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    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Coconut Ice Cream

    Published: June 15, 2020 · Updated: June 15, 2020 · By: Krissy · 52 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    This delicious and creamy Coconut Ice Cream is made the old fashioned way with toasted coconut and both heavy cream as well as coconut cream & coconut milk.

    Coconut Ice Cream, made the old fashioned way with toasted coconut, heavy cream, coconut cream & coconut milk, is rich, creamy, and perfectly sweet.

    This recipe teaches you how to make homemade ice cream the classic way with an egg yolk based custard. The result is the most delicious coconut ice cream you've ever had!

    coconut ice cream in white cup

    Why this recipe is so good:

    Homemade old fashioned Coconut Ice Cream is GOOD. It is easy to make and is truly a wonderful dessert recipe.

    • This is a real traditional ice cream recipe that uses egg yolks, sugar, and heavy cream.
    • The addition of sweetened shredded coconut, coconut milk, and coconut cream really enhance the real coconut flavor.
    • This recipe takes time to cook, chill, and process in an ice cream maker, but I promise the end result is worth it!

    Ingredients needed:

    • egg yolks
    • granulated sugar
    • sweetened shredded coconut
    • half and half
    • heavy cream
    • light coconut milk
    • coconut cream

    Here's how to make it:

    1. Start by whisking the egg yolks and the sugar until very well blended and light in color. These will get set aside.
    2. Next you will toast some sweetened coconut in a sauce pan on the stove. The half and half, heavy cream, coconut cream, and coconut milk get added to the shredded coconut and as it heats, the coconut flavor really gets infused. This mixture gets heated just to the point of scalding and then is removed from the heat. 
    3. Use the hot cream to temper the egg mixture, whisking in small amounts at a time to raise the temperature, until all of it can be combined.
    4. Chill the hot custard mixture over an ice bath before refrigerating it. ice cream base chilling over ice bath
    5. After the custard is chilled over the ice bath, refrigerate until it has completely chilled. At that point you can transfer to an Ice cream maker to process.

    The final result is a super creamy, coconut flavored, perfectly sweetened ice cream that your entire family will love.

    Cooking tips:

    • When toasting the coconut, take extra care to stir constantly to prevent burning. It can go from golden brown to burnt quickly, so never leave it unattended.
    • I used a mixture of half and half with heavy cream as well as light coconut milk with coconut cream. I found this to be the perfect combination and balance for a rich and creamy ice cream without it being too heavy. You can modify the proportions depending on your preferences and the recipe will still work.
    • After scalding the cream, you can strain the shredded coconut out prior to mixing with the egg yolk mixture if you prefer, but if you love the taste and texture it adds, leave them in!
    • Take extra care to properly temper the egg by whisking in small amounts of the hot liquid at a time, whisking constantly. This will prevent the eggs from cooking. If you accidentally do cook the eggs, you can filter out any solid pieces through a fine mesh strainer.
    • To prevent ice crystals, a tablespoon of vodka or coconut flavored rum can be added to the mixture prior to freezing.
    • Homemade ice creams need a good 10-15 minutes to sit on the counter after freezing to soften before serving. Trust me on this one. Its worth the wait.
    scooping homemade coconut ice cream out of dish

    Related recipes:

    Love coconut flavored desserts? Me too! Here are some of my favorites:

    • Homemade Dairy Free Coconut Pudding
    • Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
    • Toasted Macadamia Coconut Cookies
    • Coconut Pudding Poke Cake
    • Coconut Berry Icebox Cake
    • Toasted Coconut Cookies
    • Coconut Cake
    • Coconut Cream Pie
    • Coconut Pudding Cheesecake
    recipe for homemade Coconut Ice Creamwith toasted coconut
    scoop of coconut ice cream in white dish

    Coconut Ice Cream

    This delicious and creamy Coconut Ice Cream is made the old fashioned way with toasted coconut and both heavy cream as well as coconut cream & coconut milk.
    4.95 from 34 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    cool and freeze time: 4 hours
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Scale: 6
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    • 6 egg yolks
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (loosely packed )
    • 1 cup half-and-half
    • 1 cup heavy cream
    • 1 cup light coconut milk (canned)
    • 14 ounce can coconut cream

    Instructions

    • In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.
    • Add the coconut to a medium sized heavy saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir the coconut until it begins to brown, about 7 minutes, but do not allow to burn. Add the half and half, heavy cream, coconut milk, and coconut cream and bring to a simmer. You want to scald the mixture without it coming to a boil. Just before it starts to boil, turn the heat off.
    • Slowly pour the hot coconut milk mixture into the yolk mixture, starting with a small amout at first, whisking constantly. Once you've added enough to warm the egg mixture, add a little more, always whisking, until everything has been combined and well mixed. Then pour the mixture back into the pan.
    • Set over medium-low heat and cook, stirring slowly and continuously, until the custard thickens. You know its done if you can wipe your finger across a coated spatula and it leaves a trail. This takes about 5 minutes. Do not allow the custard to boil.
    • Pour the custard into a clean bowl and place over an ice bath to cool while occasionally stirring to mix the hot with the cool. Refrigerate the custard until cold, at least 1 hour.
      ice cream base chilling over ice bath
    • Transfer the custard to an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Make sure your container has been frozen at least over night prior to starting. I have a Cuisinart and had to make the ice cream in two batches, one right after the other, and the mixing process took about 30-45 minutes per batch. Transfer the ice cream to a container, cover and freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes about 1 quart.
      This delicious and creamy Coconut Ice Cream is made the old fashioned way with toasted coconut and both heavy cream as well as coconut cream & coconut milk.

