You may already be cooking with coconut oil. Maybe you enjoy large chunks of toasted coconut in your trail mix or shredded coconut in your seedless Primal “oatmeal.” But have you tried the richest, most decadent coconut product of them all: coconut butter?
You ask what is coconut butter? It simply blends the desiccated coconut until it forms a smooth creamy paste. Since the only ingredient is coconut, it’s naturally dairy-free and gluten-free.
Our favorite way to enjoy it is to make the world’s simplest two-ingredient ketchup: dark chocolate with coconut butter. Or just eat it with a spoon. We will never tell.
How to make coconut butter
Meal portion: 1 to 2 cups
Time in the kitchen: 10 to 20 minutes
Ingredient
4 cups unsweetened, unsweetened desiccated coconut or more
Direction
Only one step is needed: blending!
But if you want to make the best coconut butter ever, follow these 10 must-see tips.
10 tips to make the best coconut butter ever
Tip #1: Use large shredded desiccated coconut. These are easier to turn into butter.
Tip #2: For a bolder, more aromatic flavor, toast the coconut.
Spread the coconut out on the pan and bake in the oven at 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) until the coconut is light brown and toasted. This enhances the flavor of the coconut butter, and it will also make it easier to turn the flakes into butter.
This is not a necessary step but if you have a weak food processor it may be a better option. If you choose to bake the coconut, the final product will be light brown instead of white, as shown in the photos at the back of the post.
Tip #3: Use at least 4 cups of coconut flakes and put them in a food processor. You can also use a high-speed blender, but a food processor often makes it easier to scrape the edges and remove the coconut butter when it’s done. A blender will produce a slightly finer finish, but some blenders will overheat before you’ve finished blending the coconut.
Tip #4: Take your time! It takes 10 to 20 minutes to get a nice smooth butter.
Tip #5: After you turn on the food processor and let it begin to grind the coconut, stop often to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula or spatula to remove any debris on the sides.
Tip #6: The coconut flakes will undergo several transformations as it turns into butter. At first they will look like coarse sand.
Next, it will become loose-y but still look grainy.
In the end, it will be a smooth sauce. The end result will still be thin, but it will harden as you store it.
Tip #7: Pour butter into a covered jar and let cool. Optionally, you can store it in many small boxes to warm up and use it later.
Tip #8: Coconut butter can be stored at room temperature, but keep in mind that toasted coconut butter will go rancid much faster than unbaked. Therefore, we recommend that you store the toasted coconut butter in the refrigerator.
Tip #9: Coconut butter hardens at cooler temperatures. To use hard butter, place a bowl of warm water and let the jar sit in it for a few minutes to help soften the butter, stirring occasionally. We recommend that you don’t heat the butter directly or microwave it as this can lose its consistency, but you can do it quickly!
Tip #10: Use coconut butter for almost anything! We like to soak fruit or nuts in soft butter. Try adding a spoonful to savory dishes like curries, soups or even to mashed vegetables.
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