If you love all things coconut, you're going to love this homemade Toasted Coconut Syrup. With just a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps, you'll have a rich, nutty syrup that adds sweet, toasty depth to everything from coffee to cocktails.
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It's been a long time since toasted coconut syrup was available at
Which means we're going to make all kinds of delicious coconut coffee drinks! In fact, a little birdie told me that toasted coconut is going to be the flavor of 2026.
I love this simple recipe for toasted coconut syrup because it's easy to make and so, so versatile, including being delicious in the Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew.
It has lots of uses other than yummy
❤️ Why this recipe works
Toasting the coconut brings out a depth in flavor: lightly browning the coconut draws out its natural oils and gives the syrup a warm, nutty complexity instead of just being sweet.
Steeping gives the syrup more coconut flavor: After simmering the toasted coconut with water and sugar, you'll let it steep for 20-30 minutes to ensures as much coconut flavor as possible is infused into the syrup.
Options to make with unsweetened or sweetened coconut: I like making this syrup with unsweetened coconut, but as sweetened can sometimes be easier to find, I give you options for making it with both.
Can be made with un-toasted coconut if desired:
Easy to make ahead of time and stored in fridge: once you make the syrup, you can store it in an airtight container in your fridge for about a month. Which means you can whip up a toasted coconut drink whenever you want in no time at all!
🗒 Ingredients
Here's everything you need to make toasted coconut syrup (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):
- Unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes: I recommend unsweetened, but it's also easy to make this syrup with sweetened coconut
- Water
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
🥥 Recipe tips
- The first step is to toast your coconut. Be sure to watch it closely as you're toasting it as it can go from un-toasted to burnt pretty quickly. You'll also want to stir it a couple times so that it browns evenly.
- Note that if you're using sweetened coconut, this will toast even faster than unsweetened coconut because of the sugars.
- Most of my simple syrup recipes call for bringing the mixture to a boil and then lowering to a simmer. For this one, I recommend just simmering from the start. Coconut can get bitter if heated too much and you don't want the syrup to get too thick.
- When letting the coconut seep in the syrup, cover your saucepan so the steam is trapped.
- When straining coconut out of the mixture, gently press down on it with a wooden spoon or spatula to extract as much liquid and flavor from the coconut as possible.
- Syrup will continue to thicken as it cools. Be sure to cool it completely before using.
- You may notice that the natural oils in the coconut have separated a bit in the fridge. You can just give your container a quick shake before using.
It's no surprise that this toasted coconut syrup tastes exactly like toasted coconut. You may have to stop yourself from sipping it right out of the jar instead of using it as an actual ingredient.
🧋 How to use
And there are SO many drinks and dishes this syrup can be used in. Here are some of my favorites:
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- In coffee and lattes: This is a delicious and easy way to add coconut flavor to your coffee. It adds a little sweetness and an almost creaminess, but without cream or milk.
- Starbucks Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew: Once you've made this syrup, you can add it to the cold brew and the cold foam in this drink!
- Starbucks Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato: This vibrantly colored gorgeous drink also uses toasted coconut syrup in both the drink and the cold foam.
- Tea sweetener: You can also use it to sweeten tea. I especially like it in black tea, but it's also amazing in chai tea lattes!
- Cocktail addition: Add this syrup to Piña Coladas, mojitos, or even a simple vodka seltzer.
- Homemade coconut soda: If you love La Croix's coconut seltzer, you can now make your own homemade soda by just adding a little of the syrup to some plain seltzer water.
- Drizzled over pancakes, waffles, and French toast: Instead of maple syrup, drizzle toasted coconut syrup over all your favorite brunch foods. You can sprinkle some shredded coconut on for good measure.
- Oatmeal and yogurt topping: You can also drizzle is over your healthy breakfasts for some sweet tropical flavor.
- Drizzled over ice cream: Add a little coconut flavor to any flavor of ice cream. Drizzling over chocolate ice cream will taste like a Mounds Bar! Add chopped almonds for Almond Joy flavor.
- Buttercream flavoring: You can add the syrup to a plain, vanilla, or chocolate buttercream frosting for a little extra fun flavor.
- Whipped cream flavoring: Similarly to with buttercream, you can use the syrup to make toasted coconut whipped cream.
- Cake moistener: A lot of bakers brush their homemade cakes with simple syrup to keep them moist and add sweetness and flavor. Coconut flavor would be delicious on vanilla cake, but also works with chocolate and even lemon.
- Salad dressing ingredient: This would be tasty when combined with olive oil and lime juice for any salad you want to give a tropical flair to.
⏲️ How to store
I recommend storing this toasted coconut syrup in an airtight container in the fridge. When stored properly, it should keep fresh for about a month.
🎉 Variations on recipe
I think this toasted coconut syrup is absolutely delicious as is, but there are so many ways you can make it your own. Here are some ideas:
- Don't toast the coconut. If you want a standard coconut syrup, leave the coconut as is. Instead of being a brown color, it will be white like in the photo below.
- Add a little vanilla extract when you're done simmering the syrup.
- Add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the syrup.
- Add a tiny bit of almond extract for almond joy vibes.
- Add a little rum extract for cocktail vibes.
- Replace half the granulated sugar with brown sugar for more caramelized flavor.
- To make a creamier syrup, replace ¼ cup of the water with full-fat coconut milk (the kind in the can).
🛍️ Where to buy
This syrup is incredibly easy to make, but if you want to make the
There aren't a ton of options available (most are just regular coconut), but here are a few:
- Liber & Co Toasted Coconut Syrup
- Monin Toasted Coconut Syrup (this is Monin's 2026 syrup of the year!)
- Starbucks Toasted Coconut Syrup
Are you excited that toasted coconut is likely going to be everywhere in 2026 and beyond?
📖 Recipe
Toasted Coconut Syrup
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Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes (see notes if using sweetened coconut)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Lightly toast coconut. I recommend preheating oven to 325 degrees F and spreading coconut evenly on a baking sheet. Bake for 5-8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until coconut is lightly golden.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine water, sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar dissolves.
- Add toasted coconut to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes, until mixture thickens a bit.
- Remove saucepan from heat, cover, and let steep for 20-30 minutes to continue infusing coconut flavor.
- Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing lightly on the coconut with a wooden spoon or spatula to extract as much flavor and liquid as possible.
- Keep coconut syrup in bowl or transfer to mason jar and cool completely before using.
- Store syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 month.
Notes
- If using sweetened coconut: If you're making this syrup with sweetened coconut, follow the same instructions, but use just ¼ cup of sugar.
- If you want a simple coconut syrup (not toasted), follow the same instructions, but skip step 1.
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