Recipe

Browned Coconut Butter

by Tim Chin

Anyone who has heated a few pats of butter in a skillet past the point of sputtering and foaming knows the intense aroma, flavor, and pleasure of browned butter. The milk solids that drop to the bottom of the skillet when the butter’s emulsion breaks undergo the Maillard reaction and produce hundreds of new flavor compounds. There is nothing quite like browned butter. Or is there? Coconut butter, essentially a puree of coconut flesh, is a rich mixture of coconut oil, starch, protein, and sugars teeming with fresh coconut flavor. While playing around with different coconut products, I stumbled upon a simple process for making something just as complex as browned butter. By slowly browning coconut butter over a low flame, I produced something with the caramelized complexity of dulce de leche, the consistency and texture of tahini, and the intense flavor of toasted coconut. Oh, and did I mention it’s vegan? My browned coconut butter is perfect as a spread on toast (“new”tella?) and as a nutty, toasty addition to hummus-like dips and curries that include coconut milk. Perhaps most important of all, it’s the perfect base for my Chewy Browned Coconut Butter Cookies (also vegan!). To learn more about the science of coconut oil (and other cooking oils) check out our feature story, Striking Oil.

Photography by Steve Klise
Food Styling by Marie Piraino

Yield
About 2 cups (425 grams)
Ingredients
425 g coconut butter (1 jar)
15 ounces coconut butter (1 jar)
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 425 g coconut butter (1 jar)
    Place jar of coconut butter in pot of just-simmering water until coconut butter is softened enough to be easily scooped from jar. (Avoid using microwave for this step as coconut butter may heat unevenly and burn in spots.)  
  1. Transfer coconut butter to large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until medium brown, 6 to 8 minutes, as shown in this video. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer browned butter to airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. (Browned coconut butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.) To use, microwave container in 5-second increments until coconut butter is just soft enough to stir. Stir to thoroughly combine and measure out quantity needed. (Start with a batch of our Chewy Browned Coconut Butter Cookies.) 
Instructions
    • 15 ounces coconut butter (1 jar)
    Place jar of coconut butter in pot of just-simmering water until coconut butter is softened enough to be easily scooped from jar. (Avoid using microwave for this step as coconut butter may heat unevenly and burn in spots.)  
  1. Transfer coconut butter to large saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until medium brown, 6 to 8 minutes, as shown in this video. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Transfer browned butter to airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. (Browned coconut butter can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.) To use, microwave container in 5-second increments until coconut butter is just soft enough to stir. Stir to thoroughly combine and measure out quantity needed. (Start with a batch of our Chewy Browned Coconut Butter Cookies.) 
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