I was working on updating a classic American recipe for my Paleo Magazine column this weekend and realized I had no idea how to properly prepare...
Read MoreHomemade Coconut Butter. F Yeah.
http://www.MelJoulwan.com/2011/02/22/homemade-coconut-butter-f-yeah/
You know what this is?
That is coconut butter waiting to be released from its constricting flake form.
Like most of the Whole30, dino-chow, paleo people I know, I’ve been gradually falling more and more deeply in love with coconut products. It started with the aforementioned coconut flakes as a snack, evolved into coconut oil as the fat of choice in all of my sauté pans, reached a fever pitch with coconut milk curries, and culminated in replacing my bedtime spoonful of Sunbutter with bites of coconut butter. There is no sleep as restful as coconut butter sleep!
But as sweet and creamy as the coconut butter tastes, the $9 per jar price tag left a bitterness on my otherwise happy tongue. Seriously. Nine bucks?! For what’s essentially a ground up coconut?!
There must be a way to make it at home, I thought.
Google offered up lots of blogs that said, basically, “Grind coconut in a food processor. Eat.”
I thought I could do better. And I did!
Here you go, friends. Homemade Coconut Butter for, like, a quarter of the price. Plus you get to gloat because you made it your own damn self.
Grab a spoon!
Homemade Coconut Butter
Makes a jar’s worth | Prep 10 minutes | Whole30 compliant
Full disclosure: Mine retained a little bit of coconut pulp—it’s not quite as smooth as the commercial kind. But it’s super tasty!
Ingredients:
5 ounces nsweetened coconut flakes or shreds
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
3 shakes of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract (optional; not Whole30 compliant)
generous helping of patience
Directions:
1
Place the coconut in the bowl of a food processor and add the other ingredients. The “shakes” of the salt are just that: 3 quick wrist flicks of a salt shaker.
2
Turn the food processor on high and walk away. Seriously. Go do something else because it needs to run for 10-15 minutes. Be sure to check it around the 5-minute mark so you can scrape down the bowl and feel smug that you’re making your own coconut butter. Then check it again every 5 minutes or so. You know it’s done when it starts to stick together like cookie dough or is beginning to liquify. It will solidify a bit when it’s cool.
3
When it’s finis, indulge in a little spoonful, then store in an air tight container at room temperature. If it’s cold where you are, you might need to zap it in the microwave for, say, 10-15 seconds to eat it after it solidifies.
NOTE: Your food processor might get a little bit hot during the grinding process; try not to be alarmed. I’ve made this three times, and each time, the processor was warm but it kept running. And the results were yummy.
So... what do you do with coconut butter?
1
It’s a creamy, tasty addition to curries. It works especially well in this one as a replacement for the shredded coconut.
2
It’s an awesome “I need a snack… NOW” snack. On a spoon. Perhaps topped with one perfect macadamia nut. Healthy fats, I love you!
3
It turns humble fresh fruit—apples, pears, grapes—into dessert.
4
And it transforms semi-sweet vegetables like butternut squash and sweet potatoes into manna. Just schmear a little on the hot veggies, sprinkle with sea salt, and dig in.
5
I swallow liquid fish oil from Omega-Maine most days, and although the flavors of the oil help a little with getting it down my throat, when I mix the chocolate or vanilla fish oil with a spoonful of coconut butter, it’s almost like a snack.
Bonus Modification:
If you don’t have a coconut butter problem, i.e., you can control yourself and eat a reasonable amount of it without diving into the jar face first… you might want to try this: When the coconut butter base is done, take a handful of macadamia nuts, roughly chop them with a sharp knife, then mix them into the coconut butter.
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I think i know what I will be making for Christmas presents this year! of course, I will need to make several practice batches. 🙂
Oh, Patty! I think you should probably do lots of taste testing! 🙂
I dont know what i did wrong but no butter for me. I used birdseye fresh frozen flaked coconut and defrosted it. Then used a food processer for 40 mins and kept scraping the sides but nothing. It got smaller but no butter and i put in 3 tablespoons of coconut oil.:{
I have a very old underpowered food processor but was determined to make this work. It did take over an hour for mine to turn to a wonderful liquid but it did. I think the main thing is to be very very patient or buy a very good processor.
