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 has a low smoking point, so you shouldn't use it for frying or sautéing ingredients. 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 does not need to be refrigerated and will not be spreadable if it is too cold. In the winter months, we store it in a warm place in the kitchen so it will stay smooth and spreadable.
Coconut oil can replace butter in baking at a 1:1 ratio, though it may slightly change the flavor, with some types of coconut oil affecting taste more than others. Unrefined coconut oil tends to taste more like coconut than refined varieties. It works great for recipes that require tropical or rich chocolate flavors.
But, coconut is not your ordinary stick of butter. Coconut butter is a rich source of medium-chain fatty acids. Unlike long-chain fatty acids, the burning of this fat supports energy generation inside the body making it a metabolism booster. It increases calorie burn and energy levels at the same time.
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.
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.
It is an excellent source of healthy fats, with 18g of fat in just two tablespoons. Coconut butter is also rich in minerals including potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. Coconut butter comes in pre-packaged jars, or you can make it from scratch using pure coconut.
Coconut butter is delicious straight from the jar. It can be spread on almost anything. It's tasty as a butter substitute on your morning toast or bagel.
Olive oil is a healthy substitute for butter when cooking vegetables or meat over the stove. The main type of fat in olive oil is monounsaturated fat, a healthier than saturated fat found in butter. There are many studies which have shown that consuming olive oil regularly can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Coconut oil can go bad due to several factors. Exposure to air, light, and temperature fluctuations can lead to oxidation, causing the oil to become rancid. Oxidation involves the breakdown of fatty acid chains within the oil, leading to the formation of unstable compounds known as free radicals.
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.
Coconut butter can be very nutritious for hair. Once you spritz your hair with a leave-in conditioner, run a dime-sized dollop of coconut butter through damp hair before drying. Your hair will be left silky smooth, with an amazing smell, and no greasiness at all.
There are various benefits to using coconut butter on the skin. 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.
In baked goods and other desserts, it works in any application where you'd otherwise use peanut butter or tahini, like swirled into brownies, mixed into cookie dough, or even to amp up frosting. As far as I can tell, me and coconut butter are in it for the long haul.
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. Recipes that call for melted butter, like bread, quick breads, muffins, and cakes, will be fine. Just make sure the coconut oil is in its liquid form when you use it.
Coconut butter burns easily and isn't your best bet for stovetop cooking over anything higher than very low heat for a brief time. It's perfect for making fudge and candies and may be substituted for butter or oil. It will add a strong, sweet, coconut flavor to your recipes.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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