Coconut Buns

by Roxana on June 3, 2011

in Buns, Recipe, Rolls and Buns, Vegetarian, Yeast

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I’m far from being am expert in healthy eating. I do my best to follow the food pyramid (not that I couldn’t live just by eating sweets).
I do believe every one should make their own decisions when it comes to food. And their doctor, if it’s the case.
A while back everyone was talking about the coconut oil. Some were saying it’s not good for our health, some that it is good. I honestly believe they just don’t want to get along :)
Somehow, even with this controversy going on there are still people (including me) buying coconut oil and using it in the kitchen or a regular basis. I do believe it’s good for your own heath, unless you decide to drink it like water.
I like it, I like its nutty flavor and exotic touch.
Few weeks ago, I had the chance to receive a package from the kind people at Kelapo. It contained a jar of their 100% Pure Organic Coconut Oil.
After playing a little bit in the kitchen, mostly using it at stir fries and fried rice I decided to try it in baking. I knew it can be used instead of butter but never tried it. Now it was the time.
 I had this recipe bookmarked for few days and twisted it a little bit to fit my taste.
Coconut Buns

In your stand up mixer bowl measure 4 + 1/2 cups of bread flour. Make a well in the middle and pour 1/4 cup lukewarm milk and sprinkle 1 package dry yeast on top. Stir and let the yeast dissolve.
In a bowl mix 1/3 cup sugar with 1 egg and a pinch of salt.
Slowly add 1 + 1/4 cup milk and stir.
With the dough hook on start mixing, slowly adding the sweetened milk
When the milk is incorporated add 1/3 cup coconut oil.
Keep mixing until all the oil is blend in. If the dough is still wet add a little more flour.
Place the dough into a greased bowl and leave it to rise until doubled. Meanwhile mix 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut with few drops of heavy whipping cream, just enough to form a paste.
Divide it into 18 almost equal small balls. Flatten each ball and put a little coconut in the middle. Tuck in the edges and place the buns in 2 greased 8X8 baking dishes.
Brush the buns with some more coconut oil and sprinkle some flakes on top. Leave it to rise until the oven reaches 375F.
Bake for 20-23 minutes until nice and golden.
Let it cool a little bit and enjoy.
Note :  The coconut I mixed with the cream for the filling wasn’t enough for the 18 buns. I liked the ones without the coconut filling. The filling dried out during baking. Hubby and my neighbors loved the ones with the coconut filling. It’s up to each one’s taste :)
The result : success all the way. Using coconut oil instead of butter was a great idea, gave the buns a nutty flavor without overpowering them. I have so many coconut goodness in my mind, mmmm, can’t wait to experiment.
Kelapo Coconut would like to offer my readers a coupon code for purchasing their product. You can use the code GreenGirl20 (case sensitive) for a 20% off at checkout. It is valid until June 30th. Hope you’ll take advantage of it and enjoy!
That’s about it for tonight, thank you for visiting. Hope you’ll have a wonderful weekend.
Sending you lots of love,
Roxana

{ 42 comments… read them below or add one }

1 thoma June 4, 2011 at 12:27 am

omg Roxana i can frame tht first photo and use it…jus love it. being a South Indian from Kerala we grew up in coconuts and everything coconutty…i hold this recipe close to heart. thnx for sharing!

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2 Lisa June 4, 2011 at 12:45 am

I love the new look of your blog and those coconut buns look fantastic. I have some Kelapo coconut oil myself, and when I saw these, I thought -BINGO! ;)

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3 Free Nutritional Calculator June 4, 2011 at 1:28 am

is kelapo organic oil available in asia? I want to try one. the bun is awesome

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4 Dzoli June 4, 2011 at 2:48 am

I love coconut buns too..Especially ones taht are amde following recepie from Pacific Islanad.They make the sameone as you did only they drown them in coconut milk:)

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5 The Harried Cook June 4, 2011 at 3:07 am

Lovely! Though I am not a huge fan of coconut, I love things made with coconut oil! this sounds & looks great :) Thanks for sharing!

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6 Boabe de Cafea June 4, 2011 at 4:33 am

These must be very good! I can't wait to try them! Kisses!

