I hadn’t even heard of coconut cream until I needed it for a recipe one night. Then, I wondered where to buy coconut cream and where it might be in the store. Did they even have it? Is it with the milk, or do I find it with the baking stuff?
I was in a huge hurry, and it took a clerk and me almost twenty minutes to find it. I figured it out, so you don’t have to. You can find coconut cream in the grocery if you know where to look. And there are also at least three substitutes you can try if you need it now and don’t have it.
Where to Find Coconut Cream in the Grocery Store
You can find coconut cream at the canned section of the grocery store, usually near the canned fruits and vegetables. If you don’t find it there, you might find it in a specialty foods aisle or with the drink mixers, as sometimes, it’s included in cocktail recipes.
Remember, coconut cream is different than coconut milk. It’s thicker, fattier, and made from pureeing coconut flakes. So you can’t use them interchangeably. But you can find coconut cream in stores near you. Or you can get some online. If you’re cooking and you need a quick substitute, there are a couple of ways to go too.
Where to Buy Coconut Cream Near Me
You can often find coconut cream in a supermarket or other grocery store. Some of the chains below are a great place to try, especially if you already do your regular shopping there.
Kroger
Kroger offers cream of coconut from Goya in a 15 ounce can and from Coco Lopez. This store also offers many coconut cream alternatives if you’re unable to find the exact product you’re looking for.
Publix
Publix often has coconut cream on the shelves, but check with your local store first. Availability may vary depending on your location.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has coconut cream, but it’s not in stock everywhere. If you can find it in your store, consider making a coconut cream pie using the official Trader Joe’s Coconut Cream Pie Recipe.
Walmart
Of course, superstore giant Walmart has organic coconut cream in a 13.5-ounce can. If you aren’t keen on buying an organic version, they also have nonorganic forms. If you can’t find coconut cream in-store, check Walmart’s website. Walmart also offers same-day grocery delivery to your home depending on where you’re located in relation to their stores.
If you can’t find coconut cream in one of these larger stores, try heading to a local specialty store with a lot of Asian influence. Coconut cream is a common feature in many Asian recipes, like some curries, and even if it’s hard to find at a big supermarket, a local Asian grocer is likely to have it.
How to Buy Coconut Cream Online
Amazon
Amazon sells quite a few varieties of coconut cream, so check out organic 365 Coconut Cream, Native Forest Premium Coconut Cream, or Real Gourmet Cream of Coconut. If you are a member of Amazon Prime, you can get free two-day shipping on coconut cream and more items. Some cities are offering same-day grocery delivery with Amazon, but this is dependent on your location.
ebay
It’s a great place to buy, sell, and auction various items, but eBay also sells coconut cream. eBay may not be as reliable as Amazon and other grocery stores, however, if you’re looking for a specific brand or even coconut cream from another country, eBay is a good place to look.
Pure Modern Living
Pure Modern Living offers Thai Kitchen Brand Coconut Cream in a six-pack of cans. They also offer various other brands, so if you have a favorite, there’s no need to compromise.
Can’t Find Coconut Cream? See Top Alternatives
Anytime you can’t find something you need for a recipe, it’s frustrating. But, you’re in luck if you need a coconut cream substitute. You have three solid replacement options to choose from, and they’re all decent substitutes for coconut cream.
Coconut Milk
First, try using coconut milk. Its flavor profile is quite similar to coconut cream. But, it’s much less fatty, sort of the like the difference between regular milk and cream. When you use coconut milk as a substitute for coconut cream, you may want to also add a splash of regular cream to thicken things a bit, as coconut milk might be too thin.
Also, if your recipe calls for you to whip coconut cream, it won’t work well without a dash of cream to help fluff things up.
Whipped Cream
Your second option is to use store-bought or homemade whipped cream. The whipped cream might be too thick for your recipe, so you may want to thin it out with a little bit of coconut milk to try and match the consistency and flavor of coconut cream. You might try mixing half whipped cream and half coconut milk to create the amount of coconut cream you need.
Just make sure to remember that this will add dairy ingredients to your recipe.
Nut Paste
Coconut is a tree nut. So, if you have a nutty paste on hand, it can serve as a substitute for coconut cream. Obviously, coconut paste will be the best for flavor, but that’s pretty hard to find. So, try using almond paste. Place about four ounces of paste into a bowl with just over a cup of water. That will yield about a standard can’s worth of coconut cream substitute.
Blend them thoroughly before adding them to your recipe. If you think it tastes too much like almond or not enough like coconut, consider putting the mixture in the blender with a handful of coconut flakes. This will bump up the coconut flavor and perhaps make things a little creamier too. If you think you added too much and made your mix lumpy, add a dash of water to thin it back out again.
