I had my first coconut syrup on banana-macadamia nut pancakes when I was a kid. I have always been a coconut-lover so naturally this Hawaiian breakfast specialty has always been one of my favorites. I remember getting so excited as a kid to find coconut syrup on the mainland, too, and so we would occasionally buy a bottle as a special treat. But little did I know that coconut syrup is super easy to make. Simply add sugar to coconut milk and let it cook until it thickens. You can use brown or white sugar, for a tan or white-colored syrup, respectively. I’ve now made coconut syrup several times and I love the fact that I can add as much {or as little} sugar as I would like. I use roughly 1/2 cup which is less than half of what many other recipes call for. I have found that the coconut milk is so rich and sweet as it is that my family doesn’t miss the extra sugar.
A little bit of this syrup goes a long way so one batch should be enough for a crowd. Because it doesn’t last as long as store-bought syrups {according to the cans of coconut milk it should be consumed within a week} I usually make the syrup for a tropical pancake feast for my family and then incorporate it into a dessert later in the week, such as my Banana Macadamia Nut Pound Cake.
- 1 can coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- Dash of vanilla extract
- Mix the ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring it constantly, until it comes to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes until it thickens into a syrup, being careful not to let it cook at a full boil or the consistency of your syrup will change, becoming grainy and gummy.
- Use it immediately or let it cool and then store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
