How to Make Coconut Milk

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Last Updated on January 2, 2024

It’s super easy to make your own coconut milk and it will save you loads of money too! This photo tutorial of how to make coconut milk will walk you through each step.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Coconut milk is a staple in my paleo kitchen.  I’m not a fan of the thick, creamy canned variety and it’s often full of additives, including emulsifiers which are gut irritants and have been linked to inflammation, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease (see Science Notes).

Thankfully, it is easier to purchase emulsifier-free full-fat coconut milk in BPA-free cans and tetra packs. The convenience of packaged coconut milk and cream just can’t be beat, but they can be expensive. If these high quality products are beyond your food budget, or if you live in an area where sourcing them is a challenge, you can make you own from unsweetened dried coconut. As an added benefit, the sweet taste of homemade coconut milk just can’t be beat and it’s so much cheaper to make it at home!

What you’ll need for this Recipe:

1 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut flakes

2 1/2 cups of hot water

1 mesh strainer – I use a paint strainer bag from Home Depot that cost $3. You can reuse these over and over. I did soak it in warm soapy water and vinegar before I used it the first time. You can also just get a nut milk bag.

How to Make Coconut Milk:

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Dump the hot water and coconut shreds in your blender

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Depending on your blender, blend for up to a minute. In my Blendtec, Around 30 seconds, the warm smell of coconut hit me and I knew it was done.

It's super easy to make your own coconut milk and it will save you loads of money too! This photo tutorial of how to make coconut milk will walk you through each step.

The surface of the coconut milk mixture should be nice and bubbly.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Now strain the homemade coconut through your mesh bag/nut milk bag into a large bowl.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Wring out the extra coconut milk.

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT

Pour into a glass resealable container Voila! We have coconut milk. This is a nice light coconut milk and the cream will rise to the top after it settles. You can also use a nut milk maker of you don’t want to do go through all these steps.

If you like this How to Make Coconut Milk tutorial, you’ll love:

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Did you make and love this recipe?  Give your review below and make sure you share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT MILK FROM DRIED COCONUT
Yield: 2 cups

How to Make Coconut Milk

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 3 minutes

Making coconut milk from scratch is so simple! IN less than five minutes you can make homemade coconut milk.

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Dump the hot water and coconut shreds in your blender
  2. Depending on your blender, blend for up to a minute. In my Blendtec, Around 30 seconds, the warm smell of coconut hit me and I knew it was done.
  3. The surface of the coconut milk mixture should be nice and bubbly.
  4. Now strain the homemade coconut through your mesh bag into a large bowl.
  5. Wring out the extra coconut milk.
  6. Pour into a glass resealable container Voila! We have coconut milk. This is a nice light coconut milk and the cream will rise to the top after it settles

Notes

  • I almost always double this recipe.You can make large batches of coconut milk and freeze it in freezer-safe mason jars (leave an inch of headroom) so that you always have some handy.
  • Because there are no emulsifiers, the coconut milk will naturally separate and be a little clumpy (the consistency of curdled milk with a very solid top layer) when chilled. If you want to drink the milk, blend in a blender right before drinking.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

5

Serving Size:

.5 cup

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

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38 thoughts on “How to Make Coconut Milk”

    • Coconut butter is actually the oil and meat blended together which this really isn’t – it’s more of just the fat rising to the top. Coconut butter is crazy good though.

      Reply
  1. I love that you just completely did this from scratch. You ROCK!! I love coconut milk in smoothies but since I was/am a fat free cows milk gal, I find it too thick for my cereal.

    Reply
  2. I wish I’d known this when I lived in Puerto Rico and had coconuts available 24/7. I guess I’d better talk to my parents to mail me some shredded coconut. They have so many palm trees on their property that sometimes the coconuts just spoil. Such a shame.

    Reply

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