Obviously, the preferred variants of milk for almost anybody’s diet would be raw cow’s milk or raw goat’s milk. But, if you live in an area where these are unavailable or illegal, you have a dairy intolerance or allergy, or if you simply prefer not to consume cow’s or goat’s milk, then this non-dairy homemade coconut milk is the healthful alternative for you. I even recommend it above almond milk in many applications {especially for children} because it is higher in nutrients and fat content, making it overall a more healthful option.

Now, you may be wondering why anybody would want to actually make their own coconut milk. Since coconut milk is such a readily-available non-dairy milk alternative in many supermarkets and discount stores, why bother? Well, here are a handful of simple but quite valid reasons for making your own coconut milk:

1. It’s super easy and even a little fun to make homemade coconut milk.
2. It’s usually considerably cheaper to make your own versus purchasing it already made.
3. You’ll avoid using coconut milk in aluminum cans {instantly making it more healthful}.
4. You can control what ingredients are put into it, making it even more healthful.
5. Maybe you live {like I do} in an area where already made coconut milk really isn’t all that widely available in stores.

Benefits of Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is pretty nutritious stuff when used either internally {eaten} or externally {such as for facial creams, shampoo, soap, and so on}. It contains a variety of nutrients including:

• high levels of omega 3, 6, and 9 fats
• high levels of amino acids
• phosphorus {when combined with calcium, this strengthens bones}
• potassium
• vitamin C {making it great for the immune system}
• iron
• zinc
• folate
• calcium
• magnesium

Equipment to Make Coconut Milk

Before  diving into the recipe {which will be located towards the very bottom of this post}, here is a list of the necessary equipment for making your own coconut milk.

• a blender {any blender should do as long as it has a heat-safe pitcher, but I recommend a high quality one such as those made by Blendtec}
• a saucepan {for heating up the water}
• a nut milk bag {you could use a clean tea towel instead, but the nut milk bag makes things much easier, less messy, and they’re pretty inexpensive as well as reusable}
• a glass bowl {or a large glass measuring cup for easier pouring}
• a glass, airtight pitcher or container to store the finished coconut milk {I use this pitcher, but pretty much any glass pitcher or container will do, including mason jars}
• a funnel to transfer the milk into the pitcher {optional; depends on how narrow the opening of your glass container is}

Coconut Milk Ingredients

TWO! There are only TWO ingredients in making basic coconut milk.

• Coconut flakes. The obvious ingredient. I recommend using a quality brand {such as Bob’s Red Mill} and sticking to UNSWEETENED, plain, preferably organic coconut flakes.
• Water. Filtered water works best.

Coconut Milk Add-ins

You can definitely use or drink the coconut milk as-is and plain. But if you want to jazz up the flavor a bit, here are some add-in ideas.

• Sweetener. Some healthful real food sweetener ideas include raw honey, coconut sugar, molasses, real maple syrup, and stevia.
• Cocoa powder. For chocolate coconut milk, add about 1/4 cup cocoa powder {more or less to taste} per 4 cups of plain coconut milk {after the pulp has been removed} and pulse in the blender until mixed. You may want to add some sweetener as well.
• Vanilla extract. Add approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons per batch of about 4 cups completed coconut milk {after the pulp has been removed}. You could use other flavored extracts instead.

Uses for the Pulp

After making coconut milk, you’ll have some pulp leftover. Now you could just throw this away {or at least compost it}, but that’d be a sad waste! So here are a few ideas for putting that pulp to use instead.

1. Dehydrate the pulp and use it as coconut flour. Run it on the lowest setting of your dehydrator if you have one or place it on a baking sheet and “bake” it at the lowest temperature in your oven {stir often} until completely dry but not browned. Once dry, you may need to run it through a coffee grinder to make it more fine.
2. Put it in a smoothie. Throw a handful or two of the pulp into the blender next time you’re making a smoothie.
3. Stir it into yogurt. Add a bit of raw honey, coconut sugar, or stevia along with the coconut pulp to make coconut flavored yogurt.
4. Add it to oatmeal. Coconutty oatmeal!
5. Blend into some {perhaps homemade} chocolate ice cream. This creates Mounds ice cream! Throw in some chopped almonds too for Almond Joy ice cream.
6. Bake some coconut macaroons. Swap the coconut flakes called for in a coconut macaroon recipe with the coconut pulp.
7. Make a coconut sugar scrub. Mix the coconut pulp, some course sugar {like raw sugar}, and some coconut oil until a paste forms. Use it to soften and nourish your hands and feet.
8. Use it in homemade granola. Dehydrate the pulp then mix it in with your homemade granola.
9. Place it on a cake. Sprinkle it over the top and sides of a freshly iced cake or cupcake.

Coconut Milk How-to

Below is the ridiculously easy {and printable} recipe and method for making your own homemade coconut milk. Enjoy!

Homemade Coconut Milk: The Ultimate How-to Guide

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Course 2:0

Cuisine S

Ingredients

  

• 4 c. filtered water
• 1 to 2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

 

• Bring the water to a soft rolling boil {where it has just barely started to produce big bubbles}.
• Put the coconut flakes in the heat-safe pitcher of a blender.
• Pour the hot water into the blender.
• Put the lid on the blender and allow the coconut to steep in the water until the water is lukewarm.
• Run the blender for 2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and white.
• Pour the mixture through a nut milk bag {or a tea towel} into a glass bowl. Squeeze until most {if not all} of the liquid has separated from the pulp.
• Store the completed coconut milk in an airtight glass pitcher or container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days {or freeze for up to 6 months}.
• Put the coconut pulp in an airtight container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Notes

If the coconut milk separates, shake or stir before using.