Use the dry coconut, not fresh frozen! The thawed ice, turned water, probably made yours too runny. And fresh coconut makes coconut cream, not butter! Hope that helps 🙂
Water plus oil means no emulsion! You could try toasting your coconut in the oven for a few minutes to dry it out, though.
Ooooo, #2 sounds like a paleo Almond Joy!
I haven't even tried Coconut Butter yet, although I've been a lover of all things coconut since day one (since childhood, really). Sounds delicious!
How much do the flakes grind down? I assume you don't get five ounces of butter (by volume) for every five ounces of flakes…do you?
I didn't measure how much it made. I used the whole 5 oz. bag and got maybe a cup of butter out of it?
Oh, wow! That actually increased the volume, then! Interesting.
Nope, the final volume was about 1/2 to 1/3 of the flake volume, but that's because the bag of coconut is 5 oz. WEIGHT not 5 oz. by volume. The 5 oz. of coconut flakes is about 1 1/2 – 2 cups, I think. Does this make sense? I feel like an adult in a Peanuts cartoon: "Mwah, mwah, mwah mwaaaah…"
I have yet to find coconut flakes for that price!
okay. I can't seem to find unsweetened coconut flakes or coconut butter! Someone at Sprouts told me that coconut butter is just coconut oil, but I don't think that I believe them….
Any ideas? I haven't checked out Whole Foods yet, but I will this weekend, is it with the rest of the nut butters?
i get miine from amazzon.
I'm pretty sure Whole Foods has coconut butter, and they should have unsweetened coconut flakes, too.
Coconut butter and coconut oil are NOT the same thing. Coconut butter is ground-up coconut (meat and oil); coconut oil is JUST the oil from the coconut.
Melissa, where do you buy your coconut flakes?
Also, I've gotten coconut butter at Whole Foods north by the nut butters (across from things like Lara bars), but I think they have it near the raw/vegan station at the mother ship downtown. Coconut oil is by the oils.
OMG.
I cannot wait to try this. I am a coconut butter fanatic, and thought I was the only one eating it before bedtime (a little will do ya) to send me off to sweet dreamy time.
Good fats. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.
indigo warrior –> Both HEB and Central Market have unsweetened coconut in the bulk aisle… and I got the 5 oz. bag at my local HEB in the produce section where they have an endcap with pre-bagged bulk stuff. I suspect that Whole Foods probably has unsweetened coconut flakes, too.
Dana –> Fat before bed is, like, one of the greatest things ever.
So, whats the benefit to suck ratio of the cleanup of the food processor for this?
And hot damn woman, now I want to go attack my jar with a vengeance and it is AT HOME AND NOT AT MY DESK! The humanity!
Meghan –> Clean up was super easy. The coconut sticks to itself, but not the bowl. Sweet, right?!
Thanx Melissa! I'll have to check my local HEB. Whole Paycheck probably does have them, but the last time I bought coconut there it was twice the price on your bag, and that was awhile ago!
I buy my coconut from an Indian Grocery store. A 14oz bag runs me $2.99.
I just bought a jar of the Coconut Butter for the first time. It was normally 13 bucks at WholeFoods but was on sale for 10. Now I'm even more excited that I can make it myself. Although, I need to buy a food processor, a baby one…but there are so many options it's confusing! Plus I'm now addicted to coconut butter, I never even thought of putting it on top of fruit 🙂 Fabulous!
WF never has coconut butter or coconut flakes in stock in POrtland Maine.I have found the butter other places- but it is expensive. Any online suggestions for coconut flakes?
If you don’t mind a shameless plug, I know there is at least one Etsy seller who has unsweetened coconut that works great for homemade coconut butter. 🙂
Love this post, thanks for the inspiration!
Bob's Red Mill has a good reputation for quality, and a large bag is available on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Bobs-Red-Mill-Unsweetened-12-ounces/dp/B001KUOGTK
This one looks good, too.
http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Do-Organic-Unsweetend-Coconut/dp/B000F4D5IU
I love you…that is all:)
Hi Melissa,
Your blog rocks and give me tons of inspiration! What is the difference in coconut butter and coconut oil? Some websites use them interchangeably.
