Coconut Cream Vs. Coconut Milk: What’s the Difference

Have you ever wanted to make a recipe calling for coconut cream, but you only have coconut milk on hand? Wondering if you can swap one for the other? Sorry to break the bad news, but the two products aren’t the same. While coconut milk and coconut cream are both blends of coconut meat and water, coconut cream uses far less than coconut milk, making it much richer. As a result, each product has distinct applications in cooking. Confusing things further, cream of coconut exists in a camp all her own. Let us explain.

The primary difference between coconut milk and coconut cream is fat content. “Think of it like butter versus heavy cream,” explains senior test kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic. “Coconut milk has a higher water content, and coconut cream, much like butter, has a higher concentration of fat.”

For the record, when we say coconut milk, we’re referring to regular, full-fat coconut milk. Fat-free and reduced-fat versions are bolstered with gums that help mimic the texture of the real stuff. While they may work in some recipes, those stabilizers can wreak havoc on baked goods and sauces.

To make coconut milk or coconut cream, manufacturers blend fresh coconut meat with either fresh water or coconut water (the liquid sloshing around in the coconut’s center). Look for a brand with an ingredients list that’s as minimal as possible. Shilpa recommends Aroy-D for coconut milk and Thai Kitchen for both coconut milk and coconut cream.

Or, if you want to DIY, you can make either product at home in the same way. Just crack open a fresh coconut (or open a bag of desiccated grated coconut or coconut flakes) and blitz it with your desired amount of liquid before straining out the solids.

When to use coconut milk

Coconut milk’s looser texture makes it well-suited to broth, as in our recipes for Curry Vegetables and Coconut-Lentil Soup. It also works well in marinades, bringing its signature creamy, tropical flavor along for the ride. Shilpa says she uses coconut milk more often than dairy in the kitchen, favoring it for Indian and Thai cooking; try it in her Creamy Coconut Curry Meatballs.

Coconut milk is also a wonderful dairy alternative for vegan baking. While canned coconut milk tends to be richer than regular milk—as well as other non-dairy milks—you’ll often find “coconut milk beverage” in the refrigerated section of some grocery stores. This secondary product is thinned even further than canned varieties and is intended to be used as a 1:1 milk substitute in cereal, as a coffee creamer, in smoothies, and the like.

When to use coconut cream

“When I’m looking for a more concentrated flavor and texture,” says Shilpa, “I use coconut cream.” This product’s higher fat content makes it a workhorse for adding body and richness to soups, curries, and sauces. Because of its dense texture, coconut cream is also a wonderful dairy-free alternative to heavy cream for desserts. Use it in a vegan chocolate mousse or to make a coconut whipped cream topping. It also works well in frostings.

I opened a can of coconut milk to find a thick white layer at the surface—is that coconut cream?

Yes! When you make coconut cream from scratch, the fat solids separate from the liquid as the mixture sits, especially when chilled. This also happens in canned coconut milk—there’s just a smaller ratio of fat to water. Shaking a can of coconut milk before you open it can emulsify the liquids and fat. But if you need coconut cream in a pinch, don’t shake that can. Instead, gently open the can and scrape the top layer of fat from the surface to use as cream. While this is an option, it’s not a full-time substitute for the real thing. Shilpa says, “If I were making vegan whipped cream, I’d go to the supermarket and find canned coconut cream,” which you can be sure has a suitable concentration of fat for becoming aerated.

Can I substitute coconut cream for coconut milk (or vice versa)?

Despite having similar ingredients and production methods, they are not interchangeable. Consider how the water content of the milk and cream might affect your dish before swapping one for the other. “I’d substitute coconut cream for coconut milk because I can always thin out the cream with a bit of water,” Shilpa says. Meanwhile, if you choose to use coconut milk in a recipe that calls for coconut cream, you’ll need to let it cook for a longer time on the stovetop so that the excess liquid can evaporate. And that’s not such a quick affair since you don’t want to boil coconut milk—it might curdle and separate.

What about cream of coconut?

An essential ingredient for tropical drinks, cream of coconut is not the same thing as canned coconut cream. It’s coconut cream sweetened with sugar and often includes added stabilizers—think of it like sweetened condensed coconut milk. Coco López is one popular brand. You’ll see it in a number of cocktail recipes, most notably the Piña Colada. Because of its high sugar content, it can also be a great addition to your dessert pantry. Shilpa likes to caramelize it in the style of dulce de leche or bake it into a coconut pound cake.