Hello!
Remember how we recently learned how to make our own coconut milk? Guess what is a natural, free byproduct of that simple process?
Homemade coconut flour!
Exciting, am I right?
This process is even easier than the coconut milk. You’ll love it. But first, I’d love to tell you more about coconut flour. Goodness, I do love coconut.
A Few Coconut Flour Facts
According to Whole Lifestyle Nutrition,
Coconut flour is a gluten free and grain free flour that can be used to substitute out traditional grain based flours. This flour is also high in fiber and is a good source of protein. It is low in carbohydrates and is very filling (probably because of the higher fiber content). It is naturally sweet so you don’t need as much sweeteners when baking with this flour.
For more information on cooking with coconut flour, visit Whole Lifestyle Nutrition’s post which I referenced above.
Although coconut flour is a gluten-free flour, you don’t have to be gluten-free to enjoy it. I love replacing about 25% of the amount of regular flour called for in a recipe with coconut flour. It brings a lovely, almost buttery flavor to your baked goods. I love the protein it adds, as well. I also will occasionally add it to smoothies.
It is one of the most expensive flours you can buy – here’s how you can make your own homemade coconut flour, a simple byproduct of homemade coconut milk.
Homemade Coconut Flour
Like I mentioned, in a previous post I showed you how to make coconut milk from shredded coconut. When you’re done with that process, you are left with a wad of wet coconut pulp. Friends, you can’t let that go to waste! It’s free coconut flour!
Dump it onto a baking sheet like so.
Then, using a fork, press all the large clumps out. You don’t have to get every one, but the smaller they are, the faster you’ll have your flour.
Now for the drying. You have several options. You can:
- leave it out to air dry for 24 hours
- dehydrate it in a dehydrator – you don’t have to use a low temperature setting since you will be baking with it.
- Leave it in your oven overnight with the oven light on
- Bake it at your oven’s lowest heat setting for about 4 hours. (My oven’s lowest setting is 170, so that’s usually what I do.) It’s the quickest method.
After your flour clumps are thoroughly dried, place them in your blender and blend away. It shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds with a high speed blender.
It’s kind of like your own little snow globe.
But more like in blizzard mode.
Pour into an airtight container.
Voila!
Beautiful, pristine, white powdery homemade coconut flour, all for free. See, you can make your own coconut flour. Don’t you love it?
I do.
Much love,
Dandy
P.S. Love coconut flour? Here are some great coconut flour recipes from bloggers I love!
Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread by Dawn at Small Footprint Family
Grain-Free Herbed Biscuits by Carol at Ditch the Wheat
P.P.S. Also, if you love coconut as much as I do, you might want to follow my board, All Things Coconut:
Follow Danielle {It’s a love/love thing}’s board All Things Coconut on Pinterest.
P.P.P.S. Okay, last time. 🙂 For more kitchen tips, healthy recipes, and ideas for a simpler, love-filled life, why don’t you subscribe to my newsletter? No spam, ever. <3
How you using this flour?
You can use it any way you would use store-bought coconut flour.
How long does this flour store on the shelf?
Hi Kristin, I have not had any problems with keeping it on the shelf for many months.
Not free if you are buying the coconuts. Like the idea but how many coconuts does it take to make a lb of coconut flour? If we could grow our own coconuts, I can see doing this regularly. Not sure if it is feasible price wise when you can buy bulk coconut flour cheaper than buying coconuts and making your own.
Hi Maryruth! This recipe actually does not call for fresh coconuts. It uses the pulp that is leftover from making coconut milk from shredded coconut. This turns out to be less than half the money I was spending on boxed coconut milk from the store.
I bought one mature coconut. Made 2 cups fresh milk. Used some pulp in a stew I was making three heaping teaspoons and then put two 8-10 inch plates on parchment paper and set at 95 degrees in my food dehydrator overnight and will check it all tomorrow. The coconuts at the Asian market here in Orlando were less than $2/piece.
I can't seem to get mine ground down as fine as the coconut flour at the store. How does that affect the end product, measurements, etc? Thanks.
Hi there! I’m not sure… I’ve only ever used a high speed blender, and it has always blended the flour very finely. Possibly you could just mix it 1/2 and 1/2 with store-bought coconut flour? Good luck!
How did I not think of this? Genius! Will be making some coconut milk just so we can have leftover pulp!
Hi! Could I just blend the shredded coconut? Or do you need the whole process for the flour to bake correctly? Thanx! Love your blog!
