How To Thicken Coconut Milk? 4 Simple Ways

Coconut milk is an amazing ingredient to give your soup or curry that creamy texture. Milkshake & smoothie lovers can also benefit from it, as it adds the ideal richness to their drink.

Unfortunately, the incorrect consistency of coconut milk can ruin a dish. A watery smoothie is not something any foodie wants! To ensure good results, taking certain steps can help to get the perfect consistency in coconut milk.

Have you ever wondered how to thicken coconut milk? Well, there are four techniques that could help you with it. Coconut flour or cornstarch, reducing the liquid and adding mashed potatoes can all be used. We recommend using coconut flour as it doesn’t change the taste of your milk & helps retain a greater volume.

If you’re looking to give your Coconut Milk a thicker consistency, this article is perfect for you. We’ll be detailing all the methods that can help you achieve the result desired!

Table of Contents

What is Coconut Milk?

Background information about coconut milk – it is a creamy liquid made from coconut flesh and water. It has several vitamins and nutrients, high fat content, plus provides a slight nutty flavor. All these benefits make it an ideal sustenance to add to your diet.

Coconut milk from cans has a tendency to separate and must be stirred or shaken to combine. However, if you are using coconut milk from a carton, it is usually thinner than the canned version.

This is done to make the mixture more fluid, hence making it easier to pour.

Why Do You Need Thicken Coconut Milk?

If your coconut milk isn’t the right consistency for a certain recipe, you can thicken it to get that perfect texture. Coconut milk is used in many recipes both sweet and savory and it needs to be the optimal thickness in order to achieve the desired result.

Using coconut milk for baking cakes can result in a runny batter. To tackle this, thickening the coconut milk is an excellent idea as it will ensure that your ingredient ratios are balanced and give your cake a richer, more pronounced coconut flavor.

Best Ways To Thicken Coconut Milk

If you need thicker coconut milk, there are various methods to achieve the desired consistency. From adding cornstarch to making your own homemade coconut cream, each technique can be tailored to suit your preferences.

Coconut Flour

If you’re intent on maintaining the same coconut flavor, then adding coconut flour is the way to go. This will ensure that no taste is lost or diluted even slightly.

Coconut flour is a great way to make delicious coconut milk even more intriguing in flavor. Not only that, but it also provides natural thickening properties which helps thicken the coconut milk without any added flavors. As it is just a by-product of coconuts, using coconut flour doesn’t effect the original flavor of the milk at all.

To make your coconut milk thicker, follow the easy steps below: add in some coconut flour! This will ensure that you get the desired thickness and consistency for your milk.

Take a pan and add coconut milk to it. Heat the pan on medium flame.
For the next step, take around half a cup of coconut milk from the pan and put it in a separate cup. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut flour to it and mix it properly so that no lumps are present.
Pour the mixture into the pan, mix in the coconut milk evenly, and bring it to a boil.

One of the main benefits of this process is that it keeps the original coconut flavor intact. You don’t have to replace it with any other taste or settle for a bland-tasting beverage. However, you may find that your coconut milk has become a bit sweeter than before – just something to be mindful of!

Corn Starch

Corn starch is a great way to thicken soups and desserts, while still retaining the flavor of the dish. By adding corn starch to coconut milk, you can achieve a thicker consistency without compromising on the taste of your recipe.

To thicken your coconut milk, simply follow these steps using corn starch:

To obtain a creamy consistency from coconut milk, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with cold water to form a slurry. This mixture should be used for every 1 cup of coconut milk.
Whisk the slurry into the coconut milk for 1-2 minutes until there are no clumps, to ensure it is properly blended.
When dealing with corn starch, make sure not to overcook it as this will leave you with a watered-down coconut milk.

Reducing

If you don’t mind losing some of the volume, warming up coconut milk on low heat is a great way to thicken it. Fortunately, doing this won’t alter its delicious taste in any way.

If you’re looking to make your coconut milk thicker, here’s a few steps to follow: reduce it by boiling it for a little while, stirring occasionally, and then letting it cool. This should result in a thick & creamy end product.

Heat up the coconut milk until it starts to simmer and then leave the lid off so that some of the water will evaporate.
Pay close attention to the pot to avoid over-reducing or evaporating the bowl of coconut milk.
Heat the milk until it reaches a desired consistency.

Adding Potatoes After Reducing

If you find the sweetness of coconut milk too overpowering after following method 3, then this would be the ideal option for you!

To cut back on the sugariness of concentrated coconut milk, a few easy steps can be taken. This method involves adding potatoes to the mix. Remember, this is necessary in order to reduce sweetness.

Place a pot of water on a stovetop and turn the heat up, allowing it to come to a boil. Throw the potatoes into the boiling water and allow them to cook.
Once the potato has been boiled to a soft and cooked state, remove the skin and mash it up until it is nice and smooth.
Prepare a paste-like mixture with mashed potato by mixing it with either starchy boiling water or coconut milk, whichever suits your taste.
Once the slurry has been mixed, incorporate it into the remaining coconut milk for further processing.

This method not only lowers the sweetness of coconut milk but also increases its quantity! Therefore, it’s a great way to get more out of your coconut milk.

How To Thicken Coconut Milk Into Cream

Coconut Cream is a thick & potent variation of coconut milk, making it a great addition to any recipes calling for either of these ingredients. It can be used in a broad range of dishes and provides an unbelievably creamy texture.

Coconut milk is quite popular but coconut cream can be a great addition to any kitchen pantry too! Coconut cream has the same flavor as the milk but you can easily adjust its consistency according to your needs.

Don’t be concerned! Turning coconut milk into cream is not difficult and can be achieved by following a few simple steps. By doing this, you’ll soon master the art of thickening coconut milk into creamy & delicious coconut cream.

Leave the coconut milk in the fridge for at least 12 to 16 hrs if you want it to thicken and separate from the water. It is safe to keep it there for 24 hours.
If left undisturbed for 12 to 16 hours, milk naturally separates into layers with the fat rising to form a thick layer at the top.
After allowing the milk to coagulate, remove the layer of fat that has risen to the surface.
Keep whisking the mixture until it is even and consistent in texture, creamy, and free of any lumps.

Conclusion

All in all, thickening coconut milk can be relatively straightforward; however, errors in consistency and flavor as well as a reduction in quantity are possible outcomes that you should be aware of.

Opt for the method that best suits your needs and include coconut milk in your recipes for more flavour!