    Notes

    Cooking tips:
    • When toasting the coconut, take extra care to stir constantly to prevent burning. It can go from golden brown to burnt quickly, so never leave it unattended.
    • I used a mixture of half and half with heavy cream as well as light coconut milk with coconut cream. I found this to be the perfect combination and balance for a rich and creamy ice cream without it being too heavy. You can modify the proportions depending on your preferences and the recipe will still work.
    • After scalding the cream, you can strain the shredded coconut out prior to mixing with the egg yolk mixture if you prefer, but if you love the taste and texture it adds, leave them in!
    • Take extra care to properly temper the egg by whisking in small amounts of the hot liquid at a time, whisking constantly. This will prevent the eggs from cooking. If you accidentally do cook the eggs, you can filter out any solid pieces through a fine mesh strainer.
    • To prevent ice crystals, a tablespoon of vodka or coconut flavored rum can be added to the mixture prior to freezing.
    • Homemade ice creams need a good 10-15 minutes to sit on the counter after freezing to soften before serving. Trust me on this one. Its worth the wait.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 668kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 54g | Saturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 264mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 985IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2.3mg
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    This recipe was originally published in July 2014 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anne Marie Carroll

      April 03, 2021 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      excellent and easy

      Reply
    2. Jamie

      July 07, 2020 at 11:29 am

      Sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        July 07, 2020 at 1:52 pm

        unsweetened

        Reply
    3. Jenna

      April 04, 2020 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Krissy i want to add chocolate chips to the recipe i was wondering if i could do that and if so how much would you recommend adding.

      Reply
    4. Jenna

      April 02, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      Hi Krissy i want to put mini chocolate chips in this recipe can i do that and if so how much would you reccomend to put in.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        April 10, 2020 at 9:05 am

        That's totally a matter of preference! My official answer would be a couple of handfuls. 🙂

        Reply
    5. Rocío

      July 04, 2019 at 4:01 am

      Can’t wait to try this! I wanted a recipe that uses heavy cream and coconut milk, so I’m going to give it a try! Definitely planning to add chopped pecans at the end...will come back with how it goes!

      Also, you mentioned being in the market for a new ice cream maker. I have the 4-qt nostalgia electric wooden bucket ice cream maker and I LOVE it. Don’t have to worry about the bucket being cold enough because it’s the kind where you add ice to the outside. A little messier than the freezer bucket kind (which I did used to have but it broke...). Plus I think 4 qt in one go is perfect. Wish I had the time to make smaller batches more often, but this is perfect for us 🙂

      Reply
    6. Karen Stone

      February 24, 2019 at 1:29 am

      I buy the Thrifty brand pineapple coconut ice cream.
      I think it is heavenly.
      I recently started making our own ice cream since we got a ice cream maker.

      This recipe sounds like a good creamy one.
      I’m looking forward to making it this week and will give a reply afterwards.
      Thank you for sha4ing your recipe,

      Reply
    7. Darren

      January 06, 2019 at 8:18 pm

      5 stars
      This sounds awesome, I have a 6 quart freezer, you said it makes approx 1 quart. It sounds extreme to go x6 on some of the ingredients, Like the eggs and sugar etc. how would you mix for this? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        January 07, 2019 at 3:13 pm

        Hi Darren, You have a 6 qt freezer or a 6 qt ice cream maker? I'm a small batch ice cream kinda girl, but if you have the means to make a bigger batch, I would just multiply and go!

        Reply
    8. Michell

      July 31, 2018 at 10:15 pm

      5 stars
      Omg Delich

      Reply
    9. Ann

      July 25, 2018 at 9:13 pm

      5 stars
      OMG I just made it today, it is so delicious. I will be making some more for my friends. By the way, I’ve added a teaspoon of salt to balance out the sweetness. Thanks for sharing the recipe

      Reply
    10. Jessica

      July 07, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      The only coconut ice cream I've ever tasted is the paleo/dairy-free kind (blech!), so I was intrigued about what a custard based ice cream would taste like. I bought a box of Samoa Girl Scout cookies and kept it in my freezer to use for this recipe. Amazingly, hubby didn't eat the cookies beforehand (what willpower!). OMG, it was everything I thought it would be. The only thing I changed was to strain out the coconut before putting the custard in the ice bath because I thought the shredded coconut would have a weird texture in the ice cream; I added a teaspoon of vanilla (because why not?), the crushed cookies and a few chocolate chips. It was awesome on a hot summer day. Thanks so much for the recipe! Hubby is a huge fan too! Next time I make it, I'll use this recipe with mango puree. Should be awesome!

