Barraquito. Some believe that creative bartenders, keen to offer their guests a special coffee, were behind its invention. Other accounts attribute its creation to regulars with particular preferences. However, this is the most widely accepted theory:

Barraquito – the Canary Islands coffee

Don Manolo Grijalbo is said to have been the first to serve the drink in his bar on the Plaza de La Paz in Tenerife’s capital, Santa Cruz. From there, the trendy drink spread like wildfire.

According to tradition, a customer named Sebastián, known as ‚el Barraco‘, used to order a particular drink on a regular basis. ‚El Barraco‘ wanted a coffee with sweetened condensed milk, Licor 43, fresh milk, cinnamon, a slice of lemon and two coffee beans as a garnish. And that’s exactly what he got.

Other guests saw the drink and took an interest in it. The concoction quickly proved popular and the recipe spread throughout Tenerife. Eventually, it became known as the ‚Barraquito‘ – in honour of its inventor.

Barraquito recipe – quick and easy

To make one glass of Barraquito, you will need:

60 millilitres of sweetened condensed milk
60 millilitres of Liqueur 43
A fresh espresso
100 millilitres of milk
a pinch of cinnamon
a piece of lemon zest

First, pour the sweetened condensed milk into the glass. Then carefully pour the liqueur on top. Next, just as carefully, add the espresso. Next, add the frothed milk. Finally, sprinkle the cinnamon onto the milk foam. Then arrange the lemon zest and the coffee beans on top.

Our tip: The best way to pour the liquids into the glass is to use a spoon. This guarantees that the layers will form properly – without the liquids mixing. However, it’s important to use a narrow glass. Otherwise, the individual layers will be too thin. The rule of thumb is: the narrower the glass, the prettier the Barraquito!

Barraquito or Zaperoco?

By the way: A Barraquito is not a Zaperoco. Whilst some say that a Zaperoco may contain additional ingredients, such as honey or other liqueurs, others argue that the drink is in fact the same, but that the name depends on where it is served. Thus, Puerto de la Cruz and Buenavista del Norte tend to serve Zaperoco more often, whilst in other parts of the island, Barraquito is more commonly offered.