How to Toast Coconut

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

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: 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.

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:

• Smoothie Bowls: Toasted coconut is perfect on an Homemade Acai Bowl or to garnish one of our smoothie recipes.
• Oatmeal: Throw a handful onto Best Oatmeal or Instant Pot Oatmeal.
• Pancakes or Waffles: Top a stack of Banana Pancakes, Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Vegan Blueberry Pancakes or Blueberry Waffles.
• Pina Coladas: Use it as a fancy garnish on a Best Piña Colada or Virgin Piña Colada.
• Sundaes or Parfaits: They’re great over ice cream or with berries and whipped cream.
• Baked Fruit: Try our Baked Bananas with Toasted Coconut or Baked Strawberries.
• Granola or Muesli: Add it to Healthy Granola Recipe, or make it as part of Maple Pecan Homemade Muesli.
• Homemade Nut Butter: Throw a handful into Homemade Nut Butter (so good!).

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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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):

• How to Toast Pine Nuts
• How to Toast Almonds
• How to Toast Pecans
• How to Toast Walnuts
• How to Toast a Baguette (or Garlic Toast, or Cheese Toast, or Crostini…)
• How to Toast Sesame Seeds