Thank you so much, Ines! The process is required, unfortunately. If you blended the coconut by itself, you’d end up with coconut butter! 🙂 Which wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.
I have been drying mine in our gas stove with just the pilot light. For some reason it keeps turning green in there. Ive used both aluminum sheets and glass bakeware. No idea what’s going on. Have any ideas?
That is interesting, Grace! I have never had that happen before. Have you tried a different brand of shredded coconut? Have you tried baking it at the lowest temp your oven will go? That’s the only thing I can think of. Let me know if you figure it out!
are you using the wet or dry container when you blend the coconut?
Hi Carrie! I have used both, and both have worked for me. Although, I do prefer the dry container just because that’s what it’s made for.
I’m having my first smoothie made with my very own homemade coconut milk right now! 🙂 I’m also drying the pulp in my oven for “flour”. While it’s not free, it’s definitely WAYYYYYYY cheaper than store bought! I buy organic coconut in bulk (2 kg and next time even 11 kg) which keeps the cost down immensely. It’s so satisfying to eliminate my contribution to the world of packaging we live in. Plus, homemade coconut milk doesn’t have all those nasty additives like carrageenan.
I love it! Completely agree, Jodie. 🙂
Hi Danielle, thoroughly enjoy your recipes. I found your site while searching for homemade foods and ingredients for the simple reason, most of those mentioned online are not available in Thailand where I live, so I am back to making my own.
I am retired so when I am not writing, I am experimenting with new recipes, cooking and baking. Innovative sites such as yours are most appreciated, thank you.
Thank you so much, Alastair, for your kind words! 🙂 I’m so glad to hear you enjoy my recipes, and are experimenting in the kitchen! Have fun!! 🙂
I shredded my coconut with the brown skin at the back when making milk. Now the pulp has brown bits in it; Can I still dry and grind it for flour? Thanks
Hi Omotayo, are you referring to using fresh coconut? I am not sure, as I have no experience with using fresh coconut to make milk. I would think the brown part might be a little too fibrous to use, but that is just me. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
You could try using a coffee grinder
Definitely! Great suggestion!
Mine coconut flour is definitely "fluffier" than Bob's Red Mill, and it is a different color. Bob's Red Mill is almost beige, and mine is snow white. It is fluffier even after being in my vitamix for a couple of minutes.
I am confused by this, i have read other blogs that call the leftover pulp “milk” powder after dehydrating. So is this the same and it can be used as flour or as powdered coconut to make milk?
Hi Michelle! I see where that would be confusing. I have never used the powder as powdered coconut milk – although now that you suggested it, I will have to give it a try! I actually use shredded coconut to make the milk, and this is the byproduct. I have been using this as coconut flour in baked goods. The texture is a little different, but I have found that by “roasting” this in the oven for about half an hour, I get the more familiar coconut flour color and flavor. When I make this, I mix it in with the bulk coconut flour I buy and it just makes it go further. I hope that helps!! 🙂 <3
Hi Danielle. Just landed here when looking to make some coconut flour (since it’s really expensive to buy) and I had a question. How much flour does this make? It looks like about a cup.
Hi Laura! Yes, I would say about a cup. 🙂 For me it’s about finding a use for the leftover coconut from making coconut milk, I don’t necessarily make it solely to save on buying coconut flour. 🙂 Hope that helps!
its very nice…. got a high grade in our science investigatory project
Hi there love your site! Just a question though 🙂 instead of using the packaged dry coconut flakes would frozen coconut shreds work for both milk and flour?
Hi, thank you!! I have never used the coconut shreds. You’ll have to try them and let us know!
Love this post! Making coconut flour is one of my favorite ways to still eat the baked goods I love! Can’t wait to check out the coconut flour recipes you included as well <3
I’m recently diagnosed with celiac.
OMG! They all look so good and beautiful, especially that homemade coconut flour. I will try to make homemade coconut flour in my free time. Making coconut flour is one of my favorite way to still eat the baked goods I love.
Of course. Let it thaw, add hot water to extract the milk (I would pulse it in a blender). Strain in a sieve, squeze out milk and proceed from there.
Of course. Let it thaw, add hot water to extract the milk (I would pulse it in a blender). Strain in a sieve, squeze out milk and proceed from there.
Give it a try – you'll be getting milk and flour, both of which you can do SO much!
Give it a try – you'll be getting milk and flour, both of which you can do SO much!
any idea how much damp coconut fiber needed to make 100 g of dry coconut flour?