Coconut "Bacon"

Name: Coconut "Bacon"
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 3 cups
Ingredients: 3 1/2 cups large flaked coconut, unsweetened; 2 tbsp all-natural liquid smoke; 2 tbsp maple syrup; 1 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos*; 1 tbsp water; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4.0 out of 5 · 13 ratings

Active time: 2 min

Total time: 30 min

Serves: 3 cups

This completely plant-based coconut bacon is full of "bacon" flavor, without the added fat of regular bacon. Be warned though, those crunchy little bacon-flavored bits are highly addictive.

Chef's notes

This "coconut bacon" can be used in many of the same ways that regular bacon is used to add flavor to dishes. It even makes a great BLT sandwich, only in that case it would be called a CLT (coconut, lettuce & tomato) sandwich!

Steps

Preparing the Coconut

Ingredients

3 1/2 cups large flaked coconut, unsweetened
2 tbsp all-natural liquid smoke
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp Bragg Liquid Aminos*
1 tbsp water
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

To start, preheat the oven to 325°F (162°C). To prepare the coconut, mix together the liquid smoke, maple syrup, Bragg (soy sauce or tamari would also work), water and pepper. *Note: Feel free to experiment with the spices here. This "bacon" is also really good with 1/2 tsp or so, of onion powder, garlic powder and a pinch or two of chipotle powder. I have even made the base and then added in ingredients such as hot sauce and barbecue sauce. Add the coconut flakes to the liquid mixture and gently fold together to fully coat the flakes. Place onto a non-stick baking tray (or line a tray with parchment) and place into the oven. Let cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Be sure to stir the mixture every 5 minutes or so to ensure it cooks evenly. Also, be sure to keep an eye on the coconut, as it can burn around the edges if not stirred fairly frequently. Once done remove from the oven and let cool. The coconut bacon will keep for several days...if it lasts that long that is.

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43 Comments

Rebecca B • October 25, 2013 at 07:22PM

I made this last weekend as a topping for a smoked peach chicken and waffle dinner. These are dangerous. They're so tasty that we were munching on the extras for the rest of the evening, leaving no leftovers. Who knew vegan bacon could be so good? Thanks

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Ken R • Rouxbe Staff • October 25, 2013 at 07:47PM

Your warning is warranted... I speak from experience! Cheers.

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Bonnie D • February 23, 2014 at 12:12PM

Now that I have a dehydrator I bet these would also work in the dehydrator. What would you suggest for timing & temp?

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Dawn T • February 23, 2014 at 10:37PM

Indeed you can make the coconut bacon in your dehydrator. In fact, I have done just that. The only thing I noticed as that the coconut didn't have the same golden color after dehydrating it. As for timing and temp, the time will depend on how thick and wet your coconut is and what temperature you have the temperature at. As for temperature, it really doesn't matter that much. I think I dehydrated mine at 115°F. Hope that helps. Cheers!

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Debbie D • November 5, 2014 at 08:38PM

SO! I Finally made this! I had been seeing recipes and just hadn't jumped in! Today was the day, and danger, I will be munching on this for sure! Made it for a topper for my salads, but know that I will be using it for more! I was a little light on adding chiptole because I am sharing this, but for me, I will be playing with the flavors! Thanks!

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Elizabeth N • September 25, 2017 at 12:07AM

Can you clarify the type of coconut that is needed? Is it dried coconut large flakes that are in bags or fresh coconut that we have to flake?

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Eric W • Rouxbe Staff • September 25, 2017 at 05:27PM

Large flaked coconut in a bag are most commonly used. If you want to made your own flakes by dehydration, you can use fresh coconut.

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Dayana E • October 19, 2017 at 08:12PM

Considering that liquid smoke has carcinogenic compounds (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)) in it... Is there anything else you would recommend? Has anyone tried it without the liquid smoke?

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Eric W • Rouxbe Staff • October 20, 2017 at 04:02PM

Dayana, another technique is to actually smoke the ingredient(s). This can be done simply on the stove top, as well as outside in a larger grill/smoker device. While 'we' love the flavor of smoke, there are arguably health concerns with most any method of imparting smoke flavor to food.

