Can You Freeze Coconut?

3 minutes

How to Freeze Coconut

Before freezing coconut, you will need to remove the husk and slice it. Also, the liquid inside the coconut doesn’t freeze well, so you will need to remove it and leave it aside. But don’t let it go to waste – it’s super sweet and is delicious as a drink.

But here’s how to successfully freeze coconut:

1. Remove the Husk
   With a sharp knife, slice away the brown husk of the coconut and discard.
2. Drain the Liquid
   Then, pierce the flesh and drain the liquid inside into a separate container. As mentioned already, don’t let this go to waste as it’s delicious!
3. Slice Into Chunks
   Cut the coconut into equal chunks. It doesn’t matter how big or small you make them; just think about how you’re likely to use them.
4. Place Into a Freezer Bag
   Place your coconut chunks into a freezer-safe bag. Press as much air out of the bag as possible before sealing.
5. Label and Freeze
   Label your bag with the date that you sliced the coconut, as well as the date you should use it. Remember, you can freeze coconut for around six months.

3 Tips for Freezing Coconut

Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing coconut to have the best results:

• Sprinkle With Sugar – If you sprinkle your coconut chunks with a light dusting of brown sugar, this helps to preserve them for slightly longer in the freezer. If you do this, however, be sure that it’s only a light dusting, as you don’t want to add too much sugar to the flesh.
• Try Shredding It – Instead of slicing your coconut into chunks, you can shred it. Instead of slicing the chunks, use a hand grater or food processer to shred the flesh of the coconut. You can then add it to a freezer-safe bag and place it in the freezer, just as above.
• Don’t Discard the Liquid – The coconut liquid that you put to one side during the freezing process can be used in several ways. You can drink it as it is, add it to a smoothie, or even enjoy it with a scoop of coconut ice cream! Whatever you do, don’t let it go to waste.

How Long Can You Freeze Coconut?

You can freeze coconut for around six months.

Make sure you freeze your coconut as soon as you can after buying or picking it. As you don’t necessarily know how fresh it is when you get it home, leaving it on the countertop for a few days might result in it going bad before you get the chance to freeze it.

You Can Freeze Coconut for up to 6 Months

How Do You Defrost Coconut?

The best way to defrost coconut is to remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge. However, if you’re planning to use your coconut in a smoothie or as part of a cooked recipe, you don’t necessarily need to defrost it.

This is particularly true if it’s part of a recipe, just be sure that adding it from frozen won’t jeopardise the texture of the dish!

Can You Refreeze Coconut?

Providing you’ve defrosted your coconut in the fridge, it’s perfectly safe to refreeze coconut once it has already been defrosted. However, we would advise against doing this too often, as constantly freezing and thawing coconut begins to alter both its taste and texture.

Instead, it makes sense to separate your coconut chunks into individual portion sizes before you freeze them. This way, you only need to take out what you need at any given time, which reduces the need of refreezing coconut after it has already been defrosted.

Does Coconut Freeze Well?

You’ll be pleased to hear that coconut freezes really well. Although removing the husk and draining the liquid is a bit of a hassle, it’s worth it to have a supply of chopped coconut on hand to add to your cereals, smoothies, and other recipes.

Providing it was fresh when you brought it, and you’ve wrapped it well before freezing, you can preserve coconut in the freezer for up to six months.

Related FAQs

If you’ve still got questions about freezing coconut or coconut in general, then these may help:

Can You Freeze Coconut Milk?

Coconut comes in a range of forms and coconut milk is probably one of the most common forms. The good news is that, yes, you can freeze coconut milk. Never freeze it in the tin. Instead, pour into portions and freeze. Consider the quantities you normally use in your cooking and freeze accordingly.

The same applies to coconut cream.

Can You Freeze Coconut Oil?

Yes, coconut oil can be frozen for a staggering 5 years. Scoop portions of coconut oil into the slots of an ice cube tray before freezing. Once solid, pop the cubes out and store them in a bag for the longer term.