Coconut kefir is a nourishing dairy-free fermented beverage made with coconut milk, date paste, and kefir grains. It contains potent anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties, making it an excellent food to keep in your kitchen.
Kefir is a fermented beverage traditionally made with milk. It’s full of beneficial bacteria that’s known to boost the immune system, heal the gut and reduce digestive issues. Kefir also contains powerful probiotics that may have health benefits.
What Is Coconut Kefir?
Coconut milk kefir is very similar to dairy kefir. It has all the same benefits, but it’s safe for those with lactose intolerance.
You can make it completely dairy-free when you use a water kefir as a starter culture, which is perfect for those with dairy allergies or who follow a vegan diet. It can be made with coconut water to make a hydrating sparkling drink or with coconut milk to make creamy beverage. Both are delicious! You can read my full tutorial on making coconut water kefir here.
Coconut Kefir Ingredients
This coconut kefir recipe has just three ingredients:
- One quart of full-fat coconut milk. (Good quality matters! Here’s my favorite brand – if you want the full analysis, here’s my writeup on the best coconut milk brands)
- One teaspoon Date Paste or Organic Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Prepared Water Kefir or Coconut Water Kefir (if you have more time, here’s how to make your own coconut water kefir)
How To Use Coconut Kefir
You can use it instead of coconut yogurt for breakfast. Top with berries and gluten-free granola for a healthy breakfast! It also tastes great in a smoothie, salad dressing, soups or in coconut popsicles (use in place of coconut milk)!
Related Recipes:
- How To Make Coconut Yogurt
- Coconut Water Kefir
- Cream of Coconut (Coco Lopez Cream of Coconut Alternative)
- Coconut Ice Cream Recipe
Coconut Kefir Recipe
Coconut kefir is a nourishing fermented beverage made with coconut milk, date paste and kefir grains. It contains powerful anti-bacterial, anti-fungle and anti-inflammatory properties, making it a superior food to keep in your kitchen.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 18 hours
- Total Time: 18-20 hours
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: Fermented
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 4 cups Full Fat Coconut Milk (about 2 Cans)
- 1 Teaspoon Date Paste or Organic Sugar
- 1/4 cup Prepared Water Kefir or Coconut Water Kefir
Instructions
- Before you get started you’ll need 1/4 cup of prepared water kefir or coconut water kefir. You can use homemade or store bought.
- Next, you’ll need some coconut milk. I like natural valley coconut milk because it’s organic, BPA free and is additive free.
- Pour your coconut milk into a very clean blender and add 1 teaspoon of date paste or organic sugar. You need to add sugar to your milk for the cultures to eat during the fermentation process. Blend the coconut milk and date paste up and pour the milk into a glass jar.
- Add 1/4 cup of water kefir to the milk and gently mix. Don’t mix too vigorous, just enough to combine the kefir with the coconut milk.
- Put the lid on the jar and let it ferment at room temperature for 18-24 hours, or until it’s tart and sour.
- Store in the refrigerator.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 18.5g
- Carbohydrates: 5.5g
- Protein: 1.5g
Hi – how do I know if my Coconut Kefir isn’t good? I did just purchase ph testing strips – what ph should it be to be safe? Also, what’s the longest time you can have it out fermenting? Lastly, why is it bad to stir it with a metal spoon and is it okay to stir it at all during the fermenting process? thank you!
I was given some Kafir, the person who gave it to me had it given to her, friend makes her kafir with goats milk, I need dairy free, can I use coconut milk instead,
The recipe says kefir water, does this mean kefir water grains or pre-made water kefir that has been made from kefir grains?
Pre-made water kefir from the grains.
Can one use a probiotic capsule contents with the coconut water to make kefir? The only packages I found were not kosher, and might be dairy or a gf grain. I wrote to the company to find out.
I have been using milk kefir grains to make coconut milk kefir and it seems to work very well. When the grains seems a little less vital, maybe after every third batch, I switch them back into milk for a few times and then return to coconut milk. Everyone seems happy. What I do notice is that the coconut milk ferments and separates very much more quickly than the milk. Can you say what is going on here and is this ‘Bad’, meaning it has less nutirtional value?