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Julie C • April 20, 2018 at 07:20PM

This is one of my favorite additions to the top of a salad or in a sandwich for added crunch.

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Julie C • April 20, 2018 at 07:21PM

I have omitted the liquid smoke completely and still love the flavor. I'm not totally keen on the liquid smoke taste anyway.

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Mims E • May 11, 2018 at 05:45AM

what if we dont have liquid smoke or liquid aminos here in our country? what will suffice?

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Kirk B • May 12, 2018 at 01:02PM

HI Mims - thanks for your question. Nice to hear from you again. So in the absence of liquid smoke, you might consider trying 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire first to see if you like that. You can also mix the Worcestershire with soy sauce, lemon juice, sugar, and a dash of hot sauce. Your final combination will be driven by your desired flavor profile. I look forward to hearing about your results! Thanks so much for learning and cooking with Rouxbe! Chef Kirk

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Imma C • June 27, 2018 at 08:41PM

Great idea!

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Ruth R • January 12, 2019 at 02:36AM

I am a true novice. I tried this and WOW, yum!!!! I hope to make it again tomorrow. I can think of SO many uses and what a fun snack too! I ate the remaining bits as a snack yesterday. I was shocked at how good this came out. I did this with a lot of skepticism. Thank you, Rouxbe!

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Nathalie R • January 20, 2019 at 03:37PM

Thank you chef Kirk. I always wondered how i could make the smokey taste. Here we do not have bagged coconut flakes and i don t have a dryer...

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Vera D • February 6, 2019 at 04:26PM

Can I make this in an air fryer? If so, what temperature and for how long? Thanks!

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Ken R • Rouxbe Staff • February 12, 2019 at 07:53PM

Hi Vera- I have never tried to make this recipe in air fryer. My guess is that you want to have the temperature setting fairly low as not to scorch the coconut and cause it to become bitter. You might experiment with a low temperature setting (under 350F) and check it every 2 mins to ensure that the 'browning" is under control. ~Ken

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Vera D • February 14, 2019 at 03:10PM

Thanks a lot, Ken!

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Sheila C • February 27, 2019 at 12:47AM

Just making sure I understand..... are we putting the bowl that we’ve mixed all the ingredients in, on the parchment lined pan and into the oven.

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Lauren L • March 2, 2019 at 03:26AM

Hi Sheila, thank you for your question. Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and then pour the contents of the bowl onto the parchment lined baking pan. Spread evenly and cook. I hope that you enjoy! Lauren

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Joy K • May 19, 2019 at 05:34PM

If you can't have Maple Syrup, what would be a good substitute?

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Lauren L • May 22, 2019 at 02:18AM

Hi Joy! My first choice replacement would be coconut nectar but you can also use agave or brown rice syrup. Enjoy! Lauren

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Herb B • September 7, 2019 at 06:08AM

Where would one buy these flakes of coconut? I don't recall ever seeing coconut flakes, well, in the baking section in a store, but those were sweetened flakes. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Just need to get my husband to try them after I am done. :)

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Susan W • September 8, 2019 at 04:04PM

Do these freeze well?

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Lauren L • September 8, 2019 at 11:10PM

Hi Susan. Yes, you can freeze these. Thanks! Lauren

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Lauren L • September 8, 2019 at 11:13PM

Hi Herb. You can get these unsweetened flakes in the bulk section in a natural food store and sometimes packaged. They are often in the same place that the sweetened ones are. I have seen them at Trader Joes and Whole Foods but also they are abundantly available online. Lauren

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Jigna S • April 9, 2020 at 07:13PM

Hi I am current doing the course and have reached this task which I still have to complete Basically I am from india and products like liquid smoke not available here What should I use instead

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Eric W • Rouxbe Staff • April 9, 2020 at 07:58PM

Hello Jigna, consider the following technique, which is sometimes used in restaurants, as well as homes, in India: Light a piece of charcoal and place it in a vati. Then, place the vati along with the coconut pieces into a container and cover it with a lid. Allow the smoke to flavor the coconut for several minutes. Check the flavor intensity and remove the charcoal when the smokiness reaches your desired level. Enjoy!

