Coconut butter is super easy to make and only requires coconut and a food processor or high-speed blender! Naturally paleo, vegan, and gluten-free. With a video.
While I’ve got quite a few dessert recipes ready to post, I know that a lot of people aren’t super into baking just yet after the holidays. So here’s something a little different!
A few people have mentioned in my recipes with coconut butter that they didn’t know you could make your own. So here we go!
What is coconut butter?
Coconut butter is just the ground up dried meat of a coconut. It’s also known as coconut manna.
Is coconut butter the same as coconut oil? Coconut butter vs. coconut oil.
It’s very different than coconut oil, which is the oil that is pressed out of coconut meat. When you buy a jar of coconut butter, there’s usually a layer of coconut oil at the top that has separated.
You just warm it up and stir it back together. In the summer, it’s so warm in our kitchen that it’s liquid enough and can be just be stirred.
Coocnu*t butter is not interchangeable with coconut oil.
You have to use it in recipes that specifically call for coconut butter. Like these vegan coconut macaroons, which is probably my favorite cookie recipe of the last several years and my go-to cookie recipe (but I always dip them in chocolate and drizzle more on top!).
If you need some other recipe ideas, try this healthy vegan peanut butter and jelly fudge or this paleo vegan chocolate fudge!
Is there a coconut butter substitute?
Other articles about how to make coconut butter suggest using another nut / seed butter, coconut oil or regular butter but I’ve tried all of these subs in several recipes and can say that the results are never even similar.
I’ve made at least 50 attempts at converting several of my recipes to be nut-free / AIP-friendly using coconut butter and none of them worked. So I really don’t recommend it. They come out dry and crumbly.
What kind of coconut should I use?
Pretty much anything except fresh coconut. You can use shredded coconut like I did or coconut chips, flaked coconut, coconut flakes and desiccated coconut. All of that works.
Desiccated will just take a bit longer than the other kinds because it has less moisture in it. And make sure to use unsweetened and full-fat! None of that reduced-fat stuff.
The amount of coconut you use will depend on how big your food processor or high-speed blender is. A regular blender will not work! You have to use a Blendtec, Vitamix or something similar.
You need to fill the food processor at least halfway with coconut. You’ll have a hard time processing if it’s not at least halfway full.
Do you need to add some coconut oil?
I’ve been making homemade coconut butter for 8 years and have never needed to do that. If yours absolutely won’t come together after 10-15 minutes, you could add maybe a teaspoon of coconut oil at a time to see if that helps.
How do you store coconut butter? How long does it last?
Coconut butter stays good for ages at room temperature. I would say as long as your shredded coconut (or whatever coconut product you’re using) is good for. I’ve found hidden jars that were over a year old and they were perfectly fine.
So don’t worry about making too much! That’s just not possible once you try these coconut lime macaroons (which call for coconut butter) because you’ll want a constant supply. ;)
It hardens as it cools unless your kitchen is very warm. There’s unfortunately no way to prevent this.
I’d love to hear what you think of this homemade coconut butter!
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Prep Time:
Cook Time:
Ready in:
Yield: a little less than 1 cup coconut butter
Ingredients
1 pound (450 grams or almost 6 cups) or more full-fat unsweetened shredded coconut, coconut flakes or flaked coconut
Directions
If using a food processor: fill the food processor at least halfway with coconut flakes. You'll have a hard time processing if it's not at least halfway full. Process until very liquidy, almost like water. Stop every few minutes to scrape down the sides and let it cool a little if it feels too warm. Don't kill your food processor! Depending on your food processor, it could take 15-20 minutes.
If using a Blendtec, (you can also use a Vitamix), use the Twister Jar and start processing while twisting the top of the jar counterclockwise. I start off on 1 and work up to about medium power. Process until very liquidy, almost like water. It'll only take about a minute.
