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Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Homemade coconut ice cream made with a silky toasted-coconut custard, churned for a dense, creamy texture. Ivory coconut milk ice cream with toasted coconut flakes folded through for a fragrant tropical 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: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coconut base
  • 2 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp coconut extract
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Toasted coconut
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut Toast before folding into the churned ice cream.

Equipment

  • 1 ice cream maker
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Cook the coconut custard
  1. Heat the full-fat coconut milk and granulated sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture steams.
  2. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth, then slowly whisk the hot coconut milk into the yolks to temper them.
  3. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard reaches 175F and coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes).
Strain, flavor, and chill
  1. Strain the custard into a clean container, then stir in vanilla extract, coconut extract, and salt until fully combined.
  2. Cool completely, then refrigerate for 4 hours until very cold.
Churn and finish with toasted coconut
  1. Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions, until thickened.
  2. Fold in the toasted shredded sweetened coconut in the last 2 minutes of churning, then freeze until firm.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, keep the custard at a gentle medium-low simmer and stir constantly so it thickens without scrambling the yolks. Chill until fully cold (at least 4 hours) before churning; store in an airtight container in the freezer up to 2 months. For best scoopability, let the ice cream sit 5–10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Dietary swap: replace egg yolks with a cooked thickener is not recommended for the same custard set, but you can keep it dairy-free by using full-fat coconut milk as written.