DIY Coconut Butter (Vitamix recipe)

By now you’re no doubt familiar with the benefits of coconut oil and coconut flour. The great news is that the same benefits apply here. Coconut is truly one of nature’s superfoods.

If you do a quick Google search, some say coconut oil and coconut butter are one and the same. But that’s not quite the case. At room temperature (24°C; in warmer climates), coconut oil is liquid. It is perfect for frying, as our polyunsaturated oils (e.g. olive; macadamia) are for cold use only. Read why here. In cooler weather, coconut oil solidifies and must be melted before using in most of my recipes. Like this delicious Sugar Free Coconut Rough.

Coconut butter on the other hand, is thick and smooth and even more dessert-like. It has a fuller flavour and doesn’t melt as quickly as coconut oil (coconut butter requires 35°C). You can certainly still cook with it, but it is also delicious off the spoon, as a spread, or as a sugar free cupcake topping. It has some fantastic savoury uses too – start with stirring 1-2 tablespoons in your sweet potato mash or to thicken a curry. Apparently it’s also a fantastic moisturiser, but I’m saving mine for all the new recipes I have to share with you. Stay tuned!

The best thing about this recipe? How cost effective it is. I spent just over $5 on the coconut, and worked out that 1/3 cup oil is less than $1. Add in the drop of vanilla and you’re at a total of $6.50. This recipe makes more than 500g of coconut butter, which retails for $13 or more. That’s a saving of over 50%! How wonderful.

Ingredients

• 500g dessicated coconut, unsweetened and preservative free
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, softened
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Add coconut and coconut oil and blend on high. Use the Vitamix Accelerator to push down the sides and ensure an even mixture. This should take 2-3 minutes.
2. Add to vanilla extract and blend for ten seconds, stirring with the Accelerator to ensure it is spread throughout.
3. Pour into an airtight container and store at room temperature. I love to use my old rice malt syrup jars. As this recipe made more than one jars worth (500g), I stored the excess in a small tub. In cooler weather it will harden, so expect to need to get at it with a spoon and soften before spreading.

Yes, it is this simple. Coconut Butter in 5 minutes flat. A big thank you to Vitamix for everything that they do – you can check out their fantastic range here.

Please note: if you don’t own a Vitamix you can try this recipe in a high performance blender, but unfortunately I can’t guarantee the same result.