Jamaican Coco Bread
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Jamaican coco bread with a glass of Jamaican ginger beer. The non-alcoholic kind – my kids love it!
How to make Jamaican coco bread
What is coco bread?
Jamaican coco bread is a flour yeast bread recipe with a bit of coconut milk and a little sugar added. It’s a yummy artisan bread recipe easy to make at home.
Coconut bread is something that everyone loves and can’t seem to get enough of! A soft, airy, buttery bread that will melt in your mouth with every bite!
Coco bread is a Jamaican delicacy that has become popular in many parts of the world.
You can make this delicious sweet bread with or without coconut, and it is often served as a breakfast food, but it also makes for a really great snack.
Though it takes some effort to prepare coco bread, still it’s a huge hit!
These homemade baked goodies make your mornings energetic and aromatic. Yes, the sweet smell of fresh baked bread fills the kitchen with an irresistible aroma!
What does coco bread taste like?
Take a piece of warm and buttery coco bread from the loaf pan, butter it up, and gave it a big bite.
It tastes salty and sweet – I must say like no other bread you have ever had before!
The nice and crunchy crust outside while an irresistible softness inside, Ah, I just love it!
Wondering if you can prepare Jamaican coco bread at home?
This article will share the coco bread recipe and some tips and tricks on how you can make your own mouth-watering coco bread.
So put on your oven mitts because it’s time to start baking up a storm with today’s featured recipe – salty, sweet, and delicious coco bread!
What is Jamaican coco bread made from?
Coco bread is a delicious Jamaican dish that can be found in many Caribbean countries. It’s made with coconut milk, butter, and other ingredients such as sugar, coconut oil, and flour. This Jamaican coco bread recipe will walk you through how to make this fantastic food!
Can you make coco bread in a toaster oven?
While you may not be able to make coco bread in a *traditional* toaster oven, you most definitely can in the Instant Pot Omni Plus toaster oven – which shortens your baking time!
The heat of traditional toaster ovens may not reach all parts of the dough at once and distribute the heat evenly. This means that some areas will be undercooked while others are burnt or overdone.
Coco bread is best made in an oven with a convection setting like the new generation of appliances in the Instant Pot series.
I used the Instant Pot Omni Plus for this recipe.
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Jamaican coco bread ingredients
- 1 cup of coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter divided: 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon melted
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 packet of rapid rise yeast (1 ½ teaspoons)
- 1 large egg
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
Jamaican coco bread instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with baking spray, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, sugar, salt, and 4 tablespoons of butter.
- Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the butter melts. (Heat for about 5 minutes if you’re melting the butter in the Instant Pot oven.) Do not let the mixture boil or overheat.
- Pour the melted butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the yeast packet and mix, using a spatula to remove any sugar residue from the bowl.
- Next, add the egg.
- Stir in the flour to form a soft dough.
- Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
- Place dough in a bowl greased with coconut oil and butter, turning once to coat the dough.
- Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough has doubled.
- After it has doubled and risen, punch the dough down.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured board or surface.
- Cut the dough into about 10-12 equal pieces and roll each dough into a ball.
- Roll each piece with a rolling pin to about a 6-7 inch diameter and about ⅛-¼ inches thick.
- Mix the coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a small bowl.
- Brush each flattened dough ball with the mixture and then fold in half and brush again.
- Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining pieces until complete.
- Let the sheet pan full of the folded-over dough rest for about 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned on top. If using the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake on at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove the baked bread from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Brush again with the coconut oil and butter mixture.
- Serve immediately warm or cooled to room temperature, and enjoy!
What is your favorite thing to serve with coco bread?
Coco bread is a popular Jamaican food, often served at breakfast time with butter and jam. It’s sweet, moist, and perfect for any meal or dessert. The best part about it? Coconut bread pairs well with almost anything!
It’s usually served with butter and honey, but here are a few ideas for what you can pair with coco bread to make your breakfast, lunch, or dinner even more delicious.
- Cucumbers and tomatoes, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt.
- Nutella! Drizzle some on top or smear it all over the bread for an indulgent breakfast treat.
- Bananas: slice them up into thin rounds to layer in between your coco bread slices (with nut butter if you like!)
- Avocado toast: spread avocado purée generously onto a thick slice of coco bread and add toppings such as sliced tomato, crumbled feta cheese, chopped parsley leaves or chives, halved grape tomatoes, and a drizzle of olive oil…the options are endless!
- Hummus: spread hummus onto one side of your coco bread, then top with fresh sliced veggies such as cucumbers or carrots for a leisurely lunchtime meal!
- Peanut butter and jelly: Cut into squares and folded over once, coco bread is commonly used for sandwiches. Layer peanut butter on the bottom fold, add grape or strawberry jam (or other flavors!) on top, and enjoy a yummy coco bread PB&J sandwich!
The best way to enjoy this delightful treat is with friends and family around a big table where you can all share each other’s company and good food.
Whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert time, coco bread can be served in many ways that are delicious any time of day. So go ahead; have fun with it!
What desserts do Jamaicans eat?
Jamaicans are known for their food, music, and culture, all of which contribute to what makes them unique.
Some Jamaicans like to eat their dessert with rice and peas, while others prefer it on its own or with toast.
Popular desserts that Jamaicans love:
- Ackee pudding
- Drown bread ice cream
- Ginger cake with fresh pears & berry sauce
- Pineapple tarts with coconut custard filling
- Bananas Foster
- Coconut tarts
Jamaicans love their food, and they know how to make it taste great!
What is a typical Jamaican breakfast?
Many people think of fresh fruit as a typical Jamaican breakfast, but it is common to start the day with rice and peas or ackee and saltfish.
Ackee & saltfish is an interesting dish that has been around for centuries.
Many Jamaicans still love it because they believe it will give them energy for their day ahead.
Rice and peas are also famous because they’re nutritious and easy to make – perfect for any meal!
Rice and peas are typically served with plantains or boiled eggs for protein.
Ackee and saltfish are also eaten as appetizers for the main course dinner, like pork chops, oxtail, or curry chicken.
Which foods can you find in Jamaica?
Jamaican cuisines feature spicy, flavorful dishes.
From jerk chicken to the ever-popular Jamaican beef patty to ackee and saltfish, there are so many great options to try on your next vacation!
How to reheat coco bread
You can freeze coco bread when cool and reheat in the oven.
The best way to enjoy your frozen coco bread on a cold day is by placing them in a baking dish and bake until they are warm (about 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees). Then, make it more flavorful by brushing it with melted butter!
They also warm up nicely in the microwave or toaster oven.
All-purpose flour or coconut flour?
The traditional coco bread recipe calls for all-purpose white flour, egg, yeast, and salt, while more modern recipes call for coconut flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Which one you choose depends on your preference.
If you want a lighter texture, then go with the original recipe using all-purpose white flour; if you want a healthier version, then go with the coconut flour.
You can substitute all-purpose flour with coconut flour if you want less gluten in your diet.
The protein content in coconut flour is higher than that of wheat, making it suitable for people sensitive or allergic to gluten.
Coconut flour also has more fiber than traditional flour. This can be beneficial because the high fiber content means you feel fuller longer.
Sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk?
You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut milk for coco bread, but I recommend that you try it both ways and see which one you prefer! This delightful recipe can be made in both variations.
Can you make coco bread with regular milk instead of coconut milk?
I just found out that you CAN prepare coco bread with regular milk. This is big news because so many people don’t want to include coconut milk for whatever reason but still want to enjoy the amazing taste of good old-fashioned coco bread.
It will help if you keep in mind a few things when preparing it with dairy milk instead of coconut milk.
First, coconut milk is thicker than the average dairy product, so if your dough becomes too sticky during preparation, add more flour until it has a consistency that makes rolling out the dough easier.
How do you keep coco bread fresh?
The only disadvantage of coco bread is that it does not remain fresh for very long.
If you love the taste of coco bread but don’t want to eat it all at once, here are three ways to keep your flatbreads fresh.
- Wrap the bread in a damp paper towel and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It keeps moisture in and prevents drying out.
- Store in an airtight container or sealable baggie. The seal should be tight enough that no air can escape from inside the container, which would lead to more rapid spoilage of your coco bread.
- Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap when storing on the countertop- this is especially important if you live in a warm climate where there’s high humidity. The plastic wrap protects bread slices from getting stale.
When storing bread in containers, cover individual slices with plastic wrap.
Like this recipe? Pin an image to your Pinterest Instant Pot Recipes board!

