Ube Buko Shake

Name: Ube Buko Shake
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 2 glasses
Ingredients: 1 cup Young Coconut Meat (Buko), Fresh or thawed frozen, roughly chopped; 0.5 cup Coconut Water, Chilled, from the coconut or a carton; 0.33 cup Ube Halaya, Homemade or jarred; 0.75 cup Whole Milk, Or coconut milk for a dairy-free shake; 2 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk, Adjust to taste; 0.25 tsp Ube Extract, For extra ube aroma; 2 cups Ice Cubes; 2 tbsp Young Coconut Strips, Optional, for topping

Buko shake is a Filipino street-stall favorite: tender young coconut meat blended with its own coconut water, milk, and crushed ice. This version blends in ube halaya for a creamy purple color and a sweet, nutty yam flavor, plus a few drops of ube extract for extra aroma. It takes about ten minutes and one blender. Frozen young coconut meat from an Asian grocery works just as well as fresh coconut.

Photo by Frank Huang on Unsplash

Prep: 10 min · Difficulty: Easy · Makes: 2 glasses

Ubelicious.com is reader-supported. If you buy through links on this page we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Ingredients

1 cup Young Coconut Meat (Buko), Fresh or thawed frozen, roughly chopped
0.5 cup Coconut Water, Chilled, from the coconut or a carton
0.33 cup Ube Halaya, Homemade or jarred
0.75 cup Whole Milk, Or coconut milk for a dairy-free shake
2 tbsp Sweetened Condensed Milk, Adjust to taste
0.25 tsp Ube Extract, For extra ube aroma
2 cups Ice Cubes
2 tbsp Young Coconut Strips, Optional, for topping

Instructions

Chill Everything Make sure the coconut meat, coconut water, and milk are cold before blending. A cold base gives a thick, frosty shake and keeps the ice from melting too fast.
Blend the Base Add the coconut meat, coconut water, ube halaya, milk, condensed milk, and ube extract to a blender. Blend on high for about 30 seconds until completely smooth and evenly purple.
Add the Ice Add the ice and blend again on high for 30-45 seconds, until the shake is thick, smooth, and slushy with no large ice chunks left. Taste and blend in more condensed milk if you want it sweeter.
Serve Right Away Pour into two tall glasses, top with a few strips of young coconut, and serve immediately with wide straws before the shake separates.

Pro Tips

Freeze the coconut water in an ice cube tray ahead of time and use those cubes instead of plain ice, so the shake stays thick without getting watered down.
Swirl a spoonful of ube halaya around the inside of each glass before pouring for a streaky purple look.
If your halaya is very stiff straight from the fridge, warm it for 10 seconds in the microwave so it blends in smoothly instead of leaving lumps.

Variations

Ube Buko Pandan Shake: Add a few drops of pandan extract along with the ube extract for the classic buko pandan flavor pairing.
Ube Mais Shake: Blend in 2 tablespoons of sweet corn kernels and top with crushed pinipig (toasted rice flakes) for a halo-halo-style shake.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

330 calories · 48g carbs · 6g protein · 13g fat · 38g sugar · 3g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I find young coconut meat?

Most Asian and Filipino grocery stores sell frozen shredded young coconut (often labeled buko or macapuno-style young coconut) in the freezer aisle. You can also crack a fresh young Thai coconut and scoop out the soft meat with a spoon.

Can I make this without ube halaya?

Yes. Use 1 tablespoon of ube powder plus an extra tablespoon of condensed milk in place of the halaya. The flavor will be a little lighter and less creamy, so add a few extra drops of ube extract.

Can I make buko shake ahead of time?

It's best served fresh because the ice melts and the shake separates within about 15 minutes. You can blend the base without ice and keep it in the fridge for up to a day, then blend it with ice just before serving.

Recommended Ingredient

OliveNation Natural Ube Flavor Extract — read our review.