How to make coconut butter with one ingredient in minutes, both vanilla and chocolate flavors. A delicious nutritious spread, creamer, and dip that is dairy-free, refined-sugar-free, vegan and gluten-free.
Coconut Butter
Homemade coconut butter is a delicious creamy spread high in nutrition and made from one ingredient. It's expensive to buy but so inexpensive to make because all you need is a bag of shredded coconut and a blender.
Not only does coconut butter have a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth texture, it also has the flavor of a creamy shortbread. It is naturally sweet, and boosts immunity, energy, metabolism, the brain, and carries a whole slew of other benefits.
Eat either flavor from the blender, or spread on toast or muffins, dip fruit or cookies, and even drop spoonfuls into coffee. I use it for no-bake desserts such as chocolate caramel slices , homemade magic shell, and these filled chocolates, either fudge-filled chocolates or creamy coconut chocolates.
Table of Contents
What Is Coconut Butter?
Coconut butter is a creamy spread made from pureed, raw coconut meat. Raw coconuts are not easy to find, but bags of shredded coconut are and that's all you need to blend up coconut butter.
Processing the shredded coconut breaks down the coconut meat and oils, leading to the creation of a creamy texture. Use a blender or a food processor.
Ingredients You'll Need
For the plain version:
Shredded coconut: Unsweetened and unsalted. Do not use flakes, or a version with other ingredients added such as sweeteners - they don't blend as well. And be sure to buy a fresh bag. A bag of shredded coconut close to its expiration can be dry and thus expel less oil and be harder to make creamy.
For the chocolate version:
Shredded coconut: Unsweetened and unsalted. Do not use flakes, or a version with other ingredients added such as sweeteners - they don't blend as well. And be sure to buy a fresh bag. A bag of shredded coconut close to its expiration can be dry and thus expel less oil and be harder to make creamy.
Cocoa powder: Unsweetened chocolate powder is best.
Maple syrup: Or your favorite liquid sweetener.
Steps to Make Both Recipes
Using this recipe, you can make 1 cup of coconut butter, and it stores at room temperature for a month.
For plain coconut butter: Blend 3-4 cups of shredded coconut. I use a smaller blender jar with a twister top.
For chocolate coconut butter: Blend 3-4 cups of shredded coconut, and add in cocoa and maple syrup and blend again.
Tips & Tricks
1. You can use a food process or a blender. Either way, you'll want to stop and scrape the mixture several times.
2. Expect to blend for anywhere from 3-7 minutes depending on the fat content of the particular bag of shredded coconut you used.
3. If your bag is older or on the dry side and your coconut butter isn't as smooth as you'd like, add a few tablespoons of melted (liquid) coconut butter to help it along.
Benefits of Coconut Butter
Coconut butter has more nutrition than coconut oil primarily because it contains the meat of the coconut and not just the healthy fats. Here are some of the other ways coconut butter is nutritionally beneficial:
1. Support brain function, fights cognitive decline because of MCTs, medium-chain triglycerides.
2. Boosts immunity, fights viruses and funguses, thanks to high levels of lauric acid.
3. Heightens metabolism which supports weight loss.
4. Boosts energy levels.
5. High in essential amino acids, calcium and magnesium.
6. Rich in potassium, phosphorus and other essential mineral important to cell metabolic function, mood control and heart support.
How to Use Coconut Butter?
In general, use this creamy delight as a spread, a dip or an ingredient. As a spread, it can be used instead of dairy butter and nut butters. Specifically here are some ways to use either flavor:
1. As a spread on toast, muffins and pancakes
2. As a healthy creamer to smoothies, coffee, hot chocolate
3. As a dip for fruit and cookies
4. Drizzle over fruit and oatmeal
5. Use as a replacement for butter or cream in recipes.
6. Use as a healthy delicious filling in no bake desserts such as chocolate caramel slices , homemade magic shell, and fudge-filled chocolates or creamy coconut chocolates.
chocolate coconut butter in filled chocolates
How to Store
Store the plain flavor in a sealed container at room temperature for a month.
Store the chocolate flavor in a sealed container but refrigerate it because of the added sugar.
Either way, the coconut butter will turn solid so to retrieve the creamy state, you'll have to heat it. I recommend a water bath however. Do not microwave coconut butter or it will burn.
FAQS
Questions about coconut butter abound so here are some answers.
Is Coconut Butter Healthy?
Coconut butter is a rich source of healthy fats, and essential minerals including potassium, phosphorus, and magnesium. It is healthier than coconut oil because it also includes the fiber of coconut.
What Does Coconut Butter Taste Like?
I'm not a strong coconut fan but somehow this coconut butter is delicious to me. Yes, the plain version tastes like coconut but also like a spoonable shortbread cookie. The chocolate version doesn't taste like coconut to me, more like a fudge. I use it to fill chocolates, especially at holidays.
Is Coconut Butter High in Sugar?
No, coconut butter has very little natural sugars and a low glycemic index.
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Recipes that Use Coconut Butter
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How to Make Coconut Butter (vanilla & chocolate)
Ingredients
Plain Flavor
- 3-4 cups shredded coconut not flakes, unsweetened
Chocolate Flavor
- 3-4 cups shredded coconut not flakes, unsweetened
- 2 tablespoon cocoa
- 3-5 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
Make plain coconut butter
- Blend the ingredients for several minutes until the mixture is creamy.
Make chocolate coconut butter
- When making chocolate, taste-test after adding 3 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add more or less to taste.
Store coconut butter
- Store plain coconut butter in a sealed container at room temperature for a month.Store chocolate coconut butter in a sealed container but refrigerate it because of the added sugar.Either way, the coconut butter will turn solid so to retrieve the creamy state, you'll have to heat it. I recommend a water bath however. Do not microwave coconut butter or it will burn.
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