      Reply
    11. Marilyn

      November 15, 2017 at 11:03 pm

      DO I HAVE TO USE AN ICE CREAM MAKER? WHAT ABOUT TRAYS?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        November 16, 2017 at 5:11 am

        You don't have to. That's just how I do it.

        Reply
    12. Ann

      October 29, 2017 at 11:13 am

      Added some rough chopped toasted almonds and mini dark chocolate chips!!! OMG it was almond joy heaven!!! Made this for my daughter's birthday and it was a hit. Making it again for sister's gathering this week! Nice twist if you like almond joy!

      Reply
      • Ann

        October 29, 2017 at 4:17 pm

        P.S. - I did substitute a 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk for the coconut cream, decreased fhd sugar to 1/2 cup and added a little coconut extract.
        Ann

        Reply
    13. Irene

      August 03, 2017 at 7:29 am

      5 stars
      Awesome recipe just made it, so yummy 🙂 subbed half and half with full fat milk, and made my own swetened coconut from regular shredded conconut, still delicious. Stayed really good consistensy too while eating, didn't melt to a puddle 🙂

      Reply
    14. Steve Gentis

      July 23, 2017 at 11:33 am

      Way too sweet. Cloyingly. Way more fat than any ice cream needs to be a success. So much fat that the texture and mouthfeel were both off.
      I've made lots of ice cream with coconut being a favorite-thought I'd try this one. I fear most of it will go down the kitchen drain!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 18, 2017 at 2:12 pm

        Sorry you feel that way. We love this recipe.

        Reply
      • Aline

        June 30, 2019 at 10:37 am

        I agree with you’re completely! This recipe sounded awesome and I really wanted it to work (as would anyone investing time and ingredients into making something), but the recipe just falls short. I wrote a review as well but it wasn’t approved or published.

        Reply
        • Krissy

          July 05, 2019 at 12:59 pm

          I'm sorry it didn't work out for you guys (and I'm not sure I saw your review come through, Aline). Hopefully you enjoy some of the other recipes on my site!

          Reply
    15. Jo

      May 01, 2017 at 9:27 pm

      In Australia & the UK I think we just refer to it as pouring/cooking cream. The stuff you can't whip no matter how hard you try.

      Reply
    16. Noushinator

      April 19, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      5 stars
      I'm making this right now! I'm going to add caramel and nuts afternoon goes in the ice cream maker...im so excited!

      Reply
    17. Vanida

      January 28, 2017 at 4:24 pm

      Hello,
      Could you please tell me if I need a ice maker or ice "cream" maker for this recipe? are they one in the same or is there a difference?
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        February 12, 2017 at 6:31 am

        Ice cream maker is definitely different than an ice cube maker.

        Reply
    18. Giuseppe Basile

      January 27, 2017 at 1:36 am

      In your ingredients you list by itself 'one cups half and half ' but you don't say what exactly...please explain

      Reply
      • Krissy

        February 12, 2017 at 6:40 am

        Should have said one cup, not cups. Half and half is something you can buy in the store (we put it in coffee). Thicker than milk, not as thick as heavy cream. Krissy

        Reply
    19. monika

      December 20, 2016 at 10:10 am

      5 stars
      Had to bring a "coconut themed dessert" for work. Delicious and (relatively) easy. Five stars!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        January 16, 2017 at 7:54 am

        Thank you for coming back to let me know! -Krissy

        Reply
    20. Veronica Hofto

      September 02, 2015 at 12:27 am

      Hi!
      I just googled coconut ice-cream and found your recipe. I will try it in the next few days. One question. What is half and half? I can only assume you mean fat reduced milk (?).
      You recipes look fabulous. I can't wait to try them.

      Veronica, Tasmania, Australia

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 10, 2015 at 1:52 pm

        Hi Veronica! Half and half is what we use for cream in our coffee. It is basically in between full fat milk and heavy cream. Hope that helps! -Krissy

        Reply
      • Marjorie

        July 26, 2017 at 6:41 am

        For all the people asking..
        This is how to make half and half in Australia.
        Mix 1/2 cup whole milk + 1/2 cup light cream.
        Mix 3/4 cup whole milk + 1/4 cup heavy cream.
        Mix 2/3 cup skim or low-fat milk + 1/3 cup heavy cream.

        I've been looking for a good coconut ice cream recipe.. can't wait to try this!

        Reply
        • Marjorie

          July 26, 2017 at 6:45 am

          Oh I should mention, it's 3 different ways to make "half and half", depending on what you have at home.

          Reply
        • Jennifer

          August 07, 2021 at 9:09 pm

          Is the coconut cream sweetened or unsweetened?

          Reply
          • Krissy

            August 11, 2021 at 4:39 am

            unsweetened

            Reply
      • Jamie

        June 04, 2020 at 2:10 pm

        Half and half is 10% milk fat

        Reply
      • Pia

        March 03, 2021 at 4:53 am

        Hi there just wanted to know when you say coconut cream... is it the plain unsweetened one?

        Reply
        • Krissy

          March 03, 2021 at 5:40 am

          Yes!

          Reply
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