This simple Coconut Milk using Desiccated Coconut is super easy and cheap to make. All you need is dried coconut, a blender and a piece of cotton! Let’s get started with this amazing homemade coconut milk recipe!
Making your own coconut milk might seem like a lot of effort, but once you try this recipe there is no going back to store-bought! It really is so easy to make and the coconut flavour is subtle and just delicious.
Making coconut milk with dried coconut does take a little more time because the shredded coconut needs time to re-hydrate. I don’t find that an issue since it’s hands-off time, just a bit of planning is needed.
You can use this homemade coconut milk in my Black Rice Risotto, Nutty Banana Smoothie, Apple Mug Cake and Tomato & Mushroom Pasta recipes!
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🥘 Ingredients
There is only one necessary ingredient for this easy coconut mylk recipe!
- Coconut - Desiccated or Shredded.
I like plain coconut milk, but you could add any flavour you love to this recipe!
- Dates for sweetness
- Cacao powder for chocolate milk
- Protein powder
- Frozen berries
The possibilities are endless!
How do you make coconut milk from dried coconut?
Re-hydrate the Coconut!
Add desiccated coconut to a bowl with boiling water.
Let the coconut re-hydrate for ± 1 hour. This step is optional, but I think you get more flavourful milk if you let it stand for a while.
Blend the mixture to emulsify!
Before blending your milk, I suggest slowly warming it in a pot on the stove. This makes it easier to strain if the oils and cream are warm. Think body temperature only!
Add everything to a high-speed blender - as seen in the images above, this is an important step to get the most out of your milk.
If you are flavouring your mylk, this is when you’d add it!
Strain your milk through a nut milk bag!
Pour the milk from the blender into a piece of material or nutmilk bag over a container.
I like to use a sieve as well, just in case I squeeze the coconut pieces out of the edges of the material. I also do this in two straining batches so I can get all the milk out of the coconut easily!
If the material is loosely woven, you may need to strain it twice to get rid of any little pieces of coconut 🙂
Use the coconut pulp to make your own Coconut flour!
💭 Top tips
Blending is an important step to get all the coconut goodness out! If you strain it through the material without blending, you get a kind of coconut water. It isn’t creamy at all!
The fresher your coconut, the more flavourful your milk will be.
Coconut milk will naturally separate, just give it a quick shake before pouring it into your coffee or cereal!
Keep your dried coconut in the fridge in an airtight container to keep it from going rancid.
Dry the coconut meat that is leftover from making your milk and turn it into coconut flour!
Storage
Keep your mylk in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to 5 days. Although, my milk always gets used up long before then!
FAQs
Yes! You can freeze your milk for up to 1 month. For the best results, blend the milk after thawing to agitate the fats and water to create an emulsion again.
Yes! The recipe is down below, and read above for some tips!
Yes! If you don’t use hot water, it will be difficult to strain as the fats will be hard.
Coconut water is the liquid found in fresh coconuts. Coconut milk and cream are made from the flesh of coconuts blended with water and strained through a piece of cotton or linen.
Yes, you can follow my recipe but adjust the water quantity. Because coconut flakes contain more moisture than desiccated coconut, they don’t need as much water.
Dried coconut is cheaper and more widely available which makes it the obvious choice for your milk fix!
This step is highly recommended! Blending helps to emulsify the fats and water giving you a creamy, smooth end product.
Dry and then blend the leftover coconut meat from this milk recipe to turn it into coconut flour!
Homemade coconut mylk lasts about 5 days in an airtight bottle in the fridge.
Comments
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📖 Recipe
How to make Coconut Milk using Desiccated Coconut
Equipment
- 1 Nutribullet
- 1 Nut Milk Bag
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Desiccated Coconut
- 2 Cups Water Boiling
Instructions
How to make coconut milk from dried coconut.
- Add 1 cup of desiccated coconut to a bowl with 2 cups of boiling water.Let the coconut re-hydrate for ± 1 hour.*
- Add everything to a blender**If you are flavouring your mylk, this is when you’d add it!
- Blend for 2 minutes in your high-speed blender.
- Strain the milk through a cotton cloth or nut milk bag.***
- Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!