Jamaican coconut drops recipe

Today’s recipe is the popular Jamaican coconut drops. It is Jamaica’s most popular dessert, which is made from readily available dried coconut. The addictive taste of the coconut drop derives from the generous use of ginger, as well as spices like cinnamon and brown sugar. You won’t get enough of this dessert, especially if you love coconut. This is one coconut treat you won’t get tired of, and you can ask any Jamaican with a sweet tooth.  

Jamaican coconut drops recipe history

Like many of Jamaica’s traditional recipes, the coconut drop originated from the knowledge brought to the island by our African ancestors, combined with traditions from India, Asia, and even Europe (the British and the Spanish), as well as ingredients grown on the island.

But unlike other recipes where our ancestors had to ‘turn dem hand and mek fashion‘ using the “craps” and the little what they had, coconut drops came from the knowledge base of using natural, healthy ingredients to make dessert food – ingredients such as ginger root, dried coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg, which are all readily available on the island of Jamaica.

Traditionally, especially for Jamaicans from the countryside and more rural areas, coconut drops are placed on fresh banana leaves to dry and harden. Some old-time Jamaicans would “quail” (a term used to describe briefly placing the leaf over fire, which changes the texture of the leaf) the banana leaf before placing the hot drop on it.

The name ‘drops‘ originates from the way Jamaicans describe the method of placing the wet, hot coconut and melted sugar mix to dry. It is like dropping it, hence the name drops. And there are different types of drops, including peanut and tropical almond drops.

What are Jamaican drops made of – Ingredients

Not to be confused with the Trinidadian coconut drop, which is a coconut bun resembling our Jamaican rock bun, the Jamaican coconut drop is made from five simple ingredients, which are as follows:

• Dry coconut: Choose a very dry coconut to get that nutty taste. A less dry coconut the nut of the will be softer and make prevents the drops from hardening. Drier coconut are better for this dessert recipe.
• Brown sugar: It has to be brown sugar. I like the darker brown sugar for my coconut drops recipe.
• Ginger: You will need a lot of ginger. Lots of ginger is key to this coconut dessert recipe
• Cinnamon: I prefer cinnamon leaf, but either cinnamon sticks or powder will also do
• Vanilla extract: No Jamaican dessert will be complete without vanilla extract.

* Missing from the image above is vanilla extract.

Easy coconut drops recipe instructions

Jamaican coconut drop is an easy recipe, with a few simple steps to get you that ginger sweet you know and love. The most tedious part is preparing the coconut for the coconut drops. But there are little steps you can take to reduce this, such as shredding the coconut instead of dicing it. To achieve the shredded style coconut drops, use the large holes on a box grater to cut up the coconut. However, in the preparation steps below, you’re shown the traditional way of dicing the coconut.

1. Prepare the coconut: If you intend to use the coconut water, remove it before breaking the coconut. Pierce one of the coconut ‘eyes‘ and pour the water out. Then wrap the coconut in a kitchen towel and mash it with a hammer. If you are Jamaican with the natural ability to break coconuts, do it the Jamaican way.
2. Remove the coconut from its shell and wash it. Then cut the coconut into small cube-like pieces. Getting the coconut out of its shell can something be difficult, so take care not to hurt yourself. I already mentioned that you can shred the coconut for the drops if you don’t wish to sit for a long time to dice the coconut.

3. Grated Ginger: The Coconut Drops recipe calls for a generous amount of ginger. And since you are using a lot of ginger in this recipe, you have to grate it so that when you’re eating the drop, you won’t find yourself biting into chunks of ginger.
4. Cook Coconut: Add the diced coconut and grated ginger to a pot with boiled water. If you are using cinnamon leaves or sticks, add them to the pot as well. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. This way, the coconut will absorb all the flavour from the ginger and spice.

5. Sweet Sugar: Add the sugar and vanilla to the pot. If you’re using powdered cinnamon, add it to the pot as well. Cover and leave to cook until the sugary liquid reduces to a sticky syrup. As the liquid starts to thicken, keep a close eye on the pot and stir continuously to prevent it from burning.
6. Drop the Drops: Once the liquid is sticky enough, scoop the coconut mixture using a large spoon and drop it onto a banana leaf, parchment paper, or aluminium foil in batches. Leave to harden and dry for 15 minutes. If your drops are taking more than 20 minutes to dry and harden, there is a high chance that they won’t.

Can you freeze coconut drops?

I would not recommend freezing the coconut drops, as this dessert is already hard and made of sugar. The ice that the drops will create when they freeze will melt when defrosted. The sugar that binds the elements of the drops will also dissolve.

Store the coconut drop in a sealable container outside the fridge for up to three months. Coconut drops can be eaten up to six months, but they won’t be as fresh.

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Related Recipes:

• Plantain Chips, 
• Peanut Drops,

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