Making Homemade Sugar-Free Sweetened Shredded Coconut could not be easier! Only 2 ingredients and a couple of minutes is all it takes to transform unsweetened coconut flakes into perfectly sugar-free coconut flakes. Perfect for all your sugar-free, low carb and keto recipes!
With the holidays around the corner, I am starting to get excited about all the fun and festive holiday baking that is about to commence!
From appetizers like this Keto White Cheddar Cranberry Jalapeno Holiday Dip
to main courses like this Easy Poor Man’s Prime Rib (Made using a Sirloin Roast), Delicious Keto Cranberry Jalapeno Meatballs in a Cranberry BBQ Sauceor Slow Cooker Beef Brisket as well as festive desserts like this Easy Keto Cranberry Pie Dessert (perfect for leftover cranberries!) and these Keto Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies, nothing screams "HOLIDAY!" then a constantly warm oven!
So, knowing that many of you will embark on converting some family favourite holiday recipes into gluten-free, sugar-free and keto versions, I decided to help you along the way by showing you just how easy it is to make homemade sugar-free sweetened shredded coconut!
Ingredients
This sugar-free sweetened coconut recipe only requires two main ingredients!
Unsweetened Coconut - You can use shredded coconut or coconut flakes for this recipe. Make sure that you do not purchase a bag of sweetened coconut.
Sweetener - You can use either Monk Fruit Liquid Extract, or a powdered sweetener such as allulose or Swerve confectioner sweetener. I do not suggest an erythritol-based sweetener as they can be very difficult to dissolve.
Vanilla and Salt - These are optional ingredients but I find that adding them helps to round out the sweetness
*See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Learning how to make sweetened coconut could not be any easier.
In a large bowl, add the water and sweetener. Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute to dissolve the sweetener.
Stir in the shredded coconut and continue to stir for about 1 minute to make sure that all the shredded coconut has been covered in the sweetener
Spread the keto shredded coconut on a rimmed baking sheet that has been covered with a paper towel.
Allow the coconut to fully dry before storing it in an airtight container.
Hint: Allow the coconut to fully dry before storing or it could get moldy. Also, make sure that you really take the time to stir the coconut to ensure that all the coconut has been covered in the sugar-free solution.
Substitutions
If you want to use liquid Monk Fruit extract for this sugar-free recipe, simply add about 10 drops into a large mixing bowl. Add in the unsweetened shredded coconut and toss to coat. Add a pinch of salt and stir once again.
Variations
Since this recipe only has two ingredients, you can add additional keto ingredients to create the most delicious sugar-free recipes
- Colour - add a couple of drops of food colouring for some impressive keto-sweetened coconut flake decorations
- Chocolate or Coffee - while the shredded coconut is still somewhat damp, add some cocoa powder or espresso powder for a twist
- Macaroons - whip up some egg whites and stir these keto-sweetened coconut flakes into the egg whites and then bake them for a quick and easy sugar-free macaroon recipe
Click here for my "funfetti" coconut flake recipe or my Keto Macaroon recipe
Storage
Make sure that before you place your homemade sugar-free sweetened shredded coconut in an airtight container that is completely dry. If not, you risk the chance of your keto shredded coconut going bad.
If your sugar-free coconut is completely dry, it should last for a couple of months if stored in an airtight container. You could also freeze the coconut for several months.
Top tip
As I have stated more than once in this sugar-free recipe, make sure that your coconut is completely dry before storing it. If you use liquid Monk Fruit Extract, it should only take less than 1 hour to dry. However, if you are using water and powdered sweetener, it may take a couple of days to dry, depending on the humidity of your house.
How to Make Homemade Sugar-Free Sweetened Shredded Coconut Recipe
Making Homemade Sugar-Free Sweetened Shredded Coconut could not be easier! Only 2 ingredients and a couple of minutes is all it takes to transform unsweetened coconut flakes into perfectly sugar-free coconut flakes. Perfect for all your sugar-free, low carb and keto recipes!
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 tbsp powdered sweetener
- Optional - 1 teaspoon vanilla, a pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the water and powdered sweetener. Place the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir to make sure that the sweetener has dissolved. If it has not dissolved, place the bowl back in the microwave for an additional 30 seconds.
- Once sweetener has dissolved, if using, add the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine. Add in the coconut and stir to coat the coconut (stir for at least one minute)
- Place a piece of paper towel on a baking sheet and spread the coconut over the paper towel to fully dry.
- Once fully dry, place the sweetened coconut in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American, Holidays
- Diet: Gluten Free
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 30
- Sugar: 0.3
- Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 1.3
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0.3
Cat says
Thanks!
Emily says
This is unbelievably easy and unbelievably good!! So much better than store bought sweetened coconut!!
Cat says
Your welcome!
Allison G. says
I have been looking for a sugar-free coconut recipe forever! Thanks!