Sandy –> They are not interchangeable… that's like saying peanut butter and peanut oil are interchangeable. They're related, but very different.
Coconut butter is ground up coconut. It's meaty and somewhat creamy. Mostly meant to be eaten as-is at room temp or so.
Coconut oil is just the oil from the coconut. Ideal for cooking.
Now I know why the stuff is bloody expensive–you're paying for someone else's energy usage! Make it on the weekends, and energy rates aren't such an issue.
Hey! I was just wondering how many tablespoons of coconut butter this recipe yields. I've made it with shredded coconut (2 cups worth), and it only yielded around 1/2 cup.
Also, I'm wondering if you are in the Houston/Austin/San Antonio area? I recognize that bag of coconut chips from HEB! 🙂 Glad I stumbled on your blog!
Brandon –> I didn't measure the end result, but eyeballing it, I think it made about 3/4 to 1 cup. And yes, Eagle Eye, I live in Austin!
I love that you make your own coconut butter! Get in my belly!
Thanks for all your help for this so-so cook. This is out of the world!
Glad you like it! And if you’re making homemade coconut butter, you need to start thinking of yourself as a Master Chef 🙂
Do I worship you or do I curse you? This is dangerously delicious. I changed it up a bit–when the coconut butter was kinda at the paste stage, I added about 1 cup of raw organic cashews. End result was sooooo creamy and wonderful. Next I think I'll try it with macadamia nuts. Thanks for the inspiration!
Nom Nom Paleo –> It's SO super yummo.
Lisa Lou –> Oh, yay! You love-hate me. WOOT! And, um, yeah… I love your idea. I think next time I'm going to throw the macadamias right into the food processor with the coconut flakes and not even bother with that 'chop with a knife' business.
Addicting stuff! made a batch using my ol' vita-mix, texture's like soy butter. The taste is dreamy….thx for sharing!
Whole Paycheck is too expensive. Normally Erewhon is too, but I found loose coconut flakes in the bulk bins there for $2.69/lb.
I've made coconut butter using shredded before. If you have a Vitamix or that other 2 horsepower blender (I forget the brand name) it will make coconut butter out of any sort of dried coconut in maybe less than a minute. No need to add other ingredients.
I am SOOOOO making this tonight when I get home from yoga. You are a goddess!!!
I will now be chanting all day long, "I'm a goddess. I'm a goddess." Thanks! Hope you like the coconut butter. I made another batch and replaced the almond extract with a little vanilla — really tasty, too!
Just found this off of paleohacks… yaah! Funny you mention bedtime coconut butter… I ate a spoonful before bed last night and slept REALLY well..! Can't wait to make this and I have readers that will love your idea. I will link to you when I post about this…
Kim –> Aren't coconut dreams the sweetest dreams?! Have fun making the recipe – hope you like it!
Hey Mel,
I just made this, I added the smallest amount of organic maple syrup… Yum!
Thanks for this, I’ll be eating with some blueberrys in front of the TV tonight – Oh yeah this girl knows how to live…
You are a WILD woman 😉
Glad you like it!
I’ve never heard of coconut butter, but definitely want to try it now. Is it similar to peanut butter in the sense that you eat it as a snack or is it closer to traditional butter that you use to cook with? From the way you all are talking about having a scoop at bedtime, I tend to think it is the former, but I just want to make sure. Is this a pure indulgence or is there some nutritional value to it?
Coconut butter’s texture is different than peanut butter, and while it does TASTE indulgent, it’s not a “treat food.” You can incorporate it into your every day meals because it’s an excellent source of high-quality fat. It’s similar to coconut oil in its nutrition profile.
It can be used for cooking — I have some suggestions in the recipe above for ways use it to add a luxurious yum to meals — but I usually just eat a spoonful of it as a snack. To cook, you’re better off using coconut oil.
Hope this helps!
Thank you for your response. I’ve read through a lot of your website and am really enjoying myself. I look forward to trying several of your receipes.
