I gotta say, as much as I loooooooove food and sharing recipes, these do-it-yourself posts are the ones that make me fingers-shake-when-typing, girly-squealing giddy.
I can’t help myself. It’s just too cool.
I mean, seriously. Who knew that making some of your favorite store-bought items could be so easy?!
Now, even though I don’t think anything will ever beat making coconut butter at home (since I am outrageously addicted to the stuff), making coconut milk doesn’t trail too far behind.
The exceptionally cool thing about making coconut milk is that you can also make coconut flour and whipped cream in the process!
Of course, our fresh, raw milk will always be my number one milk of choice, but I love having coconut milk on hand — especially when making Thai or Indian dishes!
Nom nom nom!!!
Homemade Coconut Milk
(Yields about 16 ounces)
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut flakes
- 2 1/2 cups water, boiled
Place the coconut flakes in your blender. Pour the hot, boiling water on top of the coconut flakes.
Blend on high for about five minutes.
Pour the coconut and water mixture through a nut milk bag (or layer cheesecloth — or even a clean dishcloth — over a strainer) and into a large bowl. (Tip: If using a nut milk bag while the mixture is still hot, use barbecue or salad tongs to gently squeeze out the milk.)
What you now have in your bowl is coconut milk!!
Yes. It really is that simple. 🙂
Plus, it’s not just any coconut milk, but coconut milk that is also free from guar gum and additives, not to mention made in the comfort of your own home!
Yayyyy!!
Store your coconut milk in an airtight container (I like to use glass jars) in the refrigerator.
But, wait! See that white, sandy pulp left over in your nut milk bag??
Don’t throw it out!!
You can easily use it to make your own coconut flour! (Post coming soon!)…You can see that I’m true to my word. 😉
This recipe was also featured on Frugally Sustainable!
Special Price! - Virgin Coconut Oil, Gold Label - 2 pints - Buy 1 Get 1 FREE!
What a great idea!! Just tweeted! Ally xo
Awww, thanks, Ally!! You are awesome!! Congrats again on your trip to Italia; how exciting!!! 🙂
do you buy bob’s red mill shredded coconut? how many cups in each of those 12oz bags? I wonder if making this is cheaper than buying at the store?
Hi, Isabella!
I do buy Bob’s Red Mill Shredded Unsweetened Coconut. I buy it from Amazon (you can use the link in the post, if you’d like). I subscribe and save, so that it only costs $11.19 for four bags. Each bag yields about 6 and 1/4 cups of coconut.
For us, this definitely saves money, especially since we can also make coconut flour from the pulp that is left behind when making the milk! Plus, you don’t have to worry about any yucky additives being put into your coconut milk. I hope this helps! 🙂
Is it necessary to boil the water? Hot water/food is one of the things that really leaches chemicals out of plastic, which is what my blender is made of, so I’d like to avoid that if possible. Thanks!
Hi Shannon! That’s a good question. We’ve always made ours with hot water, since it produces a richer coconut milk that’s higher in coconut oil (fortunately, our blender is glass). However, I have heard that it is possible to make it with cold water, if needed. Let me know if you try it! 🙂
I can’t wait to try this and make both milk and flour! However, I can’t imagine leaving my high powered (Blendtec) blender running for a whole 5 minutes. I don’t think there’d be any pulp left for flour if I did. So what is it supposed to look/feel like when it’s done?
Hmmm, good question! You’re right — you probably won’t have to blend it near as long. I would probably try cutting the blending time in half. The coconut and milk should be well-combined (no separation), and the coconut shreds should be pulverized into tiny bits — which will be your pulp when strained. Let me know how it goes!!
after you let your milk sit does it separate? I made my coconut milk by soaking and not using boiling water and I think coconut butter separated to the top. Does this happen to you?
Hi, Rebecca! Yes, if you let the milk set, the cream will rise to the top. you can just shake it to mix it back up, or you can scoop the cream off and make coconut whipped cream! 🙂