How to Toast Coconut on the Stove

Toasting coconut flakes is so easy and delicious. You can add it to so many recipes and it only takes 10 minutes. Scroll down and get the recipe now.

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I love coconut and it’s so good toasted.  I was talking to a friend the other day and she hadn’t even thought of toasting it.  She had no idea how to do it.  I told her and she said it would be a perfect post for the blog so here I am.  

It’s great to add to cookies, oatmeal, trail mix, and protein balls. You can buy toasted coconut flakes, but why would you when it’s so easy to make? Scroll down to get the instructions on how to toast coconut.

How to Toast Coconut Flakes

Toasting coconut is so easy and you can use it in so many ways.  I love it in my morning oatmeal, on top of cakes and pies, and even in dinner dishes.

 I just buy shredded coconut from the baking section in the grocery store.  You can purchase it sweetened and unsweetened.  It’s your choice and you can buy whichever you prefer, but I normally buy the sweetened coconut flakes.

There are different ways to toast coconut flakes, but my favorite way is on the stovetop. You can bake it in the oven on a large baking sheet, but I’m always afraid it will burn so I like doing it on the stove so I can keep a close eye on it.

Kitchen Tools to make Toasted Coconut

• Wooden spoons– I use wooden spoons all the time and have a drawer full. You can never have too many.
• Stainless Steel pan– All my pots and pans are from a Canadian brand called Paderno. I love them and they have held up well over the years. You can buy them off Amazon, but I purchased the straight from their website.
• Glass Jars– I have these glass jars with attached lids. I store my brown sugar and craisins in them, along with my toasted coconut flakes. They work great and look good sitting on your counter and pantry too.

How do I toast coconut?

Step 1

Spread coconut out in a thin layer in a skillet and cook on low heat. On my stove that was set on 4 out of 10.   Update: Do not spray the pan with a nonstick spray. Just add the coconut directly to your pan.

Step 2

You need to just stir, continuously. Do not let it sit!  It will start to burn very quickly.  You need to keep stirring.

It starts by letting off a stronger smell and will gradually start to turn brown up.  You’ll also start to hear the coconut getting crunchier.  

Step 3

The coconut will take about 8-10 minutes and will become lightly browned.

I was nervous to take this picture because I didn’t want it to burn!!

Step 4

Let cool completely and store toasted coconut in an airtight container.

You can keep it in an airtight container and you’ll notice that you can add it to a lot of things you are already eating. Enjoy!

Recipes that have toasted coconut

Here are a couple of recipes that I have on my site that have coconut. However, you can always add it to any cookie recipe to get a great flavor.

• Coconut Ice Cream Pie
• No Bake Protein Balls