Can You Substitute Coconut Cream For Coconut Milk?

Coconuts are very versatile fruits, and their chalky white interior can be made into liquids, from cream to milk. You can also use the two interchangeably when cooking with them. Coconut cream can replace coconut milk when you run out of the latter for your tropical-inspired recipes. Because the milk is thinner and contains less fat (it's around 15% fat), it needs to be tweaked to substitute for cream, but otherwise it's very similar. There are also a couple of important differences to look at when substituting cream for the famed non-dairy alternative.

As for the fruity cream, it is thicker, has a smoother consistency, and therefore contains less water but has up to 25% of fat for a serving. It also has a more defined and a higher concentrated coconut flavor due to its viscosity. Because of the dissimilarities of the two, certain adjustments can be made to help the coconut cream fit into your recipe.

The ratio of coconut milk and cream isn't a one-to-one swap, should you chose to exchange them for your dish. The cream needs to be thinned out with water to give a similar texture to coconut milk. Pair three parts of cream with one part H2O to imitate the consistency of the lighter coconut milk. This hack is mainly ideal for plates that need sweetened milk, as the cream is already sweet enough.

If you want to do the opposite and swap the coconut milk for its thicker cream counterpart, grab a can of full-fat milk and scrape the thick top surface that has formed. This is actually cream, and there is a certain technique to allow the coconut cream to rise to the top. The can should be placed in the fridge overnight to allow the coconut cream to separate from the milk. Mix the thickened liquid with the desired amount of sugar, and there you have it, tropical whipped cream!