Coconut Jam Cinnamon Rolls

Coconut jam cinnamon rolls adds delicious tropical flavor to the classic cinnamon rolls.

I am always in pursuit of new exciting cinnamon roll variations. These coconut cinnamon rolls add a tropical flair to a classic favorite.

Skip the cream cheese frosting. These cinnamon rolls are topped with rich and creamy coconut jam!

For a good chunk of my childhood, I shied away from Asian foods in favor of more popular American foods. I wanted to fit in and eat chocolate cake, apple pie, and hamburgers.  Now that I’m older, I appreciate the two cultures and love finding ways to incorporate them together.

Take your basic cinnamon rolls and pump them with exotic, sweet coconut jam.  Best of all, this recipe makes two pans of cinnamon rolls- one to keep and one to share.

Ingredients

There are three components to this baked treat: 1) yeast dough, 2) cinnamon sugar filling, and 3) homemade coconut jam.

The yeast dough is comprised of yeast, sugar, milk, eggs, salt, flour, and butter. For consistency, I highly recommend measuring dry ingredients by weight. Use the “spoon and level” method for measuring flour if you don’t have a scale. Learn how to successfully use active dry yeast in this tutorial.

The cinnamon sugar filling is made with granulated sugar, coconut sugar, and ground cinnamon. If you don’t have coconut sugar (or palm sugar), simply use brown sugar (either light or dark variety).

Coconut jam is made by cooking down coconut milk and coconut sugar to a smooth, thick paste.

What is Coconut Jam?

Coconut jam is a sweet spread popular throughout Asia. Several countries and cuisines have their own variation. A quick visit to your local Asian market and you’ll find dozens and dozens of different jars of coconut jam.

It is known as kaya in Malaysia and Singapore, srikaya in Indonesia, and matamis na bao in the Philippines.

It can be a bit overwhelming and confusing. Some are watery, some are super thick. There are creamy pale colored jams as well as almost burnt, super dark caramel ones. Therefore, I highly recommend you make coconut jam from scratch! You just need coconut milk and sugar!

Filipino Matamis Na Bao

This recipe makes Filipino style coconut jam called matamis na bao in Tagalog (Filipino language).

Don’t confuse this with kaya, the popular more well known coconut jam of Malaysia and Singapore. The main difference matamis na bao and kaya: kaya includes eggs.

However, similar to kaya, Filipino coconut jam is spread on toast, especially on pan de sal.  

In addition to bread, coconut jam is used extensively in all sorts of sweet glutinous rice desserts, rice puddings, and cassava cakes. Everything you spread coconut jam on becomes instantaneously delicious!

Brown Sugar Varieties

The varying colors of coconut jam is dependent on the type of brown sugar used. Obviously, the darker the sugar (the more molasses), the darker the jam.  

You can use regular brown sugar for this recipe (either light or dark variety).  Or try something new by using coconut palm sugar or panocha (panela or piloncillo).

I prefer to use coconut palm sugar.  Coconut sugar is widely used in the Philippines because the islands are full of coconut trees! The sugar is derived from the sap of coconut trees.

Coconut sugar is available in disks like the ones photographed above, but many stores (like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods) now sell granulated versions. Coconut sugar has a mild, subtle sweet flavor. Don’t be fooled- it doesn’t taste anything like coconut.  

For a stronger, fuller sweet flavor, you can use panela or piloncillo. These are blocks of unrefined cane sugar.

To use coconut sugar or panela, place the chunks on a microwave safe plate.  Microwave the sugar at intervals of 10 seconds until the sugar has warmed up and softened.  Once the sugar is pliable, chop them up into small pieces or pulse them in a food processor.

How to Make Coconut Jam

Coconut jam is made by cooking together coconut milk and brown sugar. Typically, pandan leaves are steeped in the coconut milk. Pandan imparts a sweet, almost vanilla-like flavor. It is a very popular flavor in Southeast Asian desserts.

I used pandan extract, which I found at a local Asian market. It comes in a bottle similar to vanilla extract and the version I found is made by McCormick. If you can’t find it, feel free to omit it or sub in pure vanilla extract.

To make the jam, simply combine coconut milk and sugar. Bring to boil, then reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes until mixture has substantially thickened. Stir the mixture often to ensure it doesn’t burn along the sides of the pot.

Cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. The coconut jam will continue to thicken as it cools.

What to do with leftover coconut jam? You’ve got plenty of options! Use coconut jam in place of sweetened condensed milk. Stir into coffee (like Vietnamese iced coffee), use it to sweetened oatmeals or yogurt, or spread it on bread or crackers.

Serving Suggestions

Coconut jam cinnamon rolls are best enjoyed fresh from the oven. Ideally, you should consume these the same day they are baked.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave for 20-30 second intervals with a cup of water. The water will prevent the bread from turning gummy. Alternatively, reheat in a toaster over.

You may freeze unfrosted rolls and enjoy for later! For longer storage, cut and separate the rolls into individual portions. Wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap. Then, place in a resealable freezer bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Defrost in the fridge overnight, or defrost roll at room temperature for a few hours. Reheat and necessary. Frost as usual

More Coconut Milk Recipes

• Coconut Cream Tart
• Biko (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake)
• Coconut Raspberry Cake
• Coconut Cake Doughnuts