Experts reveal how to use the whole coconut in your cocktails

Coconuts are a popular culinary ingredient in cultures from Southern Asia to Latin America. The fruit of the coconut palm tree is used in everything from dressings and ceviche to curries and ice cream, often praised by chefs for its versatility.

“The beautiful thing about a coconut is there are so many parts we can use: The water, the sponge, the meat inside,” shares Curtis Duffy, chef of Ever Restaurant and its cocktail bar, After Lounge in Chicago. “With a young coconut, you can use the meat as a garnish. You can roast the meat, shave it, and smoke it. You can grate it tableside. It's limitless what you can do with it.”

Coconut milk

Coconut’s countless uses are likely why mixologists around the world consider it a star ingredient at their bars. At Thunderbolt in Los Angeles, owner and operator Michael Capoferri uses coconut oil as a fat-wash for cocktails like the P-Town Boxing Club, a twist on an old fashioned with coconut-washed rye, Pandan liqueur, and bitters. He uses coconut milk as a plant-based alternative in clarified milk punches and homemade coconut cream in flash-blended or frozen drinks like their Koji Killer, which packs an umami punch from shio koji (a Japanese seasoning). “Coconut as a flavor works very well in both sweet and savory applications. It’s a super malleable and a relatively cost-effective ingredient,” says Capoferri.

He says his favorite cocktail made with coconut at Thunderbolt is the Pastelito, a plant-based, carbonated milk punch created by bartender Wes Meyn and inspired by the ubiquitous guava-cheese Danishes found in LA bakeries. “The coconut provides the texture and ‘lactic’ punch to mimic cream cheese,” explains Capoferri. He adds that coconut milk is “a lifesaver” in these types of milk punches that is more inclusive for vegan or dairy-averse clientele.

Coconut’s viscosity is a feature that Reed Windle, bar lead at n/soto in Los Angeles, praises for its use in fat-washed cocktails as it adds body and texture to a drink while minimizing flavor, but he says his favorite form of coconut is coconut water—and this is what he likes to use in his cocktails. “It packs a punch of coconut flavor without the cloying sweetness of coconut cream or the heaviness of coconut milk,” explains Windle. Plus, it’s packed with electrolytes which makes it deliciously hydrating—something Windle knows all too well as he turns to virgin coconut water after a night of festivities. Not to mention: Coconuts are also rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, as well as vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron and fiber.

When it comes to cocktails, Windle likes to use coconut water in a simple highball. “We carbonate soda in-house, so simply carbonating the coconut water itself and pouring it over your choice of spirit is clean and delicious,” he shares, noting that coconut mingles with most spirits. “Of course, it goes well with rum, tequila, and other spirits associated with bright sandy beaches, but I think it goes equally well—maybe better—with heavier spirits.” Windle likes the contrast of pairing light and refreshing coconut water with spirits with roasted notes. He recommends trying coconut water with barley shochu or a sherry cask whisky.

From a chef’s perspective, Duffy suggests seeking out coconuts that have started to sprout so that the seed inside the nut has begun to consume the coconut’s water and meat after falling from the tree. This is a rare stage he says—which is why they had to seek out a Miami supplier that sources these specific coconuts for their tasting menu—where the inside of the coconut is a “white softball sized sponge that has completely solidified, and that sponge has the most intense coconut flavors,” he explains.

Duffy is known for using freshly sprouted coconut meat in a sweet-savory combo with spruce and lemon balm as the finishing dish at Ever. Yet, he assures that the concentrated natural flavors of the coconut meat makes it great for cocktails too: “I'd take the sponge and Cryovac it with whatever liquor we want to infuse… probably tequila,” says Duffy. This technique would densely infuse the coconut meat with the tequila (or preferred liquor of choice) which Duffy said should then be left for a week. “That results in two usable products: the coconut-infused liquor and the coconut as well.”

Even a fruit as versatile as the coconut has less desirable ways to use it. Chef Duffy, for example, says he won’t pair coconut with rum on an After menu as the synonymy of rum and coconuts is so common that it’s a cliche.

“Don't be afraid to try it in cocktails or formats that aren't only tropical,” emphasizes Windle. “The nutty notes lend themselves well to a variety of types of drinks in the same way you might add walnut, sesame, or cream sherry.”

And always remember, says Capoferri, whether you’re reaching for coconut water, the whole coconut, cream of coconut, or sugars and syrups derived from coconut, make sure you’re using high-quality coconut products. Furthermore, don’t dilute coconuts’ purity with cheap liquor— “A cocktail can only taste as good as the ingredients used,” reminds Capoferri.