After making my coconut kefir, as per your recipe, I shook it and refrigerated it. It separated quickly. I shake before drinking, but the fat lumps are difficult for me. Can you blend it again? After fermentation, can we add an emulsifier like lecithin? Will that kill the cultures? Why does your look so smooth? What are my options? The taste is good. The fatty lumps are not.
Also, the volume dropped by at least a third. How do I keep the volume up? I appreciate the help! Thank you for your recipes!
Hello coconut mama. I’m so glad I ran across your website while googling homemade sunscreen. My question is, when you say in the recipe, 1/4 cup prepared coconut water kefir, this can be taken from a store bought one, right? And then, I can use 1/4 cup from the batch I make to start my next one. Is this correct? Thank you.
Yes, you are correct!
Can I use store bought milk in carton? I don’t like cans?
Hello, I’ve tried to make this recipe twice but failed on both attempts. I end up with the coconut solids floating on top of the liquid instead of the nice creamy yoghurt consistency shown in your webpage photo.
I use Biona organic coconut milk and kefired water that I’ve made by fermenting water kefir grains in sugared water using the ratios; 1litre filtered water, 4tblspn sugar and 4tblspn water kefir grains.
Could you please tell me where I’m going wrong?
Thanks for the great recipe! My family is dairy free, both my kids are allergic to milk. I was wondering, after I add the coconut milk to the finished water kefir, do I let it ferment again at room temperature with a breatheable lid or do the second ferment at room temperature in a sealed bottle like when I do a second ferment with fruit juice to make a water kefir “soda”? And will this get carbonated like water kefir “soda”? Thank you!
Hi, I made this recipe using fresh coconut flesh that I blended up myself with the coconut water. I mixed this with a little rapadura sugar and kefir. I let it sit over night in a glass bowl with a cloth over it and in the morning discovered a lot of it had bubbled up and spilled out of the bowl. What do you think I did wrong? Could it be the sugar content too high because of the coconut water blended in, or too much kefir added?
how do you make subsequent batches without buying more kefir? or do you need to keep buying more water kefir to make the coconut kefir?
I’ve been told the process is similar to making yogurt. so, do you save some of the coconut kefir to create a new batch?
Hi….I’ve been following your site for over a year now and have tried many of your recipes. All have been great!
I had previously thought that you needed kefir grains to make kefir. It would be great to learn otherwise!
Kefir grains are the best for making milk kefir and water kefir, but not necessary for making coconut kefir. You can use kefir from the previous batch and you can buy powdered kefir starter to make kefir.
I have some goat milk kefir in the frig. Can I use that instead to the coconut milk for fermentation?
You sure can!
Where do you buy water or coconut water Kefir. I love your recipes. Thanks
Water kefir and coconut water kefir is sold at many health food stores.
Hello Coconut Mama
I just read your coconut kefir recipe and so look forward to trying it. I have been thinking about making my own coconut kefir for years, I also have Donna Gates brilliant book and use Natural Value coconut milk for all your listed reasons. The primary reason I hadn’t tried it was having no local source of young coconut milk/water so, thank you SO much for pointing out an easy alternative.
You’re welcome, Andrea! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. It means the world to me. 🙂
I am very interested in the coconut kefir. How much should be consumed each day to get the most health benefits?
Thank you so much for your recipes, I’ve never been much of a baker but I’m sure gonna try because I know theses recipes are a lot more healthy and look delicious! Thank you so much!
Thanks for stoping by and leaving a comment, Sharyn!
Can I use milk kefir grains to make coconut kefir.
I have milk kefir grains since I make milk kefir
hi. Can this be made with kefir grains, rather than with kefir as a starter?
My attempts to make this with kefir grains failed. That doesn’t mean you can’t do it! I only have water kefir grains, not milk kefir grains. That may be the problem.