You probably already cook with coconut oil. Maybe you enjoy big flakes of toasted coconut in your trail mix or shredded coconut in your grain-free Primal “oatmeal.” But have you tried the richest, most decadent coconut product of them all: coconut butter?

What is coconut butter, you ask? It’s simply dried coconut blended 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 making the world’s easiest two-ingredient keto treat: dark chocolate with a schmear of coconut butter. Or just eat it with a spoon. We’ll never tell.

How to Make Coconut Butter

Servings: 1 to 2 cups

Time in the kitchen: 10 to 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 or more cups of unsweetened, dried coconut flakes

Directions

There’s only one necessary step: blend!

But if you want to make the best coconut butter ever, follow these 10 no-fail tips.

10 Tips for Making the Best Coconut Butter Ever

Tip #1: Use large unsweetened dried coconut flakes. These are easier to turn into butter.

Tip #2: For a deeper, nuttier flavor, toast the coconut.

Lay the coconut out on a sheet pan and place in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius) until the coconut is lightly brown and toasted. This elevates 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 might be a better option. If you choose to toast the coconut, the final product will be light brown instead of white, as shown in the photos later in the post.

Tip #3: Use at least 4 cups of coconut flakes and place them into a food processor. You can also use a high-speed blender, but a food processor typically makes it easier to scrape down the sides and remove the coconut butter when it’s done processing. Blenders will make a somewhat smoother finished product, but some blenders will overheat before you’re done blending the coconut.

Tip #4: Take your time! It takes anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to get a nice smooth butter.

Tip #5: Once you turn the food processor on and let it begin to grind the coconut, stop every so often to scrape the sides of the bowl with a spoon or spatula to pick up any flakes on the sides.

Tip #6: The coconut flakes will go through multiple transformations as it turns to butter. First they will look like coarse sand.

Next, it will become liquid-y but still look grainy.

Last, it will be a smooth, thick sauce. The end result will still be thin, but it will firm up as you store it.

Tip #7: Pour the butter into an airtight jar and let it cool. Optionally, store it into multiple small containers, which makes it easier to warm up and use later on.

Tip #8: Coconut butter can be stored at room temperature, but keep in mind that toasted coconut butter will go rancid much more quickly than non-toasted. Consequently, we recommend storing toasted coconut butter in the fridge.

Tip #9: Coconut butter hardens at cooler temperatures. To use hardened butter, set up a warm water bath and let the jar sit in it for a few minutes to help soften the butter, stirring occasionally. We don’t recommend directly heating or microwaving the butter as this can mess with its consistency, but you can do it in a pinch!

Tip #10: Use the coconut butter for almost anything! We love dunking fruit or nuts in softened butter. Try adding a spoonful to savory options like curries, soups, or even to mashed veggies.

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