Can coconut water be frozen? - The Ultimate Guide

Coconut water is delicious, but it is also a very distinctive flavor. If you’ve opened a large coconut or a bottle of water, you may find that you don’t have the time or space in your stomach to finish it all in one go.

You can keep it in the fridge for a few days if you think you’ll be drinking it soon, but you may also wonder if you can freeze the coconut water. After all, there is something to be said for the comfort of a special ice cube, don’t you think?

So can coconut water be frozen?

Yes, but first, a word of warning: freezing coconut water will compromise its flavor. If you like the sweet taste of fresh coconut water, you may be disappointed after freezing it. However, if you plan to use coconut water in smoothies, juices, or even cooking, you probably won’t notice the flavor change and still get the nutritional benefits.

However, there are a few things you need to know before trying it, which is why we’ve put together a complete guide on freezing coconut water.

Good practices for freezing coconut water

Coconut water is more than water, and therefore does not freeze as easily as tap water.

Due mainly to its low sugar content, the freezing point of coconut water is closer to 27.5F than the expected 32F of regular water.  That being said, the average temperature for a home freezer is 0F, so it may take a few more minutes to fully freeze, but you’re unlikely to notice.

If you bought a flat of bottled or canned coconut water at your local bulk supply supermarket, you don’t necessarily have to worry about freezing the product to keep it fresh.

The way it’s packaged will keep it fresh almost indefinitely, but you’ll want to keep it in a cool, dry place.  It will start to lose its flavor, so it’s always best to stick to the manufacturer’s “best before” date.

However, once you’ve opened a bottle, you’ll need to consume it within a relatively short period of time or freeze it to keep it fresh. Water from a fresh coconut should be treated similar to an open bottle of coconut water. Use it or lose it.

coconut water ice cubes

One of the most convenient ways to freeze coconut water is in a standard ice cube tray . Just pour the coconut water into the tray and freeze it like you would any other water.

When fully frozen, you can protect the ice cubes from picking up odors or flavors from the other items in your freezer by removing them from the tray and placing them all in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag for long-term storage.

There are some pretty nifty ice cube trays on the market these days, so you can get creative with your ice cube style if you want.

If you like larger portions of coconut water, you can get a silicone ice cube tray in the shape of extra large squares or spheres. They’re great for chilling cocktails if you feel like it.

You can also get trays that freeze long, thin sticks instead of cubes, which is handy for adding to water bottles on the go.

Freeze large amounts of coconut water

If you prefer to have a larger amount of coconut water than you can get from individual cubes, you can simply pour the coconut water into a freezer-safe Ziploc brand bag and lay it flat until frozen.

You can use bags of any size, but make sure they are no more than 5 cm thick. You can stack them, even before they freeze, as long as they are tightly closed.

In general, you’ll want to avoid freezing large solid blocks of coconut water because they take much longer to freeze and have less consistent results. However, if you go this route, be sure to leave some space between the water and the lid of your freezer-safe container, especially if you’re using glass.

Coconut water expands when it freezes, so you want to leave some room for it to grow.

How to thaw frozen coconut water

Coconut water is as easy to thaw as any water. Just take it out of the freezer and let it thaw.

By making sure the water is carefully sealed, you can thaw your coconut water to use in 3 common ways:

• For best results, thaw coconut water in the refrigerator, allowing it to come to temperature slowly and steadily.
• You can also let it thaw on the counter at room temperature, although it’s a good idea to make sure the sealed container is placed in a bowl or plate to catch any condensation that may drip from the frozen container.
• If you need it quickly, you can place the sealed Ziploc bag or Tupperware container in a sink with warm (never hot!) water and let the water heat up that way.

Using Frozen Coconut Water

If you have made ice cubes, you can place them in your favorite drink like a normal cube. As it melts, it will infuse your drink with a lovely fresh touch of coconut.

Some of our favorite ways to use coconut ice cubes are

• In plain water, in fresh coconut water that needs to cool down on a hot day, or even in carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon and honey or a few sprigs of mint along with your coconut ice cubes
• In any glass of fresh juice
• In soft drinks, preferably if it is a homemade Italian-style soft drink, with carbonated water and natural flavorings
• In a hot chocolate or tea, to cool it down a bit and add a touch of coconut surprise
• Into a hot bowl of morning porridge, again to cool it down so it can be eaten quickly and enhanced with a hint of coconut sweetness

If your blender is up to it, you can also use coconut water ice cubes in your smoothies.

Alternative Ways to Preserve Coconut Water

If you have purchased pre-packaged coconut water, it should be able to keep for many months if kept in a cool, dry place. However, once you open it, it will need to be refrigerated if you don’t drink it all at once. 

The same goes for coconut water fresh from the coconut itself. For best preservation, carefully pour the coconut water into a jar with a hermetic screw-top lid.

An open jug or even a juice jug with a lid that has a pour spout will decrease the shelf life of your coconut water and may allow it to pick up flavors and odors from your fridge, so a tightly closed jug is best.

If you don’t like your coconut water cold when you drink it, you can pour yourself a glass and let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes to come to room temperature.

Does coconut water go bad?

Yes, coconut water goes bad 3-5 days after opening it and exposing it to air and bacteria, and its flavor and nutritional value start to deteriorate in the first 24 hours. You will need to drink or carefully store your coconut water quickly to maintain its quality.

If you have a fresh coconut, there are a few signs to look for to make sure your coconut is still good.

Any small crack or hole in the shell can expose the water and pulp inside to contaminants, so if you have any suspicions, look for these signs:

• Smell – Coconut water should have a slight coconut smell, almost fruity, so avoid any strong or pungent smelling water
• Consistency : The water should be only slightly thicker than still water, so if it looks milky to you , it may have gone bad.
• Any sign of carbonation (bubbles)

Related questions

Can you freeze a coconut?

Coconuts impress with their ability to stay fresh in their shells for months, but if they have any cracks or holes, you risk spoiling them if you don’t use them right away.

Ideally, if you need to freeze a coconut, it’s best to freeze the meat and water separately . Drink the delicious water immediately or freeze as per the article above and then carefully store the rest of the coconut chunks in an airtight Ziploc bag or Tupperware container in your freezer.

Better yet would be to separate the meat from the shell and shred or break it into smaller, more manageable pieces before freezing. This will save you time and effort in the long run.

What is the benefit of coconut water?

Coconut water is packed with amazing nutrition, including (but not limited to) vitamin D, calcium, iron, antioxidants, and a bunch of electrolyte-balancing compounds.

It’s also surprisingly a great source of fiber.  Plus, fresh coconut water tastes delicious, so if you’re not getting enough water throughout the day, coconuts may be the missing link.

How is coconut water freeze dried?

There are commercial manufacturing facilities that use specialized processes to dehydrate and freeze-dry the water from coconuts, so it should be possible.

That said, freeze-drying it yourself at home would be an expensive process, involving much more specialized machinery and potential hazards, so if you’re interested in powdered coconut water, you’ll probably want to buy from those who have already perfected the process.