Coconut Water vs Milk vs Cream

Coconut shows up in drinks in at least five forms, and picking the wrong one can ruin a recipe. Coconut water is thin and lightly sweet. Coconut milk and coconut cream are rich and fatty. Sweetened cream of coconut, the canned syrup used in a classic Piña Colada, is nearly as sweet as simple syrup. Carton coconut milk beverages are something else again.

This guide explains how each is made, how they behave in a shaker or blender, which drinks call for which, and how to store them once opened.

The five coconut products

Labels can look similar, so read them carefully. The fat and sugar content decide how each one acts in a drink.

• Coconut water: clear juice from inside young green coconuts; thin, lightly sweet, no fat to speak of
• Coconut milk (canned): grated coconut pressed with water; creamy and rich, unsweetened
• Coconut cream: like coconut milk but with less water and more fat; thick and spoonable when cold
• Cream of coconut: coconut cream cooked with a lot of sugar; syrupy and sweet
• Coconut milk beverage (carton): diluted, often fortified and stabilized; for pouring over cereal or into coffee

When to use coconut water

Coconut water lightens drinks and adds a mild, nutty sweetness. Use it to lengthen rum or tequila highballs, in smoothies, in lime coolers and in place of some of the water in a large punch. It does not add body, so it will not make a drink creamy.

Fresh coconut water from a just-opened nut tastes brighter than most packaged versions. Some packaged brands taste cooked or slightly sour, so try a few.

When to use coconut milk and cream

Unsweetened coconut milk and cream add richness without much sugar. They suit blended drinks, Vietnamese-style coconut coffee, coconut limeade and tea drinks where you control the sweetness separately.

Shake the can well before opening or whisk the contents in a bowl, because the cream separates on top. In cold drinks, the fat can form small flecks; a hard shake or a short blend keeps the texture smooth.

Cream of coconut in tiki drinks

Most Piña Colada and Painkiller recipes are written for sweetened cream of coconut, which provides both sweetness and body. If you replace it with unsweetened coconut cream, add simple syrup to compensate, roughly 15 ml of 1:1 syrup for every 30 ml of cream of coconut, and taste.

Cream of coconut separates in the can. Warm the can in a bowl of hot water and stir or blend it until smooth, then transfer it to a squeeze bottle for easy pouring.

• Piña Colada: cream of coconut, pineapple, rum, lime
• Painkiller: cream of coconut, pineapple, orange, dark rum
• Limonada de coco: coconut milk or cream of coconut, lime, ice

Swapping one for another

Coconut milk and coconut cream are the most interchangeable; use a little less cream than milk, or thin it with water. Cream of coconut can stand in for coconut cream plus syrup. Coconut water cannot replace any of the rich products, and carton coconut beverages are usually too thin for creamy drinks.

For dairy-free milk drinks, full-fat canned coconut milk diluted with an equal amount of water behaves much like whole milk, though it will taste of coconut.

Storage

Once opened, transfer canned coconut milk, cream or cream of coconut to a clean, covered container and refrigerate. Use coconut milk and cream within about 4 days; sweetened cream of coconut can keep somewhat longer because of its sugar, but check the label. Freeze leftovers in ice-cube trays for smoothies.

Fresh coconut water is perishable. Refrigerate it right away and use it within a day or two. Packaged coconut water should be refrigerated after opening and finished within the time on the label. Do not leave coconut drinks or opened products at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Common questions

Can I use coconut milk instead of cream of coconut in a Piña Colada?

Yes, but the drink will be less sweet and thinner. Use full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream and add simple syrup to taste, starting with about 15 ml per 30 ml of cream of coconut called for.

Why does coconut milk separate in my iced coffee?

Coconut fat solidifies when cold and separates in acidic or very cold drinks. Shake the drink hard, blend it briefly, or mix the coconut milk with a little warm coffee first.

Is coconut cream the same as whipped cream?

No. Coconut cream is a canned, unsweetened coconut product. You can whip the solid fat from a chilled can into a dairy-free topping, but it needs sugar and a cold bowl.