Coconut oil is such a mystery to me. I see it used in many paleo meals. I really want to understand this oil that totally eludes me. I appreciate your help.
I use coconut oil when I’m cooking with heat — so stir fries, sauteing, baking, or grilling — because it can be heated up to 400 degrees without oxidizing. (I can’t explain all of the science here, but generally speaking, oxidizing is bad.)
For salads, I use extra-virgin olive oil. Olive oil oxidizes at fairly low temperatures, so it’s not a good choice for cooking with higher heat. I also drizzle olive oil over cooked meats to add a little flavor. Totally OK to warm olive oil, but it shouldn’t be used at high temps.
When you buy coconut oil, you want UNrefined — and organic is a better choice than not, if you can find it, but don’t stress about it.
Hope this helps. Shoot me more questions if you’ve got them!
I made this today and have decided you are my new best friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s awesome. I’m love new friends!
Glad you liked the recipe!
Oh, I wish I had a food processor! All I have is a blender. Maybe it’ll work with a bit of water added?
My favorite thing to do with coconut butter is to make coconut cocoa. I just add a big spoonful to water, a whole lot of cocoa powder, and a little sugar. Great hot or cold.
Hmmm… I don’t think water is what you want in there. The oil in the coconut and the water will probably not react to make it creamy. You might try some melted coconut oil in the blender with the coconut flakes, but I really have no idea what will happen. If you’re feeling experimental, give it a whirl (ahem).
I am so appreciative of your yummy recipes! I did fail with the coconut butter. What blade and speed did you use on your food processor? Thank you!
Oh, no! I’m sorry to hear that!
I have a Kitchenaid food processor — it’s pretty powerful… and I used it with the standard blade. It’s this one:
http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KFP7I5-7-Cup-Processor-White/dp/B000NO6PS4?SubscriptionId=03QSMTPMTKQ7WV6N8F02&tag=roltheboo-20
It does get a bit hot when I use it for coconut butter, but so far, it muscles through the experience.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly! I’m going to give it another try today.
I failed too! I was thinking maybe my work bowl is bigger than the one you used? I have an 11 cup (just got it) and I see yours is a 7 cup. Could that make all the difference? All my work got stuck to the sides and eventually wasn’t hitting the blades anymore.. I saved my work though.. cause it was STILL that good flaky and all 🙂
Christi, you might have better success if you double the amount of coconut… ’cause yes, I bet your processor volume is keeping it from grinding properly.
Fab! I was thinking of doubling too but didn’t want to waste … I might give it a try tonight! Thanks Mel 🙂
Outstanding; love this! And just discovered it via Nom Nom Paleo. F yeah.
This is really great, thank you! I cannot find coconut butter ANYWHERE!
If you have a Vitamix, it works even better, but the food processor does OK. Have fun with it!
I am on my second Whole 30 and am on a coconut kick, just like you said. I indulged in the $10 jar the other day (kicking myself now…next time I will be making my own), got home, and realized I had no idea what to do with it. Thanks for the tips 🙂
Welcome to the luscious world of coconut butter. All you need, really, is a spoon 😉
oh my god it works! you just helped me save like twelve bucks! thank you! I am half deaf right now from my cuisinart but who cares? I feel so fierce now.
incidentally, I found your recipe out of desperation after trying nom nom paleo’s which as I’m sure you know calls for a vitamix blender which i do not have and smugly subbed my food processor for, naively thinking it was the same kind of thing.
well color me purple, it’s SO not the same thing. I was getting very non-primally irritated and dismayed and discouraged, but then found you mentioned in nom nom’s comments section and the relief surged in.
Now ten minutes later I have coconut butter. Amazing.
You’re so cool by the way. very inspiring blog!
Hey, Elise! I’m glad the coconut butter worked for you — and that you found me. And now I have to thank you because you inspired me to whip up a batch of coconut butter 😉
I’m so glad I found your blog!! I can’t wait to make this!
Hi! I really love your site and look forward to getting your cookbook for Christmas. I have a question. Is coconut butter the same as coconut cream?
Thank you!!!
Oh, the confusing world of coconut products. Short answer: nope, they’re not the same.
