Guyanese Coconut Buns

Guyanese coconut buns are rich mounds of sweet bread made with grated coconut, vanilla and almond extract, and brown sugar. They have a golden crust and a soft tender inside. This delicious dessert is popular in Guyana and across the Caribbean.

Guyanese Coconut Buns

Coconut buns, also known as rock buns, rock cake, and coconut drops, were one of my favorite afternoon snacks from my childhood. These buns are very similar to scones in how they are made, but no one ever calls them scones. They are simply buns or coconut buns regardless of if there is one or more than one. If you love the rich flavor of coconut then try Salara next!

I learned to make buns in my Home Economics class in high school. It was the first recipe we learned in first form. We used the rub in method for combining the fat and the dry ingredients. When I moved to the US I started using a creaming method to make buns. , Recently I went right back to the rub in method for the fat and the dry ingredients. I love that my buns making has come full circle and now I get to share my recipe with you!

Why You’ll Love This Coconut Buns Recipe

• Simple: There’s no kneading or waiting time for rising required with this sweet coconut bread. There’s just 10-15 minutes of prep time.
• Versatile: Make it the traditional way or tweak it for your diet specific needs or just preference.
• Family Friendly: Let the little ones help with rubbing the fat into the dry ingredients or even scooping the buns onto the baking sheet. My daughter loved pulling up a chair to the counter and helping to scoop these out and of course, she loves eating the finished product.

Ingredients for Coconut Buns

This sweet coconut buns recipe includes all purpose flour, sugar, freshly grated coconut, and lots of butter, with some baking powder and spices. In my house, we keep our buns pretty basic but keep scrolling for variations of this recipe.

• All Purpose flour: This makes up the structure of the buns. Make a 1:1 swap with all purpose gluten free flour for this recipe.
• Finely grated coconut: You will need about 1 whole coconut or 7 ounces of coconut flakes. Before discovering frozen grated coconuts in my local Asian market I made my coconut buns with sweetened coconut flakes. It makes pretty tasty coconut buns
• Baking powder: Don’t confuse this with baking soda.
• Salt: This enhances the overall flavor.
• Brown sugar: This sweetens and adds moisture to the buns.
• Butter: Use very cold (but not frozen) butter.
• Eggs: Beaten.
• Vanilla extract and Almond extract: This added flavor makes this truly taste like a treat.
• Raisins (optional): Traditionally raisins are added to the dough for a bit of sweetness and texture. I prefer mine without it so I leave it out.
• Maraschino Cherries(Optional): These add a decorative touch to the buns.
• Coconut Milk: Use coconut milk in place of the eggs, for the vegan recipe.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Guyanese Coconut Buns

Form the Dough

Add the all purpose flour, baking powder, brown sugar and salt to large mixing bowl. Mix well and then using a fork add the butter to the the mixture until it has a crumbly texture.

Then add the grated coconuts and mix well.

Next, beat together the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract and set aside.

Then form a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs mixture. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix the eggs and dry ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Add in the raisins (optional)

My family does not like raisins in buns, but traditionally raisins are a key ingredients. If you like raisins, feel free to fold some into your dough at this point.

Bake

Separate the dough into 12 pieces. A cookie scoop is perfect for this, or use two spoons to drop the batter onto a greased baking sheet. Then top with maraschino cherries if you are using and bake in a 350 °F oven for 25 minutes.

If you don’t like raisins or maraschino cherries then scoop and bake the dough as is.

Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. Once they are cooled, enjoy!

The Coconut Buns Video Tutorial:

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week. To reheat, warm them up in the oven or microwave.

Tips for the Best Coconut Buns

• If using coconut flakes, pulse them in the food processor. This makes it closer to the texture of grated coconut. You will need 3 1/2 cups of coconut flakes for this recipe. If the flakes are a bit dry you can add 2-3 tablespoons of coconut milk before pulsing.
• I like to use my hands when combining the dry ingredients. This is the easiest way to ensure I’ve crushed any lumps of sugar before adding the butter.
• Grate the butter. This makes it easier to integrate into the flour mixture.
• There are two ways to portion out the dough. Separate the dough using a cookie scoop for even portions. Alternatively, use the two-spoon method. You scoop the dough with one spoon and then use the other to push it onto the baking sheet.
• Make sure the buns are evenly spaced on the cookie sheet because they will spread.

Recipe Variations

Dried Fruits: No one in my family likes raisins or any other kind of dried fruits in their buns. However, many people love to add a maraschino cherry to their buns before baking. When you’re making your buns, you can feel free to add raisins or currants and top it with a maraschino cherry.

Spices: You can also switch up the spices by adding some grated nutmeg and a bit of orange zest for freshness.

Vegan Coconut Buns: My children have dairy allergies, so I’ve been converting my recipes to dairy-free or vegan wherever I can. I converted this recipe to vegan, after my aunt (who has been vegan for decades) visited lasted year and made coconut buns with my children. Her vegan buns tasted exactly the same as the regular butter-filled buns and inspired me to switch to making vegan coconut buns. Check out the recipe card for measurements and instructions for dairy-free and gluten-free coconut buns.

Frequently Asked Questions