Now you can enjoy coconut milk with this step by step method in your own kitchen. My favorite method is to make coconut from scratch but I also share a backup method using unsweetened coconut flakes.

Coconut milk is different from coconut water and is not the same. Coconut water is the aqueous part of the coconut endosperm while the coconut milk is the white milky liquid made by grating or blending the mature coconut flesh or solid endosperm with water.

How To Make Coconut Milk 2 Ways

Honestly, growing up in Jamaica, living close to the beaches we had lots of coconut trees in abundance in our area. We never bought coconut milk from a can, we only used fresh coconut milk that was freshly prepared from the whole mature coconut.
I learned to make coconut milk from an early age and even picked the coconuts from the trees. The fresh coconut milk made from fresh coconuts tastes way better than coconut milk in a can.

However, due to convenience, I usually resort to storebought coconut milk in the can. I make sure to purchase coconut milk that is free of preservatives. With the current events happening in the world, going to the supermarket often is not ideal, so desperate times call for desperate measures.

I’m now going back to some of the basic skills that I have learned growing up. I have been gardening like crazy, planting herbs, fruits, vegetables, and having so much exercise, fresh air, and healthy Vitamin D from the sun doing so.

What Are The Benefits Of Coconut Milk?

Note that people with allergies to tree nuts can consume coconut because botanically coconut is not a nut, it is a fruit. However, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has classified it as a nut. Coconut milk contains medium-chain fatty acids, these fatty acids are found to be good for cardiovascular health. Read More.

Helps weight loss
Improve brain function
Improve heart health
Boost energy and endurance.
Builds the immune system

How To Choose The Best Coconut For Coconut Milk?

Coconuts can be found in health food stores or Caribbean supermarkets.

If your coconut has its skin intact then it will have a green, yellow, or brown skin. You want a coconut that is mature, it is the kind that is better for making coconut milk.

My hubby says you can tell when a coconut is mature by shaking the coconut, if you hear the water moving around then it is mature if not, it is young.
The young version has a soft translucent jelly-like flesh or soft white flesh that is better for eating as a snack. While the dried version’s flesh is firmer and white with a brown outer layer when removed from the shell.

Method One Using Dried Coconut

Open Coconut – Find the 3 eyes of the coconut at the stem of the coconut. Using a sharp knife or corkscrew pierce the eyes of the coconut.
Drain The Coconut – Invert the coconut over a glass bowl or measuring cup and drain the coconut water. Reserve to drink or add to smoothies.
Make Sure Coconut Water Is Good – The coconut water should be clear, taste sweet. If there is a murky color or a rancid smell then it has gone bad, discard.
Break Coconut Shell – Using a hammer, break the coconut into half by hitting around the center to open. Break each half again. You can also wrap the coconut in a towel first then hit coconut with a hammer.
Pry Coconut Meat From The Shell – Using a butter knife, carefully remove the meat from the shell.
You can peel the brown skin from the white flesh using a vegetable peeler but this is optional. I rarely do.
Cut The Coconut Meat Into Smaller Chunks – Cut the coconut meat into bite-sized pieces and add to a high-speed blender. Add warm water and process until smooth.
Strain Coconut Milk – Pour the coconut milk mixture into a nut milk bag or muslin cloth that is placed inside a bowl or large measuring cup.
Carefully close the top of the nut milk bag shut or bring the top of the muslin cloth together. Using your hands to squeeze out the coconut milk.
You can save the pulp to add to baked goods or dehydrate and blend into coconut flour.
Pour milk in a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.
Milk can be frozen for about 3 months.
Nut milk bags are sold on Amazon.

Note: Your coconut milk will separate after being in the refrigerator, it doesn’t contain any added emulsifiers. You just need to give it a quick stir.

Add sweetener and flavoring of choice to taste.

Method Two Using Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

Add water to a pot and heat until it is almost ready to boil
Place coconut flakes in a high-speed blender.
Pour hot water over the coconut flakes and allow to sit for about 2 minutes to soften.
Process coconut flakes and hot water until the mixture is white and creamy. Make sure to keep the blender lid on top of the blender so it doesn’t pop open.
Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag that is placed into a bowl and squeeze well.
Store the coconut milk in the refrigerator.

How To Use Coconut Milk?

Add to your cereal – Banana Porridge.
Add to Stews – Black Bean And Butternut Squash Stew.
Include coconut milk in your Curries – Coconut Lentil Curry.
A very delicious addition to soups – Vegan Zucchini Soup.
Increase moisture in baked goods – Vegan Coconut Bread.
Vegan Desserts – Vegan Tiramisu.
Tastes delicious in smoothies – Pina Colada Smoothie.
Ice Cream – Cherry Coconut Ice Cream.

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Coconut milk in a glass jug on a wooden cutting board, garnished with coconut flakes

How To Make Coconut Milk 2 Ways

Learn How To Make Coconut Milk 2 Ways at home, one using the traditional method and the modern way. Homemade coconut from fresh coconut tastes way better than the store-bought version.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Beverage

Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican

Keyword: how to. make coconut milk

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 110kcal

Equipment

1 high-speed blender

Ingredients

Coconut Milk From Whole Coconut

1 whole dried coconut
4 cups hot water

Coconut Milk From Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
4 cups hot water
sweetener of choice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Instructions

Method 1 (coconut milk from whole coconut)

Find the 3 eyes of the coconut at the stem of the coconut. Using a sharp knife or corkscrew pierce the eyes of the coconut.
Invert the coconut over a glass bowl or measuring cup and drain the coconut water. Reserve to drink.
Coconut water should be clear and sweet. If it is murky in color or has a rancid smell, it has gone bad, so discard it.
Using a hammer, break the coconut in half by hitting around the center to open it. Then, break each half again. You can also wrap the coconut in a towel first, then hit it with a hammer.
Using a butter knife, carefully remove the meat from the shell.
Cut the coconut meat into bite-sized pieces and add to a high-speed blender. Add warm water and process until smooth.
Pour the coconut milk mixture into a nut milk bag or muslin cloth in a bowl or large measuring cup.
Carefully close the top of the nut milk bag shut or bring the top of the muslin cloth together. Use your hands to squeeze out the coconut milk.
Pour milk in a container with a tight-fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for about 3- 4 days.

Method 2 (using unsweetened coconut flakes)

Add water to a pot and heat until it is almost ready to boil
Place coconut flakes in a high-speed blender.
Pour hot water over the coconut flakes and allow to sit for about 2 minutes to soften.
Process coconut flakes and hot water until the mixture is white and creamy. Make sure to keep the blender lid on top of the blender so it doesn’t pop open.
Pour the mixture into a nut milk bag and place it into a bowl. Squeeze well.
Store the coconut milk in the refrigerator.