Coconut oil: oil product that’s solid at room temperature and melts very quickly. Great for cooking.
Coconut butter: whole coconut ground into a paste with the texture of nut butter when it’s warm and solid when it’s cold
Coconut milk: liquid coconut
Coconut cream: also liquid coconut, but higher in fat, less water than coconut milk
Hope that helps!
Yes! Thank you!
Have you ever attempted making coconut cream?
No, ma’am. I have no idea how that stuff gets extracted from the coconut meat.
I’m embarking on my first Whole30 experience and found your blog through their pdf of information…I made this today and while I thought my food processor might spontaneously combust, the result is delicious and seriously addicting. Thank you!!
Congrats on your first Whole30… that’s awesome! And yeah, it’s a little rough for the food processor, but man! the results are yummy. Hope your Whole30 feels great!
I’ll be giving this a try soon, but I was wondering how long does it keep after it’s made? Does it need to hang out in the fridge or will it be all right on the counter?
I store mine in the cabinet, and I don’t know how long it lasts because I’ve always eaten mine before too long. Basically, it can’t go “bad,” it just gets really dry after a while — much like coconut flakes if you keep them too long.
Mel, I just made my first batch of this. I only have one of those Oster 2 speed blenders (fast and pulse) and it took some coaxing to get the ingredients to start blending. I know you said to leave it but I fretted over the blender, making sure it didn’t explode or something. I’m wondering two things: 1. My mixture heated up to the degree that I saw a little steam come off. Is that bad? 2. What consistency I am striving for exactly? When you say coconut butter, are we talking the equivalent to a peanut butter feel? I also bought some Sunbutter today on your recommendation here. Last night as I was settling into my going to bed routine I was getting nervous because I could feel hunger coming on and my cravings for milk and such kicked in big time. I can’t sleep if I am hungry so a spoonful of each might really help. It’s delish, thanks!
1. I don’t know if the steam is bad. I do know that my food processor gets pretty warm… but I don’t want you to destroy your blender in the process of trying to make coconut butter 😉
2. The consistency is NOT like peanut butter. It’s a little more grainy — more like cold regular butter, actually.
Glad you like the Sunbutter!
Thank you!!! I am new to Paleo and your blog is changing (revolutionizing?) and rocking my Paleo world. Just made this and I am one happy cavegirl 🙂
Congratulations on making the switch! So glad you found me. Happy cooking and EATING to you.
Made some for the first time today, but all I had was the fine shred coconut. It pureed way faster than I expected and is quite liquid. (less than 5 minutes total) I popped it in the fridge in hopes it will firm up some, is all lost? I was hoping to make a special treat out of this but it’s not thick enough for what I need. Next time I will have to stop the processor sooner I think.
I don’t know how to advise you, Tracy. I’ve only ever made it with the chips.
Tracy – wondering if your coconut butter firmed up in the fridge? In my experience, it should have. I use the finely shredded version too and haven’t had that problem. I wonder if you used too much liquid and maybe you could firm it up with additional coconut? Otherwise, all is not lost…just use it as an “icing” and drizzle it on stuff to dress it up (like fruit). 🙂
Claudine – it did firm up quite a bit actually in the fridge. I am pretty sure what happened was I processed it too long and it turned soupy. But just about 20 minutes in the fridge and it was pretty much solid.
This amazing recipe inspired me to order a gallon jug of organic coconut chips so I could make this all the time! Just got it yesterday and whipped up a batch! Delicious! I saw people were looking for sources- I ordered mine from Tropical Traditions- the gallon jug, which comes out to 2 lbs. is currently $11.69. http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_dried_coconut.htm
They have so many wonderful organic coconut products- thats also where I get my awesome coconut oil from- unrefined, processed by hand. Get their newsletter for sales. I used free ship code 12153 which I just checked- it’s still good today, but I don’t know for how much longer. Hope this helps somebody!
Mel – love the recipe! though was concerned when you mentioned popping it in the microwave! have you done much research the effect microwaves have on food, and even water? Keep up the good work on these recipes though! Can’t wait to try this one!
Love the blog and the book. Can you use coconut flour if it is organic coconut with no other ingredients? Thanks so much!
