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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.
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:
Dump the hot water and coconut shreds in your blender
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.
The surface of the coconut milk mixture should be nice and bubbly.
Now strain the homemade coconut through your mesh bag/nut milk bag into a large bowl.
Wring out the extra coconut milk.
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:
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
Making coconut milk from scratch is so simple! IN less than five minutes you can make homemade coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
- 2 1/2 cups of hot water
Instructions
- Dump the hot water and coconut shreds in your blender
- 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.
- The surface of the coconut milk mixture should be nice and bubbly.
- Now strain the homemade coconut through your mesh bag into a large bowl.
- Wring out the extra coconut milk.
- 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:
5Serving Size:
.5 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 112Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 11mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 3gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
Can you make butter from the cream? Does it work the same as cow’s cream in that respect?
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.
That is super awesome! I may have to give it a try!
Okay, this is totally amazing. I LOVE me some coconut milk and you make it look so easy to make it at home. I’m going to do this!
It’s crazy easy and I really prefer it to canned coconut milk 🙂
I’m lazy. I buy cartons of almond milk 🙂
I have never actually had coconut milk. It sounds really good though, I should try it.
I LOVE anything coconut! I have to try this!
I’m going to have to make this as it looks very tasty!
awesome, we use a lot of Coconut milk. Is this more cost effective?
Wow. Who knew?
Whoa. I have to try this!
Very cool. Although I would probably never try this because my husband absolutely hates coconut and acts like a baby at the smell of it.
Very interesting, I never have the patience to make stuff like this LOL.
I’ve never tried coconut before.
What? Crazy. You should try it 🙂
Wow!! this is great! I didn’t realize it could be so easy!
You are so creative. I want to try this.
I have never had coconut milk. I would love to try it.
I’ve never had coconut milk. I tried coconut water once and did not like it at all LOL I wonder if I would enjoy this?
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.
I’ve never even tried coconut milk, let alone know how to make my own – cool!
Ooh, I’m guessing that top layer tastes GOOD!
I agree with you the store bought stuff is really thick. I think I would like this better.
I decided to revisit this idea.
I am totally trying to make this. Thanks. 🙂
This is amazing! I can’t wait to try this out!
That is a great idea! Looks yummy!
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.
Wow, yep, I would definitely ask for some shredded coconut 🙂
I love how easy this is! And no added stuff, like in the store-bought cans.
Oh wow! This is amazing, not as hard as I thought, and going to make my homemade chai and coffee drinks ROCK!
I am sort of embarrassed to admit I had no idea it was this easy!
Didn’t realize how easy it is to make coconut milk at home! Can’t wait to try this.
So easy to make and so much better than store bought! This will work great as a drink or in recipes!
I never tried making this from scratch before. Thank you for the very detailed directions so I can give this a go.
It’s so easy and such a great way to save money. Thanks for this recipe!
Love how easy this is!