What can I substitute for coconut cream?
Running low on coconut cream? Here are the best verified substitutes, including how to adjust your measurements.
About coconut cream
Coconut cream is a thick, rich product made from simmering shredded coconut flesh in water and straining out the solids, resulting in a high-fat, intensely flavoured liquid. It is used extensively in South-East Asian, South Asian, and Pacific cuisines to add creaminess, body, and a distinctive tropical flavour to curries, soups, desserts, and beverages. Its high fat content (around 20–25%) gives it a luxuriously thick consistency that sets it apart from the thinner coconut milk.
Best substitute
full-fat coconut milk (chilled and skimmed)
Refrigerating a tin of full-fat coconut milk overnight causes the fat to solidify at the top, which can be skimmed off to yield a product very close to coconut cream in richness and flavour. This is the most faithful substitute as it shares the same source ingredient.
Use 1 cup of skimmed coconut fat for every 1 cup of coconut cream
curriesdessertsbakingsoupswhipping
Alternative
full-fat coconut milk (unreduced)
Standard full-fat coconut milk can replace coconut cream directly, though it is thinner and less rich. To compensate, simmer it gently for 10–15 minutes to reduce and concentrate it, or simply use it as-is accepting a slightly looser texture.
Use 1 cup for every 1 cup, or reduce by simmering to thicken
curriessoupsbakingsaucesNot suitable for: whipping
Alternative
thickened (heavy) cream
Thickened cream provides a similar fat content and rich, creamy body and works well in dishes where the coconut flavour is not essential. It lacks the tropical, slightly sweet coconut character but performs well structurally in both sweet and savoury applications.
What is coconut cream called in other countries?
| Country | Name |
|---|---|
| Australia | coconut cream |
| New Zealand | coconut cream |
| United Kingdom | coconut cream |
| United States | coconut cream |
Common names for coconut cream
thick coconut milkcreamed coconut liquidcoconut fat