Totally! Coconut flour is great as a thickening agent or to coat stuff to make it crispy, like chicken fingers, etc. It’s VERY absorbent, however, so there are tricks for using it in baking. But I don’t make baked stuff, so I’m not an expert on that…
Hello! I have recently discovered the joys of coconut butter after tasting the evil deliciousness of Artisana’s Cacao Bliss. However, I don’t have a food processor, just a ninja prep master which I can only use in bursts of less than 30 seconds. Would you somehow be able to sub coconut flour in the place of shredded coconut with some other addition?
I really don’t think so. But I’m not sure. I supposed you could try mixing coconut flour with water or coconut milk to try to make a paste, but I’m not sure it would taste good.
Can a person use sweetened coconut? Will it still work? I have very limited resources and have only found sweetened.
thanks,
I can’t believe I just found this post! I actually had a jar of Artisana Coconut Butter in my cart on amazon about an hour ago, and refused to buy it because it has NOW gone up in price to $15. I just figured I would have to do without for a bit until I find it for a lower price. Well, I just did! I have a bag of coconut chips in the fridge just waiting to become butter! Also have a fresh coconut on my kitchen counter. I wonder…but then I would have to peel it well, get all the brown off, but maybe! (and I’m thinking that my Ninja blender will butterize this stuff pretty quick)
Do not use a blender it will burn the coconut! I used my Blendtec which is a good machine but not for this. Use a processor. It always works for me for coconut butter.
The Ninja is more of a tall food processor. I didn’t burn the coconut, but didn’t have a great result either. I couldn’t get it processed enough, so the next batch I will try with the processor I have, although it is such a cheap version of a processor, one batch is all it may live through!
I don’t know if this is the right thread for this question, but it is coconut related! I have been trying to cook with coconut oil intead of olive but I taste it soooo much (is like in my face!), do you have any other suggestions regarding what could I use instead?
Another good source of fat for cooking is clarified butter (ghee). It should be from organic, grass-fed, pastured cows, then you clarify it and store at room temp — use it just like you would coconut oil.
Directions for clarifying here:
http://nomnompaleo.com/post/15235810877/d-i-y-ghee
Hi Melissa – great idea! I am new to Paleo/Dino-Chow and am wondering what is thought of raw cacao butter. I love the stuff, but eat it VERY rarely, and was just curious. It’s a great addition to certain recipes that use coconut oil with cacao powder, and I once made something adding a bit of cacao butter that turned the filling of a chocolate pie into an amazing pot de creme! Anyway, just wondering about how/if it’s considered a good fit to the paleo lifestyle. Thanks – really enjoy your site. I have always thought myself to be someone who hates cooking, but your knowledge and prowess has really inspired me. I’m digging into your site frequently for ideas to springboard from and your tips on keeping the food coming are great. Most especially, your family info about how special cooking has been for your life and family relationships has been encouraging me to enjoy my kitchen experience more. Since I have my husband and four children to cook for, I don’t want to loathe the seemingly endless stand in the kitchen and I DO want my children to enjoy food and me through their food experience.
I wasn’t familiar with cacao butter, so I did a little Google research. Here’s what I think: It’s definitely a clean food choice, and fits into a paleo lifestyle. My only words of caution would be that it probably presents the same challenges as nut butter and coconut butter: it’s very calorie dense and there’s a possibiliyy of overeating it because it’s so deliciously satisfying. Butters like this definitely mimic the experience of non-paleo foods in that they have a creamy texture and taste sweet and fatty.
So… if you can enjoy it once in a while in reasonable quantities, go for it. But if you have a bad bout with the sugar demon or find that you’re eating it from the jar with a spoon frequently, you probably don’t want to keep it around.
Thank you so much for your kind words about my blog. I hope you fall in love with playing in the kitchen because it really is a great way to connect with yourself, your food, and your family. To be honest, I still HATE making dinner, but I love to cook… to play around with spices and ingredients. but man! Getting dinner on the table is kind of a drag 🙂
My old old Cuisiart, oven timer, three really good sermons on the radio and perusing your very excellent blog and !Eurika! I have coconut butter. I scraped it down more often but it is liquid and yummy. One question: Is the texture somewhat grainy? Thanks for just being you!
