How To Thicken Coconut Milk? - 4 Best Ways

Coconut milk is a great ingredient that can add creaminess to any soup or curry dish. And if you are a lover of milkshakes or smoothies, surely you have used coconut milk at least once to give that creamy texture to your drink.

But many times, with the wrong watery consistency, delicious coconut milk can also ruin your dish. And no foodie likes their smoothie to be watery!

So how do you thicken coconut milk?

There are four ways to thicken coconut milk. You can use coconut flour or corn starch, you can reduce it or you can add mashed potatoes. Using coconut flour is the best method, as it does not alter the flavor of the coconut milk and preserves volume.

Read on to learn more about the different methods that can help you thicken coconut milk.

The 4 Best Ways to Thicken Coconut Milk

There are mainly four ways to thicken coconut milk. Depending on your choice, you can choose any of the methods suggested below and achieve the perfect coconut milk consistency.

coconut flour

If you’re not willing to let go or dilute the coconut flavor by even a small margin, then adding coconut flour should be your choice.

Since coconut flour is a by-product of coconut, adding it to coconut milk will not affect the flavor. In fact, coconut flour works as a great natural thickening agent with a delicious coconut flavor.

Follow these simple steps to thicken coconut milk by adding coconut flour:

1. Pour the coconut milk into a saucepan and put it on medium heat.
2. Next, take a small amount (about 1/2 cup) of coconut milk from the pan and put it in a separate cup and add a small amount (about 1 tablespoon) of coconut flour. Stir it well so that there are no lumps.
3. Add this prepared mixture to the saucepan, stir the coconut milk well and bring it to a boil.

The best thing about this method is that the flavor of the coconut remains intact. Thus, there is not even a bit of compromise in the flavor profile!

A word of warning though: you may notice a slight change in the taste of your coconut milk. It can get a little sweeter.

Cornstarch

Cornstarch is popular as a thickening agent for soups and desserts. If you are willing to allow a little alteration in flavor, you can use the cornstarch to thicken your coconut milk.

Follow these easy steps to thicken coconut milk with cornstarch:

1. Take 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and make a porridge by adding cold water to it. For every cup of coconut milk, you need 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
2. Add the porridge to the coconut milk and beat it for 1-2 minutes so that there are no lumps.
3. Don’t overcook the cornstarch, or you’ll end up with watery coconut milk again.

reducing

If you don’t have thinning issues, reducing to a simmer is a great way to thicken the coconut milk. Plus, you won’t have to give up flavor!

Follow these steps to thicken coconut milk by reducing:

1. Bring the coconut milk to a simmer and leave uncovered to allow the water to evaporate.
2. Stay close to the pot at all times so you don’t end up evaporating the entire bowl of coconut milk.
3. Boil the milk until you have reached the desired thickness.

Add the potatoes after the reduction

If you’ve followed the steps in method 3, but the thickened coconut milk is too sweet for your taste, this is the best method for you!

You can follow the steps below to reduce the sweetness of the concentrated coconut milk. Note that this technique requires adding potatoes to the coconut milk.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the potato to the boiling water. 
2. Once the potato is soft and cooked, peel the boiled potato and mash it well.
3. Make a porridge with the mashed potato. You can use boiling water with starch or a little coconut milk.
4. Add the prepared porridge to the rest of the coconut milk.

The above method will not only reduce the sweetness of the coconut milk, but it will also help you to increase its volume.

How to thicken coconut milk into cream

Coconut cream is used as a key ingredient in various curries, vegan desserts, and dairy-free dishes. Although you probably have cans of coconut milk in your pantry, having coconut cream is somewhat less common.

But do not worry! You can make coconut cream with coconut milk at home.

Follow these steps correctly to get a tasty coconut cream from coconut milk:

1. Let the coconut milk sit uncovered in the fridge for 12-16 hours.
2. After 12-16 hours, the milk will curdle and form a layer of milk fat on top.
3. Skim the fat from the curdled milk.
4. Whip the curdled milk until it has a uniform consistency of cream.

Coconut cream is nothing more than a thick version of the coconut milk that we use.

You can use coconut cream in your dishes instead of milk to save time. It tastes just like coconut milk, and you can easily modify its consistency.

However, does your coconut milk still not thicken into cream? We may have the answer for you!

If you’ve tried everything, but your coconut milk still doesn’t thicken to a cream, it means your coconut milk has an additive known as emulsifiers.

Emulsifiers are chemicals that do not allow water and fat to separate from each other.

If your milk has added emulsifiers, you won’t be able to thicken your coconut milk or get a layer of fat on top.

How to make thick coconut milk at home

Many of the homemade coconut milk recipes turn out to be watery. But, if you want to make thick and creamy coconut milk at home, follow this quick recipe:

1. Take 3 cups of shredded coconut and 4 cups of water.
2. Leave the shredded coconut to soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Do not use boiling water.
3. Take the soaked coconut, add it to the blender and blend it for 2-3 minutes.
4. Keep stopping and stirring to scrape down the sides.
5. Use a kitchen towel to strain the soaked coconut paste into a large bowl.
6. You now have your thick and creamy coconut milk ready.

You can use this homemade creamy coconut milk to add a touch of flavor to your smoothies or curries.

Can you use thickened coconut milk instead of cream?

You can use coconut milk instead of cream to add rich flavor and texture to your dish. You can use coconut for everything from curries to desserts.

In addition, the use of milk is convenient, since it does not require work to adjust the consistency. You just have to make sure that you use thickened coconut milk for the best results.

What can coconut milk be used for?

If you have a couple of cans of coconut milk stockpiled in your kitchen and are looking for a way to use it in a delicious dish, here are some irresistible ways to use coconut milk in cooking.

• Soup : Add coconut milk to the soup as one of the liquid ingredients.
• Curry : Coconut milk adds a rich texture to curries and enhances the flavor of fish, vegetables, and stews.
• Smoothie : Choose your favorite fruit and mix it with coconut milk to make a refreshing smoothie.
• Whipped Cream: Use the method we have provided above to turn coconut milk into cream and put it on top of your cakes and crepes. Add a pinch of sugar if you want a sweeter taste.
• Replace Dairy : Veganize your recipes by substituting milk and cream for coconut milk and cream, respectively.
• Yogurt : Find a quick recipe to make homemade coconut milk yogurt and enjoy the delicacy.
• Cocktail : Mixologists use coconut milk to give cocktails a slightly sweet touch and make them exotic.
• Ice Cream : Just throw your favorite fruit and coconut milk into the processor and enjoy smooth ice cream.
• Latte : Add coconut milk to your freshly brewed coffee for a beautifully flavored latte. Use a mixer if you want to froth on top of your latte.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over the best ways to thicken coconut milk, let’s take a look at some related questions!

How can I thicken light coconut milk?

You can thicken light coconut milk simply by reducing it to medium heat for a few minutes. When it reaches your desired consistency, you’ll have a bowl full of thickened light coconut milk without compromising flavor!

Why does coconut milk turn grey?

Coconut protein has a natural variation of colors. However, due to differences in coconut milk processing, healthy milk may appear slightly gray even though it is not past its expiration date. 

However, it’s best to check the expiration date once if your coconut milk shows a gray tint, just to be on the safe side.

Final thoughts

Although thickening coconut milk is fairly straightforward, there are many things that can go wrong. Some of them are the wrong consistency, changes in the flavor profile, and reducing the quantity.

So carefully select the method that works best for you, and incorporate delicious coconut milk into your dishes!