Homemade Coconut Milk (Fresh or Shredded Coconut)
Creamy homemade coconut milk made with just two ingredients: fresh or shredded coconut and water. Fresh coconut gives you the richest flavor and plenty of coconut cream.
Servings: 4
Calories: 354kcal
Equipment
- Cheesecloth, nut milk bag, or clean kitchen towel
- Hammer or meat tenderizer (fresh coconut only)
- Butter knife or straight-edge spatula (fresh coconut only)
- Vegetable peeler, optional
Ingredients
- 1 whole mature coconut or 2 cups of dried shredded coconut flakes
- 1 ¾ cup hot filtered water
Instructions
If Using Fresh Coconut:
- Find the three "eyes" of the coconut and poke holes through them with a skewer. Pour the coconut water into a glass and set aside for later use.
- Wrap the coconut in a towel and hit it with a hammer or meat tenderizer until it breaks into pieces.
- Wedge a butter knife or straight-edge spatula between the meat and the shell and rock it gently until the meat pops out.
- Optional: peel off the thin brown skin with a vegetable peeler if you plan to use the leftover pulp.
Making the Coconut Milk:
- Add the fresh coconut meat or the dried shredded coconut flakes to a high-speed blender.
- For rich, creamy coconut milk, add just enough water to cover the coconut meat (I added 1 3/4 cups of hot water for 3 cups of fresh coconut meat). Feel free to add more water for a thinner coconut milk. If using fresh coconut, you can also use the drained coconut water.
- Blend on high for 1 to 3 minutes, until thick, creamy, and smooth.
- Pour into cheesecloth, a nut milk bag, or a kitchen towel set over a bowl. Squeeze firmly until only dry pulp remains.
- Serve immediately over ice, or refrigerate and serve chilled. Stir before serving, since the cream will separate.
Notes
Yield: About 3 cups with fresh coconut (from about 3 cups of meat) or about 2 cups with shredded coconut.
Cracking tip: Striking the equator with the back of a cleaver didn't work on my coconut. A towel and meat tenderizer did. The cleaver may work if your coconut has a pre-scored line.
Thickness: Covering the coconut with just enough water gives rich, creamy milk. Stir in more water afterward if you want it thinner.
Coconut cream: After several hours in the fridge, the cream rises to the top, especially with fresh coconut. Stir it back in, or scoop it out for desserts (the remaining milk will be thinner).
Leftover pulp: Dry the strained coconut meal to make homemade coconut flour. Store it in a zip-top bag in the freezer to keep the oils from going rancid.
Storage: Keeps up to 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 30g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 9g | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2.3mg