YAY! And yes, the texture is always a little bit grainy when I make it, too. I suspect it’s because the coconut is a little dry and because my food processor is just for ‘normal’ use, but, like, an industrial processor.
I think I made mine too liquid. Is that possible?
The texture should firm up quite a bit as it cools. I’ve never heard of anyone having a problem that it was too liquidy. Let me know what happens.
Made this last night and I am totally addicted. I gave some to a co-worker who now claims she will have to go to Coconut Butter anonymous. Thanks for the taste bud explosion!!!
I tried raw coconut butter for the first time last week (had a cocoa one awhile back). Will definitely have to try making my own as well, but when my patience isn’t wearing thin, haha. I came up with a fun recipe, for chocolate coconut butter candies – all raw ingredients. Check it out!
http://www.shortgirllongisland.com/2012/08/coconut-butter-chocolate-candy.html
Michele
short girl, long island
I adore you! Not only for the Cool factor of being a DerbyGirl.
Then you have this site.
then you have that lovely, lovely book.
Now this! I bought Tropical Traditions C.b. dear gods.. was it good. but i don’t buy it often. i tend to stock up on their C.O.
now i can makes my own… hummm.. are hazelnuts Paleo?
me thinks there’s a Paleo Nutella in my future. [i can’t buy Nutella, it’s my Crack addiction!!]
coconut butter, cocoa powd. vanilla pow., toasted hazels…
crosses fingers at it being Paleo.
Thanks for the love! So nice.
Yes, hazelnuts are paleo. They’re actually a pretty decent choice because their Omega-3/Omega-6 balance is pretty good.
Although the ingredients are technically paleo, be sure to treat your homemade Nutella like a treat. And enjoy every bite!
Love all the comments, but don’t know if I missed one on coconut butter vs creamed coconut that comes in a 6-8oz plastic package inside a little box. Is it the same as coconut butter? I use it for cooking in curries and such but never have tried it on its own.
I’ve never had creamed coconut so I can’t comment with authority on that. I CAN tell you that coconut butter has the texture of very thick nut butter — it’s more “spreadable” than “pourable.”
I’ve found it in our larger supermarkets in the ‘”international ” aisle, or in the smaller “ethnic” grocery stores …. the Grace company are one of the companies that produce it. I’m sure its paleo compatible! Could I send you a pack for you to try it?
I don’t have a food processor. Will a blender work?
I haven’t tried it, but I don’t think so. I don’t think the shape/power of the blender are conducive to making the coconut flakes turn into butter. Sorry 🙁
I made this the other night and it is SO GOOD! I’ve just started my paleo journey and this makes an excellent treat when I’m really craving sweets – it does the trick! Thanks for sharing such awesome recipes, they’re really amazing!
Also: Jealous that you can get coconut that cheap!!
I found a really good source for shredded coconut. I’ll be using it to make coconut butter and milk.
http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/organic_dried_coconut.htm
If you do a little math (price per ounce), I’d say it’s a great deal. (No kickbacks here, just one thrifty shopper.)
OMG! I just made this and I am sure the heavens just opened up sang! This is the best butter ever! It has to be bad for me. Nothing that tastes this good can be good for you. Thank you Mel!
WOOT! Glad you like it! And IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!!!
Neat trick, right?
hi. how long will the coconut butter last? thank you.
In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, it will last a long, long, long time.
Thank you. Just one thing.. Should it be refrigerated? And then let to stand to get creamy before using?
