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.
(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. However, there are a couple of things you should consider before replacing butter with oil in baking: In many recipes (particularly certain cakes), butter is required because it adds structure.
Coconut oil is JUST the oil that is extracted from the meat. Coconut butter is the whole meat of the coconut pureed into a creamy butter. And just a little FYI, coconut meat (by nature) is approximately 65% oil.
It does not have to be refrigerated as it will get too cold and not be spreadable. In the cooler months, store coconut butter in a warm place in the kitchen but away from sunlight so that it is creamy and spreadable. While in storage, you may notice some oil separation.
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 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.
Coconut butter tends to be richer in medium-chain fatty acids, which are easily metabolized for energy, while peanut butter contains more protein and higher levels of certain vitamins and minerals like vitamin E and magnesium.
Coconut Butter is great for moisturising and protecting the skin. It promotes skin elasticity and fights free radical damage to help maintain a more youthful complexion. It is suitable for all skin types but is especially beneficial for dry, flaky skin, and skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.
The Healthpath view. The results of this study indicate that even though coconut oil and butter are both saturated fats, they appear to have different biochemical effects. Based on the data from this study, it seems that coconut oil may be more favourable for cardiovascular health.
Due to its liquid nature, using oil in cookies typically results in a denser texture. Also, because oil is 100% fat, it doesn't react with flour the way butter does (butter contains water). Because of that, your cookies won't be as fluffy. If you're a fan of flat cookies, then using oil is an excellent option.
Because the shelf life of coconut oil varies depending on its form. Unrefined virgin coconut oil is the longest lasting, boasting a shelf life of up to 3 years when stored properly. On the other hand, refined coconut oil has a much shorter shelf life and should be used within 18 months of opening the jar or bottle.
8. Add a spoonful to some cacao nibs for an antioxidant-bursting treat. 9. Use it in place of dairy butter in baking for a healthier fat (this tends to make baked goods a little dryer, so you'll need to add a little more of a moist ingredient such as fruit puree or oil).
That is because it is rich in good fat (polyunsaturated fat) and low in bad fat (saturated fat). Coconut oil contains 80 to 90 percent saturated fat. According to the experts, a tablespoon of coconut oil contains about six times as much saturated fat as olive oil.
Coconut butter is super high in saturated fat, whereas almond butter has a much lower saturated fat content. Almond butter also has a fair amount more protein, which makes it a great addition to your smoothie or protein shake!
When baking with coconut oil, it is generally substituted for other fats on a 1:1 basis. If a recipe calls for ½ cup butter, you can use ½ cup coconut oil. When using coconut oil in place of butter for pie crusts, it is important to use solid, room temperature coconut oil to create a flakier crust.
Cream cheese, mascarpone, ricotta and even cottage cheese can replace the butter in many recipes. Use high-quality whole milk cheeses in a 1:1 ratio for butter and consider straining ricotta or cottage cheeses through cheesecloth to help ensure they aren't adding too much liquid to your recipe.
Coconut butter is the pureed meat of a mature coconut, so it contains not just the oil, but also the fiber and other nutrients generally found in coconut meat. Coconut butter has a creamy and thick texture that is rich in coconut flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Yes, you can! While you can usually swap vegan butter at a 1:1 ratio, coconut oil should be 1: ¾ oil + ¼ water. In baking, you may need to use a combination of vegan butter to get the right texture for your recipe - try mixing coconut oil with applesauce, mashed banana with canola oil, etc.
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