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Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Homemade coconut ice cream made with silky coconut milk custard, chilled until deeply creamy, then churned and folded with toasted coconut flakes. This easy coconut ice cream recipe delivers dense, fragrant scoops with a tropical toasted-coconut finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling + freezing 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut base
  • 27 oz full-fat coconut milk Use 2 cans (13.5 oz each), well shaken.
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp coconut extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut Toasted, then cooled before folding into the finished churn in the last 2 minutes.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Warm coconut milk custard base
  1. Heat full-fat coconut milk and granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams, about 3–5 minutes, with visible steam rising from the surface.
  2. Whisk egg yolks until smooth in a bowl, about 30–60 seconds, until the yolks look uniform and slightly thick.
  3. Slowly whisk the hot coconut milk mixture into the egg yolks until combined and glossy, keeping the stream steady to prevent scrambling.
  4. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 175F (use a thermometer) and coats the back of a spoon, about 5–7 minutes, with a thick custard texture that clings to the spoon.
Flavor, chill, and churn
  1. Strain the custard into a clean container, then stir in vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt, about 30–60 seconds, until smooth and evenly scented.
  2. Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours until very cold, with the surface set and the mixture chilled throughout.
  3. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker until thick and scoopable, following the machine’s timing, with a soft-serve consistency forming.
  4. Fold in toasted shredded sweetened coconut during the last 2 minutes of churning, then transfer to a container and freeze until firm, about 2–4 hours, until the texture is dense and scoopable.

Notes

Pro tip: cook the custard only until it hits 175F and coats the spoon—if it boils, the texture can turn grainy. Refrigerate any leftover ice cream in a covered container for up to 7 days; freezing is best for up to 2 months (texture may soften slightly after thawing). For a dietary swap, use a coconut extract that’s free of added dairy flavors and double-check ingredients for any allergens; this recipe is naturally dairy-free when made as written.