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Jacinth A • December 23, 2020 at 08:16AM

hi! we do not have packed flaked coconuts available in the grocery stores (only desiccated coconuts) here in the Philippines but we do have a lot of fresh coconuts. Have you ever tried it with fresh coconuts? or does it even work? and should we be using mature coconuts by then? can we also brown them in the pan? if there is no oven?

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Char N • Rouxbe Staff • December 27, 2020 at 01:04AM

Hello, Jacinth: Thanks for writing. I have used fresh coconut in making the coconut bacon--you will have to cut it into thin strips, or large flakes, and I find it works best when the coconut is then dried. You can sun-dry the coconut. Personally, I enjoy making "eggplant" bacon, and use a food dehydrator to develop that crispness. If there is no oven, a large pan, where all pieces can have direct heat contact, can be used. But, best to cook in small batches, and remove from the pan, placing on parchment paper to dry. I hope this information has helped to answer your questions. Thanks, again, for writing. Cheers, Char

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Fabiana C • December 28, 2020 at 08:51PM

Hi! If I have left overs, what is the best way to store this in or out of the fridge? Thank you!

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Char N • Rouxbe Staff • December 29, 2020 at 02:22AM

Hi Fabiana: Thanks for writing. You can store the leftovers, covered, at room temperature. A glass jar works well, and the coconut bacon should last for about a week. You can store them in the freezer for up to a month. Have a great week, and cheers for the new year. Char

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Mlee C • August 10, 2021 at 06:01PM

Since I do not like the taste of coconut is there a substitute for the coconut?

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Char N • Rouxbe Staff • August 10, 2021 at 10:27PM

Hi Mlee: Thanks for writing. To be honest, once the coconut has been marinated and baked, it really doesn't taste like coconut at all. Give it a try and let us know what you think! Cheers, Char

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Charisse L • August 2, 2022 at 06:41AM

I was so hesitant since 2 Tbsp liquid smoke scared me. At most I use 1 tsp in a pot of chili so I was so afraid of ruining 3.5 cups of yummy coconut. Finally I gave in and just went for it. To my surprise, it was delicious. I tasted it prior to roasting and yuck. LOL.. But once it was all toasty, the flavors meshed quite well. Next time I'll try some of the other suggestions to minimize the liquid smoke, I'm sure it will still taste yummy.

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Ahsanullah K • September 12, 2022 at 07:22AM

amazing recipe

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Linda P • May 8, 2023 at 02:17AM

how does one "stir" the coconut flakes baking in the oven (without making a mess in oven) dump them in a bowl and stir? I'm very new to cooking and all.... thank you Linda

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Char N • Rouxbe Staff • May 8, 2023 at 10:42PM

Oh, this is a fun recipe! Linda, first mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add the coconut flakes, a gently stir to coat. When putting the seasoned coconut into the baking sheet, use tongs to lift, lightly shake to remove excess liquid. Make sure that the coconut flakes are spread out well. Good luck and have fun! Char

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Linda E • February 24, 2024 at 01:23AM

My family can not eat coconut (it has saturated fat). Can I substitute carrot planed on a mandoline with this recipe?

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Char N • Rouxbe Staff • February 25, 2024 at 01:35AM

Hello, LE-- Good question-I also avoid coconut and use eggplant, carrots, or watermelon. However, I use the dehydrator. And it gets deliciously crispy. I have my own recipe, but here is one you might enjoy (it is really good: https://jollytomato.com/watermelon-bacon/ Let us know how you make out. Cheers, Char

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Magnolia C • June 27, 2025 at 09:38PM

When the brain hear "Bacon" develop his defense ayyyyyyyy

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Betty N • September 9, 2025 at 04:01PM

I just finished making these. OMG! I like to have salad for breakfast sometimes. I had a big salad with a soft-boiled egg and topped it off with these delicious coconut bacon shavings.

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