Homemade Coconut Milk

wow, you weren’t kidding about this being simple and inexpensive. It seems too good to be true–can’t wait to try it! I’ve been trying to find an alternative, healthier drink for my kids, other than cow’s milk with chocolate, and this just might be it!

Either one will work. Shredded dried coconut will work, as long as
the milk hasn’t already been extracted. Fresh is best, if you can get
it, but dried or frozen work great too!

Cow’s milk is fine if your kids aren’t allergic to it, especially if you can source grass-fed dairy, or milk that is low-temp pasteurized, assuming raw milk is not legal where you live.  (It is in some states.)  It is pointless to drink lowfat or skim milk, though–the fat helps with vitamin and mineral absorption.

Chocolate milk tends to be iffy though.  I’ve seen recipes for homemade chocolate syrup before, but they were pretty mainstream with sugar and everything.  I don’t know if anyone’s tried for an alternative with a healthy natural sweetener (I have my reservations about whether *any* sweetener is healthy, but I suppose the ones with minerals still in them are at least less toxic).

lately, I’ve been ordering the bags of shredded coconut from Tropical
Traditions. A 2.2 lb bag is $8.50 right now. With the way I’ve been
making coconut milk lately, one bag makes 8-10 gallons or more. I’ve
also gotten shredded coconut from a local co-op and it was even
cheaper, I just like the taste of Tropical Traditions a little better.

I’m not sure. Does that have some of the oils taken out? Worth a try
though… I’ll let you know if I get a chance to try it.

I’d really like to try this as my eldest son is dealing with sensory integration challenges & my youngest is lactose intolerant. Thx for the recipe!

 what brand of shredded coconut do you use that it only costs you a dollar per gallon? your recipe makes only 4 cups of milk, for a gallon you need to quadruple that recipe, 6-8 cups of shredded coconut is about a pound per gallon.

 your recipe calls for 2 cups of coconut for 4 cups of water, to make one quart of coconut milk… how are you getting 8-10 gallons out of roughly 16 cups of coconut in the 2.2lb bag? by my calculations you’d need to use 8 cups of coconut per gallon of milk and that gets you 2 gallons per bag, at 4 bucks per gallon. are you adding more water in the end?

 disregard this comment… i saw your reply to the brand you use on another comment and posed my question there instead. 

I made it with dessicated organic coconut, and it works fine. Thanks for the recipe! 

I just recently started making my own coconut milk and I LOVE it!  I use whole coconuts and it’s even cheaper!  (and the benefits of the coconut water are worth the effort of cracking it) And I let the oils come up to the top and then break it up and jar it.  Coconut Oil!  Then I turn the squeezed out meat into coconut flour.  I have yet to use it, but it’s there.  So many purposes to one little coconut!  

My friends and I use a painter’s paint strainer bag to separate the coconut and the milk.  They are very inexpensive and do a great job.  Just wash well first.  

look up the gaps diet vicki to heal both your sons!

OH Gosh, don’t toss it, dehydrate it, and use it as flour.  It is all I use these days.  There are some great recipes out there.  Tropical Traditions has a bunch on their web site.  I have a pumpkin one my family loves.  good luck.  

Stevia is the hype, but i’m using it more and more often.  Make sure you get an organic brand, as the big food manufacturers will spoil this lovely sweetener sooner rather than later (and probably already have).  Instead of a cup of any sugar as per conventional recipes, a tablespoon of stevia does the same sweetening trick.  I use the white Stevia, as the green stevia is maybe better, as in ‘less processed’, but the strong aftertaste of licorice root put me off.

If I use homemade coconut milk for your shampoo recipe, does it only last 3-4 days (in this post you say homemade coconut milk is good for 3-4 days in the fridge).  Would shampoo made with canned coconut milk have a longer shelf life?  thanks!

I haven’t had any trouble with it spoiling, but I make it in small batches and we, as a family, use it up in a couple days. If you use fresh I’d either make only a couple days worth at a time or keep in the fridge for good measure

Thanks, I was going to ask as Dessicated coconut was all I could Find!

 I used mine in my oatmeal but I read that others used it to make flour.

Haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not… you could freeze as ice cubes and use in smoothies too…

Frozen is best. Fresh is only fresh if it just fell out of the tree. The fresh coconut you buy in the grocery store is a long way from fresh. A long way.

Freezing properly preserves the meat, and stops the oxidization/ripening process, and usually means that a gas preservative wasn’t used to treat the nut, in order to extend it’s life (death) cycle.

Go frozen unless it lands on your toe.

I’ve dehydrated it before and then powdered it into coconut meal or flour…

You could definitely make with fresh coconut as well, and our regular grocery has frozen coconut shreds.

Hi! I have shredded unsweetened coconut that is dehydrated. Can I use this? Thanks!

I found frozen coconut meat at an asian market. It worked well!

I bought a big pail from tropical traditions with the intentions of making my own but the problem is it was watery. I like the cans for that cream top that you find. If I could replicate that that would be awesome. I should probably just buy an icepick and start buying coconuts lol.

Use a hammer and nail to put holes in the three indentations in the top – only two holes are necessary, then let it drip out – or shake it, as I did – into a glass.

i am going to try this coconut shred mixture thanks bunches d

Use less water.

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