Place in a jar and stir every hour or so until firm and solid (this may take up to 6-8 hours depending on how warm your kitchen is. If it's very warm in your kitchen, it might not become solid. If you're in a hurry, refrigerate). Store at room temperature. To soften, place the jar in hot water or microwave (provided it's in a microwave-safe jar) at 50% power for 15 seconds at a time.
It can replace butter when baking, though. This ingredient is a great substitute for any type of fat when making baked goods. It's most commonly used as a substitute for nut butter. It has similar rich, earthy flavors to peanut and almond butter, and works well as a topping on everything from scones to ice cream.
They're two distinct products, used for different purposes, so they can't really be substituted for one another. Coconut oil is best used for sautéting and roasting foods, and even baking.Coconut butter, on the other hand, is best used with foods that are already cooked.
According to coconut advocates, coconut butter contains saturated fat. The higher content of this fat is lauric acid. Lauric acid is a saturated fatty acid that has many properties of medium-chain fatty acids. It is known for lowering cholesterol levels and supporting weight loss.
What is the shelf life of coconut butter? Coconut butter is naturally stable and lasts for about 1 year to 15 months depending on the brand and if it contains preservatives or not. However, the consistency of coconut butter will vary according to the temperature while in storage.
Many people love baking with coconut oil for its light, sweet flavor that makes it an ideal 1:1 substitution for butter. Coconut oil has slightly more fat and less water than butter, so to prevent dry baked goods, up the liquid called for in cakes, muffins, and quick breads by just a few tablespoons to compensate.
Melting coconut oil will make it easier to use in cakes, brownies and cookies. Just measure out the amount you need first, and then put it in your oven (in an oven-safe dish) while it's warming up. It's best to use coconut oil in its solid state in crumbles, breads, and pastries.
A good rule of thumb is to replace about 3/4 of the butter in a recipe with olive, canola, or vegetable oil. (If the recipe calls for 1 cup butter, use ¾ cup oil.) You can use a 1:1 ratio when it comes to coconut oil.
Coconut butter is made from the whole coconut, so it also contains saturated fat, around 10 grams per tablespoon. It has nutrients coconut oil doesn't, most notably fiber. One tablespoon of coconut butter has about 2 grams of dietary fiber.
Both are great sources of heart-healthy MCT oils (Medium-chain triglycerides), but where they differ is coconut oil is the oil extracted (or "pressed") from the coconut flesh while coconut butter is simply ground coconut flesh.
What does coconut butter taste like? Coconut butter tastes like straight coconut. It's lightly sweet and nutty, and I find it to be very pleasant! But, if you're not a coconut fan, this recipe probably isn't for you.
Since coconut butter is high in fatty acids, it can keep the skin moisturized, reducing dry skin and wrinkles as a result. Coconut butter also contains lauric acid, which is a fatty acid that's known to have antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Creamed coconut, also known as coconut butter, is a coconut product made from the unsweetened dehydrated fresh pulp of a mature coconut, ground to a semi-solid white creamy paste. It is sold in the form of a hard white block which can be stored at room temperature.
In 1968, General Foods put up another plant for Franklin Baker in Davao to ensure a steady coconut supply for its manufacture. In 1987, Philip Morris, owners of General Foods, bought Kraft, and the Franklin Baker desiccated coconut products were put into the Kraft Food Ingredients Group.
This butter is another nice alternative for those who dislike or cannot use shea butter. It has little to no smell, which is ideal for those who are sensitive to scents. It is also softer (almost creamy), thus making it easier to utilize.
Less moisture produces a crisper cookie. If you wanted to be entirely accurate, you could add some liquid to make up for the missing water. So for every cup of butter (226 grams) in the recipe, substitute 194 grams of coconut oil and 36 grams (or a little over 2 tablespoons) of milk.
Creamed coconut is also made from ground dehydrated coconut flesh, and then compressed into a block. It is similar in form to coconut butter but is very dense and is most commonly mixed with water to make coconut milk or added to soups or stews.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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