How to Toast Coconut

The flavor of coconut is enhanced a lot when it is toasted. Coconut is most easily purchased in flake form, either sweetened or unsweetened. It is a bit more difficult to use coconut purchased as a whole coconut, because they are infamously difficult to break in to, although this does yield the freshest, most authentic results. Many recipes call for toasted coconut.

To Sweeten Unsweetened Coconut: Place the unsweetened coconut flakes in a zip top plastic bag. Add two or three tablespoons of confectioners' sugar to the bag and shake it, distributing all the sugar on the flakes. Note: this step is optional if your coconut flakes are already sweetened, or if you want your toasted coconut flakes to remain unsweetened.

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lay the coconut flakes on a baking sheet, making sure they are in a single layer.

Place the baking sheet into the oven for approximately 5 -7 minutes. Check on the flakes, in order to achieve the level of toasting you want; stir the coconut every so often. Some people prefer that only the edges of the flakes are toasted, leaving the rest of the flake chewy. Others wish the entire flake to be brown. Leave the baking sheet in the oven for as long as it takes to achieve the level of toasting you want.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Remove the flakes from the baking sheet, as the heat from the sheet will continue to toast the coconut, perhaps beyond the level you desire. Allow the coconut flakes to cool.