How to Make Coconut Milk

Here’s how to make coconut milk that’s silky and low-pulp, with only three ingredients. A hot soak softens the flakes, and a double strain catches the pulp. The result is a creamy non-dairy milk with no gums, artificial flavors or sweeteners.

If you’ve ever pulled a gritty jar of homemade plant milk from the fridge, this method is for you. Making my own also changed how I shop for cartons. When I buy one now, I look for a short ingredient list without fillers or sweeteners.

Why This Method Works

Many recipes blend the flakes straight into the water. This one adds two small steps, and both change the texture.

• A hot soak. Boiling water softens the flakes before they reach the blender. In my kitchen, that means a smoother blend with less pulp.
• A double strain. A nut milk bag or cheesecloth lines a mesh strainer, so two layers catch the fine pulp.
• Three simple ingredients. You need coconut, boiling water and a pinch of salt. Nothing else goes in.
• Fifteen minutes. Prep takes 5 minutes, and the soak takes 10.

Homemade Coconut Milk Ingredients

• Unsweetened shredded coconut: Choose the unsweetened kind. Sweetened flakes add sugar and make the milk taste candied.
• Boiling filtered water: The heat softens the coconut so it blends smooth. Water just off the boil works too, though the milk may turn out a little more pulpy.
• Sea salt: A pinch rounds out the coconut’s natural sweetness. You can skip it.
• High-speed blender: A powerful blender breaks the soaked flakes down fully. If yours struggles, my blender guide walks through the options.
• Mesh strainer and nut milk bag: Together they make the double strain. A mesh strainer holds the bag, and cheesecloth or a thin tea towel works in its place.

Free 5-Day Soup Challenge

To celebrate this cozy season, we’re cooking up a fall-inspired soup each day—packed with veggies, perfect for busy nights, and every bowl you make is a chance to win $750 in prizes!

Email *

SUBMIT

How to Make Coconut Milk

1. Soak the coconut. Place the coconut in a heatproof bowl and pour in the boiling water. Stir so every flake stays submerged. Then let it sit at least 10 minutes, until the flakes turn soft.

2. Blend. Pour the coconut and all of the soaking water into a high-speed blender. Start on low and vent the lid, since hot liquid expands. Then blend until thick and creamy.

3. Strain through two layers. Set a mesh strainer over a bowl and line it with a nut milk bag, cheesecloth or thin tea towel. Pour in the blend slowly.
4. Squeeze. Gather the cloth, twist and press gently. Keep going until the pulp feels fairly dry.

5. Store. Pour the milk into an airtight jar and refrigerate it until you’re ready to use it.

Save the pulp. It adds fiber to baked goods and smoothies.

How to Store Homemade Coconut Milk

• Refrigerator: Keep it in an airtight glass jar, like a wide-mouth quart jar, for 3 to 4 days.
• Separation: The fat rises as the milk chills. Give the jar a good shake before every pour.
• Coconut cream: The top layer is coconut cream. Spoon it off for recipes that call for a richer milk.
• Freezer: Freeze the milk in an ice cube tray for up to 2 months. Then thaw it in the fridge and shake or re-blend.

Nutrition at a Glance

Each 1-cup serving has 1 g protein, 3 g fiber and 2 g sugar, based on the recipe card. The recipe has no added sugar.

How to Use Coconut Milk

Next, use your milk anywhere a carton of coconut milk works. It tastes naturally sweet, so desserts and smoothies make an easy start. That said, it has less fat than canned coconut milk, so save the canned kind for curries. Try it in these:

• Spiced Golden Milk: a warm, comforting drink for the end of the day.
• Creamy Blackberry Coconut Sorbet: cold, fruity and refreshing on a warm day.
• Peach Coconut Milk Smoothie: quick, easy and silky.

4.86 (21)

How to Make Coconut Milk

Jen Hansard

This is how to make coconut milk from raw coconut flakes, boiling water and a pinch of sea salt: 4 cups of smooth milk in 15 minutes. A hot soak and a double strain do the work, with no gums or fillers.

Review Save Print Pin

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 cup raw coconut flakes
• ▢ 3 cup water boiling
• ▢ pinch sea salt, unrefined

Instructions 

• Soak the coconut flakes in the boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
• Transfer the coconut and water to a blender and carefully blend until smooth.
• Set a strainer lined with cheesecloth or a tea towel over a bowl, or use a nut milk bag, and pour in the mixture. Let the coconut milk drip into the bowl.
• Gather the cloth at the top, twist and gently squeeze out as much coconut milk as possible; the remaining pulp should be fairly dry. Stir the salt into the coconut milk.
• Transfer to an airtight jar or bottle and refrigerate until ready to use.

Save this Recipe

Drop your email & I’ll send it to you.

Email Address *

SUBMIT

Recipe Notes

• Blender Tip: The water is hot, so blend with the center cap removed and a towel over the opening to let steam escape.
• Texture Tip: This makes a milk similar to refrigerated carton coconut milk, not the richer canned kind. Use less water for a thicker, creamier result.
• Coconut Cream: The layer that rises to the top is coconut cream. Spoon it off for recipes that call for full-fat coconut milk.
• Storing: It keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It separates as it sits, so shake well before using.

Nutrition

Serving: 6 oz | Calories: 140 kcal | Carbohydrates: 5 g | Protein: 1 g | Fat: 14 g | Saturated Fat: 12 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g | Sodium: 17 mg | Potassium: 115 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 2 g | Vitamin C: 1 mg | Calcium: 11 mg | Iron: 1 mg

Equipment

Vitamix blender

collapsible colander

nut milk bag

fine-mesh strainer set

Love my recipes?
Let me plan your week!

Dinner decided, grocery list done. 750+ ad-free recipe library and live coaching calls included.

See this week’s plan →

7 days free. Cancel anytime.