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Toasted coconut brings a nutty flavor and crisp crunch to oatmeal, smoothies, and desserts! Here’s how to toast coconut two ways.

How to toast coconut
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Toasted coconut is the way to make coconut taste next level! Toasting coconut enhances its nutty flavor, turns it a lovely golden brown and gives it a satisfying crunch. You can immediately taste the difference! It’s perfect for garnishing smoothie bowls or oatmeal, pancakes, or even just on ice cream as a simple dessert. (Our favorite is throwing a handful in homemade nut butter.) You can use an oven or the stove to make it, and the same method works for shredded or large flakes. Here’s how to toast coconut!

Toasted coconut: on the stove

Make toasted coconut on the stovetop when you have a small quantity and want to make it quickly.

  • Pros: This method is so fast: it takes only 3 minutes!
  • Drawbacks: Toasting coconut on the stovetop can cook unevenly, and it’s harder to toast large quantities.
  • Basic stovetop method (go to recipe): Place the coconut in a dry skillet (don’t add oil!). Heat over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Our biggest tip: do not leave the stove because the coconut can burn very easily. We know from experience!
How to toast coconut on the stove

How to toast coconut: in the oven

Make toasted coconut in the oven when you have time to preheat the oven! You can also toast large quantities at once.

  • Advantages: This method cooks the coconut more evenly than the stovetop method, and you can cook lots of coconut at once.
  • Drawbacks: You’ll need to wait for the oven to preheat: about 10 to 15 minutes!
  • Basic oven method (go to recipe): Preheat to 350 degrees and bake the coconut on a baking sheet about 4 to 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Again, don’t leave the oven because they can burn easily.
How to toast coconut in the oven

Ways to use toasted coconut

There are endless ways to use toasted coconut! It’s perfect for smoothie bowls, oatmeal, pancakes, and even desserts. It adds a toasty crunch and a nutty flavor to any of the following:

Acai bowl

Storage info

After you make toasted coconut (and your kitchen smells amazing), you can use them immediately! Here’s how to store leftovers, if you have them:

  • Cool fully and place in a sealed container. We use a small glass container with lid.
  • Store at room temp for 1 month OR
  • Freeze to extend the life even further, up to 3 months or more. It stays perfectly crisp in the freezer, so we like this method best! (We also do this with our Coconut Bacon.)
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How to toast coconut

How to Toast Coconut


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  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 0 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cup 1x
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Description

Toasted coconut brings a nutty flavor and crisp crunch to oatmeal, smoothies, and desserts! Here’s how to toast coconut two ways.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup coconut, shredded or large flakes (or any quantity; for more than 1 cup use the oven method)

Instructions

  1. Stovetop method: Place the coconut in a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat. Heat, shaking the pan and stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the coconut is fragrant and golden brown, about 3 minutes. Stay at the stove because the coconut can easily burn! Remove immediately from the heat and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
  2. Oven method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the coconut on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for about 4 to 5 minutes until fragrant and golden brown, stirring once. Do not stray far from the oven, since the coconut can go from toasted to burned quickly. Remove immediately and transfer to a plate to stop the cooking.
  3. Use immediately. Or, allow to cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 month and frozen at least 3 months.
  • Category: Essentials
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

More toasted recipes!

So many foods taste better toasted! Here are all our our methods on how to toast nuts and seeds (and even bread):

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

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