Coconut jam is rich, creamy and so easy to make. You only need 2 ingredients to enjoy this Filipino childhood favorite at home. Perfect with hot pandesal and other baked goods!
(Looking for more delicious things to spread on bread? Ube butter is delightful and easy to make, too!)
Coconut jam (also called coco jam or minatamis na bao in Tagalog) is made of coconut cream (kakang-gata) and sugar.
Traditionally, it’s sweetened with panutsa (also called panocha or sangkaka), which is made by pressing sugarcane stalks and cooking the juice down. When the syrup thickens, it’s poured into coconut shell molds (source).
Where I am, what I use is panela, an equivalent product from Latin America.
If you can’t find either, you can also use muscovado sugar.
So there’s really no excuse not to make coco jam at home. It’s so good!
Let’s get to it.
Why you’ll love this recipe
We grew up eating coconut jam for breakfast and merienda. You can easily buy a jar in the Philippines but it’s not as common here.
So being able to make it at home is such a treat. And homemade tastes so much better than store-bought since it doesn’t have fillers — just pure coconut goodness.
- Easy to make. Plus, it’s really easy to make. It does take a while and a bit of stirring (much like ube jam) but it’s totally worth it.
- Great for gifting. And this recipe makes about 3 250-ml jars of jam so they’re great for giving away during the holidays (make sure to follow proper canning procedure).
- Delicious. Did I already say it’s delicious? It’s worth repeating! If you’ve never had it and wondering what it tastes like, the best description I can think of is caramel coconut. And it’s really as mouthwatering as that sounds.
How to make
You only need 2 ingredients to make coconut jam, 3 if you count the salt! And it’s really just stirring and cooking down the mixture until it thickens.
Ingredients and tools
You will need:
- Coconut cream — I use canned coconut cream but if you have access to fresh kakang-gata go for it. Just make sure you’re using cream and not coconut milk or even coconut water.
- Sangkaka, panutsa or panela — I’ve had the most success using sangkaka or panela and they taste great too. Not too sweet and easier to work with than sugar. You can usually find them in the international aisle of your supermarket or in Asian supermarkets. Amazon sells it too. If you can’t find it, you can substitute with muscovado sugar. Dark brown sugar can work too but with less nuanced flavor.
- Salt — helps cut through the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
- Wok or large pan — the mixture will come to a boil and you need a large enough pan so it doesn’t splatter all over your kitchen.
Step-by-step photos
In a wok or saucepan, combine coconut cream and panutsa.
Cook on low medium heat until panutsa is dissolved.
Continue cooking until mixture thickens and boils. Can take 60 to 120 minutes (see expert tips). Stir so the mixture doesn’t burn.
Remove from heat and transfer to heat proof containers. The jam will thicken as it cools.
Expert tips
Easy, right? Here are tips for perfect coconut jam every time.
- The kind of coconut cream affects cooking time. I’ve found that the quality of canned coconut cream varies greatly. Even within the same brand, you don’t always get the same amount of thick cream as the next can. So if you get a can with more liquid than solid cream, you will need to cook your mixture for longer. It doesn’t affect the taste, just the cooking time. And it can vary by as much as 1 hour.
- Cook on low heat, especially if using sugar. Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat though. Especially if you’re using sugar. You want the granules to be dissolved properly; otherwise you will end up with grainy jam. I find panutsa easier to work with in this regard. It’s less finicky.
- Stir regularly once the mixture boils. In the beginning, you can step away from the stove but once the mixture boils, you’ll need to watch it and stir regularly so it doesn’t burn.
- Don’t be tempted to over-cook the mixture. We want the jam rich and thick but don’t be tempted to thicken the mixture too much on the stove. If you over cook your jam, you will end up with a mixture that’s too tough and hard to spread. The consistency you’re looking for is closer to maple syrup; it will turn honey-thick as it cools. A good indication too is when the mixture has reduced to about half its original volume.
Recipe FAQs
While coco jam and kaya are both made with coconut cream and sugar, kaya has additional ingredients like eggs and pandan leaves.
It’s popular in other parts of Southeast Asia like Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It’s delicious, too!
Coconut jam and pandesal is a combination made in breakfast heaven.
But you can also use coconut jam as filling in cakes and cookies, topping for pancakes, and more.
We typically don’t refrigerate coconut jam because it hardens and that makes it really difficult to spread.
We usually just leave it in a covered jar on the counter.
If left on the counter, coconut jam can last up to a week.
If you want it to last longer, you can keep it in the fridge. To make it a little easier to spread, wait for it to come to room temperature before using.
Sometimes some oil separates and goes to the top of the coco jam. Just give it a stir and it’s good to go.
More Filipino coconut treats
If you love coconut as much as I do, you’ll enjoy these delicious recipes:
Happy cooking!
Did you make this coconut jam recipe? I’d love to hear all about it! Leave a comment or a star rating below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see your creations!
You can also find me on Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.
Coconut Jam
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 14-oz cans coconut cream
- 14 oz panutsa, sangkaka or panela can substitute with muscovado sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine coconut cream, panutsa and salt.2 14-oz cans coconut cream, 14 oz panutsa, sangkaka or panela, ¼ tsp salt
- Cook on low-medium heat until panutsa is dissolved.
- Continue cooking until mixture thickens and boils. Can take 60 to 120 minutes (see notes). Stir so the mixture doesn’t burn.
- Remove from heat and transfer to heat proof containers. The jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
Video
Notes
- The quality of the coconut cream you use affects cooking time. For example, if you get a can with more liquid than solid cream, you will need to cook your mixture for longer. It doesn’t affect the taste, just the cooking time. And it can vary by as much as 1 hour. So if your mixture is taking a bit longer to thicken, just continue cooking.
- Don’t be tempted to crank up the heat though. Especially if you’re using sugar. You want the granules to be dissolved properly; otherwise you will end up with grainy jam.
- Also be careful not to overcook the jam. It doesn’t have to thicken on the stove because it will continue to thicken as it cools. The consistency you’re looking for is closer to maple syrup than honey – thick but still easily pourable.
- Cool the jam uncovered.
- See post for more tips and FAQs.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
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