This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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!

Why this recipe is so good:
Ingredients needed:
Here’s how to make it:
Cooking tips:
Related recipes:
Coconut Ice Cream Recipe

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. If you’re looking for a lighter frozen treat that doesn’t have an egg based custard base, try out my Orange Sherbet.
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:

Start by whisking the egg yolks and the sugar until very well blended and light in color. These will get set aside.
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.
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.
Chill the hot custard mixture over an ice bath before refrigerating it.
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

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

recipe for homemade Coconut Ice Creamwith toasted coconut

Pin this now to save it for later

Pin It

Coconut Ice Cream

Prep30

Cook30

cool and freeze time4

Total1

Servings

Author Krissy Allori

scoop of coconut ice cream in white dish

Rate Print

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.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the 6 egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Add the 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut to a medium sized heavy saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir the shredded coconut until it begins to brown, about 7 minutes, taking care to prevent burning. Add the 1 cup half-and-half, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup coconut milk, and the 14 ounce canned 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.
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.

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

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

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me a comment below

This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!

4.95 from 39 votes (26 ratings without comment)

59 Comments

Mary Ann says:

May 25, 2026 at 9:35 am

I make ice cream for every holiday except Thanksgiving. We had the coconut ice cream at Easter and this was a total hit, loved by all. Thanks for the great recipe.