Published April 3, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This easy-to-make toasted coconut recipe comes together in minutes and adds just the right amount of crunch and sweetness to your baked goodies. You will love the flavor this brings to your desserts.
Dessert toppings can take your sweet treats over the top while perfectly complimenting everything. If you are looking to try out some tasty sugary toppings, then try my homemade Chocolate Sauce or Cream Cheese Frosting.
Toasted Coconut
Toasted coconut is a process where you bake shaved or shredded coconut until they become light to medium-colored brown. This process will intensify the coconut flavor and provide exceptional texture to whatever you serve it with or on.
There are also varying degrees of toasting when it does come to toasting coconut. It can be toasted even when still white if it’s dried out and has some crunch. Even that light amount of toast will enhance the flavor.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Coconut – I used sweetened coconut shreds for this. You can also use unsweetened coconut shreds, which will slightly sweeten up after toasting but will not be as sweet.
How to Make Toasted Coconut
Evenly spread the coconut shreds on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Do your best to keep the layer as thin as possible. If you need to use two sheet trays lined with parchment paper, then so be it.
Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes or until evenly toasted and light brown.
While baking, come back every 3 to 4 minutes and move the coconut shreds around so that all of them get toasted. I do this by flipping the coconut over and moving the outside edges of the pan covered in coconut shreds to the inside and then pushing the inside out.
Cool them down to room temperature on the rack, which takes about 30 minutes.
Store it, or try serving it on my coconut cake recipe.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 5 days ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover in an airtight container and keep at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. You can freeze these covered for up to 6 months. Thaw them at room temperature until thawed before using.
Chef Notes + Tips
- The other option is to use larger coconut flakes that are sweetened or unsweetened.
- Be careful when baking because they can go from light brown to burnt in a few minutes.
- I always bake things on racks in the lower third to the middle of the oven.
More Dessert Toppings
Toasted Coconut Recipe
Ingredients
- 14- ounce bag of sweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Evenly spread the coconut shreds on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Do your best to keep the layer as thin as possible. If you need to use two sheet trays lined with parchment paper, then so be it.
- Bake in the oven at 350° for 15 to 18 minutes or until evenly toasted and light brown.
- While baking, come back every 3 to 4 minutes and move the coconut shreds around so that all of them get toasted. I do this by flipping the coconut over and moving the outside edges of the pan that is covered in coconut shreds to the inside and then pushing the inside out.
- Cool them down to room temperature on the rack, which takes about 30 minutes.
- Store it, or try serving it on my coconut cake recipe.
Toasted Coconut Recipe