Equipment
- Instant Pot Omni Plus
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided: 4 tablespoons & 1 tablespoon melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons rapid rise yeast 1 packet
- 1 egg large
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper, spray with baking spray, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine coconut milk, sugar, salt, and 4 tablespoons of butter.
- Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds or until the butter melts. (Heat for about 5 minutes if you’re melting the butter in the Instant Pot oven.) Do not let the mixture boil or overheat.
- Pour the melted butter mixture into a large mixing bowl.
- Add the yeast packet and mix, using a spatula to remove any sugar residue from the bowl.
- Next, add the egg.
- Stir in the flour to form a soft dough.
- Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
- Place dough in a bowl greased with coconut oil and butter, turning once to coat the dough.
- Cover loosely with a clean cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough has doubled.
- After it has doubled and risen, punch the dough down.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured board or surface.
- Cut the dough into about 10-12 equal pieces and roll each dough into a ball.
- Roll each piece with a rolling pin to about a 6-7 inch diameter and about ⅛-¼ inches thick.
- Mix the coconut oil and 1 tablespoon of melted butter in a small bowl.
- Brush each flattened dough ball with the mixture and then fold in half and brush again.
- Place the dough on the prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining pieces until complete.
- Let the sheet pan full of the folded-over dough rest for about 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned on top. If using the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven, bake on at 350 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
- Remove the baked bread from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- Brush again with the coconut oil and butter mixture.
- Serve immediately warm or cooled to room temperature, and enjoy!
Video
Notes

- You can freeze coco bread when cool and reheat in the oven.
- The best way to enjoy your frozen coco bread on a cold day is by placing them in a baking dish and bake until they are warm (about 5-7 minutes at 350 degrees). Then, make it more flavorful by brushing it with melted butter!
- They also warm up nicely in the microwave or toaster oven.

- Wrap the bread in a damp paper towel and cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It keeps moisture in and prevents drying out.
- Store in an airtight container or sealable baggie. The seal should be tight enough that no air can escape from inside the container, which would lead to more rapid spoilage of your coco bread.
- Keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap when storing on the countertop- this is especially important if you live in a warm climate where there’s high humidity. The plastic wrap protects bread slices from getting stale.
This reminds me of a coconut bread with coco jam filling that I used to eat when I was young. Your recipes brings me home.
I’m so happy to hear that Cyrene – Enjoy!