Can You Freeze Coconut Milk? [Answered]

Coconut milk is usually made of coconut extract, coconut water and water mixed together. It’s also used to make coconut ice cream, coconut whipped cream, and coconut cakes. Coconut milk can be found in cans or cartons at any grocery store.

In other words, it’s starting to be found everywhere nowadays and more and more people love it.

You may have noticed that some of the ingredients for a lot of your favorite recipes call for coconut milk, so it’s good to have it in the kitchen.

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself with an extra can or two of coconut milk on hand after cooking up a batch of Thai curry but don’t need another meal from that recipe anytime soon, then freezing coconut milk is an option that might come in handy when saving time in the kitchen!

So – can you freeze coconut milk?

Yes, coconut milk can be frozen. Depending on how you freeze it – before or after opening its container – it can last up to 2 years in the freezer. Unopened cans of coconut milk can last at least 2 years when frozen, while freezing coconut milk that was opened will give it 6 extra months.

If you like to use various other coconut-based products, read here how to store coconut oil the right way.

How to properly freeze coconut milk

how to freeze coconut milk

The main thing that matters when freezing coconut milk is if you have opened its original container or not.

If the container has not been opened, you can put it directly in the freezer. If it has been opened, you should transfer it into a freezer-friendly container. It’s very easy either way!

IMPORTANT: Since freezing coconut milk will increase its volume, the recipient it is stored in might be destroyed. Make sure that there is enough room for it to expand (in the bottle or can).

Since coconut milk already has a relatively long shelf life, we will most likely always want to freeze coconut milk that is already opened. This means that we need to transfer it into a freezer-friendly container.

You can transfer it into ice-cube trays and let them freeze, then transfer the frozen cubes into a bag or a different container for easier storage (or just leave them there).

This is useful when cooking with smaller amounts of coconut milk, as it is easier to take the cubes away.

Also, you can freeze coconut milk by simply transferring it into a freezer-friendly container and popping it in the freezer.

Related reading: Best coconut toothpaste you can get.

How long will frozen coconut milk last?

Unopened coconut milk in cans remains good for at least 2 years when frozen.

If coconut milk is opened or has been refrigerated for more than two days, freeze in reusable containers using freezer bags with one layer of air squeezed out of the bag before sealing the top tightly.

Most coconut milk will stay good for 6 months when frozen that way – but shorter storage times are often ok too if you’re not sure that your batch is very fresh!

Once the coconut milk has been thawed, it can remain good for up to a couple of days in the fridge, but it’s best to use it immediately.

How to thaw frozen coconut milk?

coconut milk

There are a couple of ways that you can use to defrost coconut milk.

To safely thaw coconut milk, place the container in a bowl of iced water and let it sit for a few minutes until it has reached a manageable consistency.

Frozen coconut milk will take between 15 to 30 minutes depending on the size of the container.

Be sure not to let coconut milk sit in water or warm up at room temperature as this will increase its bacteria count and spoil it.

Alternately, you can place the container in the refrigerator and let it slowly thaw over several hours before using.

Either method is fine – but the first one (with the water) is the fastest.

Is coconut milk good after freezing?

There are mixed opinions on coconut milk and whether or not it is good after freezing (in terms of taste and consistency).

On one hand, coconut milk has a high-fat content and many think that freezing will make the product watery and taste either sour or off.

On the other hand, coconut milk freezes well without any alteration in flavor, although its consistency will change – so it’s best to use it for cooking (cooking food, preparing smoothies, etc) and not so much for drinking it directly.

Conclusion

If you’re wondering if it’s safe to freeze your coconut milk then wonder no more – even though some don’t like that its texture may be altered after thawing out, the product has great overall nutritional value and the taste does not change.

You can freeze coconut milk whether it is already opened or not and increase its shelf life, then use it whenever you need it again.

And now why not continue reading about other ways to put coconut-based products to good use? In this article, you will have a recipe for a homemade coconut-oil based cream for cracked heels.

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