With a deliciously tender texture and a sweet coconut glaze, this easy coconut bread recipe is the perfect treat for coconut lovers! It’s fancy enough to serve at brunch with a cup of coffee, yet it also makes a great afternoon snack. It’s even great with a scoop of ice cream!
The next time you have a sweet craving, try this lovely coconut loaf! It’s more like a dessert than regular bread, similar to this zucchini bread or banana bread. It gets a delicious coconut flavor from unsweetened coconut milk and shredded coconut, and the creamy glaze takes it over the top. You’ll want to make it every week!
Looking for more delicious quick bread recipes? You’ll love the warm spices in this cinnamon quick bread or the tender texture of this one-bowl gluten-free banana bread!
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Ingredients for Coconut Bread
Bread:
- Gluten-free flour blend – This is a great alternative to regular flour, and it’s perfectly designed to give you a light, tender texture.
- Baking powder – Baking powder will lift the batter, making it nice and fluffy.
- Xanthan gum – Xanthan gum absorbs liquid and acts like a glue to hold the batter together.
- Salt – This helps the subtle coconut flavor stand out.
- Vegan butter – Use softened vegan butter for the best texture. Regular butter will work, too.
- Granulated sugar – Stick with regular sugar, as brown sugar may hide the delicate coconut flavor.
- Eggs – These bind the batter together and help the bread rise perfectly.
- Coconut milk – Rich coconut milk will give the bread a lovely softness, and it will add even more coconut flavor.
- Sweetened coconut flakes – The sweetened coconut shreds are baked into the bread for extra texture and flavor.
Glaze:
- Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar will sweeten the glaze and help it set firm.
- Coconut milk – This adds a little coconut flavor to the glaze as well.
- Melted vegan butter – Melted butter gives the glaze a creamy texture and buttery flavor.
Measurements for each ingredient, along with instructions for making the gluten-free coconut bread recipe are in the recipe card below.
Note about ingredients
Make sure ingredients are at room temperature, except the melted butter for the glaze, and measure by weight where weight is given.
How to Make Gluten-Free Coconut Bread Recipe
STEP ONE: In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour mix, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.
STEP TWO: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vegan butter and sugar. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat for 30 seconds on medium speed.
STEP THREE: Add the eggs and milk and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds.
STEP FOUR: Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
STEP FIVE: Use a large spoon and stir in the shredded coconut.
STEP SIX: Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
STEP SEVEN: Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare an 8″x4.5″ pan by spraying with cooking spray. Scrape batter into the pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
STEP EIGHT: Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
STEP NINE: Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
STEP TEN: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon of the milk, and butter.
STEP ELEVEN: Stir until combined. Add another Tablespoon of milk if needed for a spreadable consistency.
STEP TWELVE: Spread glaze over the top of the cooled bread. Sprinkle with shreds of coconut.
Substitutions
- An egg substitute can be used, but the bread is a bit more dense. More on egg substitutions in this substitution post.
- You can use regular milk instead of coconut milk, but the bread will have less of a coconut flavor.
- Feel free to use regular unsalted butter instead of vegan butter.
For even more substitution help, reference this substitution guide for flours, dairy, eggs, and more.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips or nuts – Fold in ½ cup of mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts for extra crunch and flavor.
- Stir in zest – Fresh lime, orange, or lemon zest would taste amazing in this simple recipe!
- Add extract – For extra coconut flavor, add a teaspoon or two of coconut extract. Pineapple extract would give this delicious bread a pina colada flavor!
- Use mini loaf pans – This bread makes a great gift! Separate the batter into these mini loaf pans and remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before packing them up.
To make this delicious gluten free coconut bread recipe, you’ll need these tools:
- Medium bowl
- Stand mixer (or large bowl and electric mixer)
- Wooden spoon
- Bread pan
- Cooling rack
- Small bowl
- Whisk
Find these tools and more in my Amazon store.
Storing Coconut Bread
- Coconut bread stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Any longer than that, and slices can be frozen for longer storage. It helps to wrap them in plastic wrap or foil before storing them in a freezer-safe container.
- The bread defrosts best if frozen unglazed.
My Top Tip
The rest time is essential for properly hydrating the flours and starches.
Food Safety
- Be sure to sanitize your workspace and wash your hands after using raw eggs.
Coconut Bread FAQs
The gluten in regular whole wheat flour acts like a glue in recipes, holding everything together. Xanthan gum does the same thing, but is naturally gluten free. It will absorb liquids and help bind the ingredients in your bread recipe together. If you don’t use xanthan gum, you’ll most likely have a crumbly mess instead of a nice slice of coconut bread. If you’d rather use a substitute for the xanthan gum, reference this article on gum substitutes.
Gluten-free baking can feel like a different world sometimes! There is a lot to learn about the different flours and how they all work together. One really important thing to remember is to give your batter time to rest. This will give the starches and flours time to absorb the liquids and bring the batter together. Patience is a good thing, especially with gluten-free baking!
More Quick Bread Recipes
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Recipe
Coconut Bread Recipe: Easy & Gluten Free
This easy coconut bread recipe is loaded with sweet coconut and stays incredibly moist for days. It’s a delicious quick bread to enjoy for an afternoon snack or quick breakfast.
Servings: 10 slices
Calories: 309kcal
Instructions
Bread:
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In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour mix, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the vegan butter and sugar. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds to combine. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat for 30 seconds on medium speed.
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Add the eggs and milk and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds.
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Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix on medium speed for 30 seconds.
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Use a large spoon and stir in the shredded coconut.
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Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
-
Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare an 8″x4.5″ pan by spraying with cooking spray.
-
Scrape batter into the pan and bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
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Remove from the pan to finish cooling
Glaze:
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In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon of the milk, and butter. Stir until combined. Add another Tablespoon of milk if needed for a spreadable consistency.
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Spread glaze over the top of the cooled bread.
Notes
- Make sure ingredients are at room temperature, except the melted butter for the glaze.
- Measure by weight where weight is given.
- The rest time is essential for properly hydrating the flours and starches.
- Bread stores well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Any longer than that and slices can be frozen for longer storage.
- Bread defrosts best if frozen unglazed.
- An egg substitute can be used, but the bread is a bit more dense.
Nutrition
Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 562IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