Thanks
It doesn’t need to be refrigerated…
Just investigating coconut products in the UK. I’m trying to stick to a Paleo/Primal diet as I feel much better doing so, and now I’ve read all hour thyroid posts I know why as well! Thank you so much for all the research you have shared – hypothyroidism is not seen as a big issue over here, so even though I’ve never felt any better (I was diagnosed about 10 years ago in my early twenties), my Drs have always just said my results show I am in range, end of story. Only in the last 18 months have i been told i should take my thyroxine on an empty stomach and an hour before food. my doseage has swung from 125-150-200-175 in the last year. waiting for my next bloods this month and see what we come out at this time! i dont even know if Armour is available over here – anyone had any uk experience?! So frustrating, but now I have all this research to go and chat with them, I’m hoping I can get somewhere. Anyhow, I wanted to know if using this occasionally as sweetener is considered paleo/primal/thyroid friendly? http://www.nutricentre.com/p-49524-tiana-premium-organic-crystallised-raw-coconut-nectar-sugar-replacement.aspx
Thank you again and I am addicted to your blog now! X
Oh, man! I’m sorry to read about your thyroid struggles. It’s hard enough to deal with thyroid stuff, but not having good guidance makes it all the more challenging. Sending all good vibes to you.
I don’t know about Armour in the UK… sorry! You might try the web site Stop The Thyroid Madness for info http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/
Generally speaking, no added sugars are really paleo. Honey and coconut nectar are the best choices if you are going to use sweetener, but it should really only be occasionally. Sugar is a problem for all kinds of reasons.
Please stay in touch and let me know if you have other questions!
Hello! I’ve made two batches of this, one with coconut flakes and one with dessicated coconut. The first one I did following both your and Nomnompaleo’s recipes (I have a food processor) and added coconut oil as directed; it took about 25 minutes (I didn’t time it exactly). It turned out fine although I put it in the fridge by accident one day and it went very hard and then when I left it out of the fridge it was still very hard, even after a few days. The second batch I didn’t add any coconut oil and blended it for 20 minutes exactly (off and on with the odd scrape down but it didn’t really need a scrape) and it came out just fine so I don’t think I’ll waste expensive coconut oil on making butter when it comes out of shredded coconut naturally anyway.
Anyway, both batches were very sweet, and I don’t know whether it’s my taste buds tuning in a bit more after a week of no sugar but I couldn’t in any way chow down on more than a spoonful at a time! Both versions of coconut were unsweetened. Just wondering whether it’s usual for coconut butter to taste quite sweet? (I’ve never tried the shop bought stuff, it’s £7.50 for a 250ml jar at Holland and Barratt!)
If you used unsweetened coconut, I think the only explanation for the sweetness is your taste buds. I don’t find coconut butter to be particularly sweet, but perhaps you’re more sensitive — or the coconut you used is naturally sweeter.
I made some of this last night, but I didn’t add any coconut oil and it turned out just fine. Maybe it depends on how dry your coconut is to start out with, or if your using flakes or shreds? I used shredded coconut for mine.
here in state of Washington, we have Winco supermarkets, they had unsweetened coconut flakes (pretty fine ones) for $2.77/lb
I just made some in my VitaMix, worked well, got somewhat less than a cup from 2 cups of dry flakes and a tablespoon of coconut oil. I added vanilla, couldn’t taste it much. It did taste a little sweet to me, quite a nice flavor!
I just tried making this in my Vitamix and it came out like sand and tasted terrible. I tried adding a bit more coconut oil to improve the texture, but it didn’t help. What could have gone wrong?
I just made this in my Vitamix and it turned out great! A little oil helped it liquefy enough so the blade could do it’s thing. Yummo for sure 🙂
I tried making this and it is really dry and grainy. I have been blending and blending and blending and… well, you get the idea.
Can you (or anyone) suggest something to help bring it together? More coconut oil? My coconut was probably pretty dry to start with.
Sounds like maybe your dried coconut was too dry. The coconut needs to be really fresh so that it has enough fat/moisture in it. Try adding more coconut oil. IN the future, you could try soaking dried coconut in warm water, then drain, then make the coconut butter.
What a great idea!! I’ve been following a whole30 diet for some time now and I can’t believe I haven’t stumbled upon this treasure. Can you also use this in place of honey/maple syrup in Paleo desserts?
It’s delicious and mildly sweet, but it doesn’t have the right texture or sweetness to replace honey or maple syrup.
Since this was in today’s “5 meals” I thought I’d comment. I found Wild Oats organic unsweetened coconut (little flakes) at WalMart of all places, for 1.98 a bag. woot!
Is coconut butter same as coconut manna?
Yes!