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7 The Mom Chef June 4, 2011 at 8:48 am

I keep seeing coconut oil around. I would guess that it's very healthy, but like everything else, in moderation. I'd probably go for the non-filled kind, but that's just preference, right? :)

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8 Lizzy June 4, 2011 at 11:16 am

Your buns look picture perfect, Roxana! And I bet the coconut oil gives a great, subtle flavor…if I left out any additional coconut, even my hubby might enjoy these beauties. So fun you got to play with a new product…I'm going to try it out, too :)

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9 Apron Appeal June 4, 2011 at 1:49 pm

I love butter. So when my docs told me I had to cut out dairy, I got mad. I've since stopped my whining and started converting to coconut oil, because it goes solid or liquid I can use it when a recipe calls for butter or oil. I'm also playing around with palm shortening. The point is, I'm using a lot of coconut oil so this coupon is going to be coming in handy. I just need to decide how much to stock up on.

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10 Apron Appeal June 4, 2011 at 1:53 pm

Oh, I forgot to ask. Does it come in a plastic or glass jar?

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11 Roxana GreenGirl June 4, 2011 at 1:55 pm

Hi Gwen, it comes in a glass jar.

Hope you'll like it. It's a good butter substitution :)

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12 Baking Serendipity June 4, 2011 at 2:16 pm

This sounds so good! I love the light flavor of coconut…not overpowering, just a little bit there. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this product and an awesome recipe :)

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13 Torviewtoronto June 4, 2011 at 3:40 pm

soft looking delicious buns looks fabulous lovely presentation

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14 Junia June 4, 2011 at 7:21 pm

ahhh coconut buns sound heavenly!! love that golden crisp look on a freshly baked bread. looks like we both were in the mood for some coconut goods :) . btw, i love the new look of the blog!

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15 Renata June 4, 2011 at 8:46 pm

Gorgeous buns! I love coconut buns, and I will certainly try this recipe. I love the shot of the bun inside the coconut shell, very clever!

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16 Priya Sreeram June 4, 2011 at 11:57 pm

roxana, each & every bake of yours is bookmarked and this one is too- let's c if i can make somethg gorgeous like urs !

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17 The Cilantropist June 5, 2011 at 1:26 am

I was actually just telling one of my friends tonight how much I have been loving coconut oil!!! (Clearly great minds think alike!) I have actually not heard it is unhealthy, rather I have heard it is a more healthy substitute for butter. I LOVE the taste, and have been using it every way possible, though not tried it yet for baking – I should catch up to you! ;)

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18 Eileen June 5, 2011 at 8:55 am

I've never baked with coconut oil. I've never been a coconut fan. My 5th grade teacher made us try raw coconut and it made me so sick. I do love how tender your rolls look. I wouldn't be afraid to try one :)

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19 Medifast Coupons June 5, 2011 at 10:06 am

These are some beautiful looking buns. Great recipe, can't wait to try, thanks so much.

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20 Spicie Foodie June 5, 2011 at 10:18 am

Another great baked goodie Roxana! The coconut buns look so cute and scrumptious. I have never used coconut oil but I believe that most things in moderation are fine.

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21 Indie.Tea June 5, 2011 at 10:42 am

I personally am not a fan of coconut oil (just 'cause I don't like the smell)….but I know a few people who swear by it and its healthy reputation.
The buns look delicious. Fluffy and golden and so good!

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22 Emily @ Life on Food June 5, 2011 at 12:58 pm

These look amazing! What a fun way to incorporate coconut. I am just getting on the coconut oil bandwagon but I love it so far.

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23 Heavenly Housewife June 5, 2011 at 4:12 pm

This is a real beauty. I love anything cococonut. I am bookmarking this. Coconut+carb=Heaven!
*kisses* HH

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24 Sandra June 5, 2011 at 5:12 pm

You did fantastic job with these buns…I can just imagine the nice and warm smell when you opened up your oven!!Ohh also you changed your blog background again..awesome!!! I like it a lot!

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25 Pola June 5, 2011 at 6:56 pm

Love these buns! can almost smell the coconut!

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26 Wendy Irene June 5, 2011 at 10:14 pm

I really like the suggestion of trying out coconut oil instead of butter. I have never done it before and feel really compelled to give it a try! Thank you for the inspiration :)

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27 5 Star Foodie June 6, 2011 at 8:40 pm

These look scrumptious, very neat with coconut oil and coconut flakes sprinkled on top!

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28 Correen June 6, 2011 at 8:47 pm

These coconut buns would be the bomb with spicy barbecue sauced chicken hot off the grill and I'd have to toss in a side of crispy steamed summer veggies! See what you do to me ;)

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29 Aarthi June 7, 2011 at 12:00 am

This looks yummy….you have a lovely blog…I am having a giveaway in my blog..Y dont you check and join that
http://yummytummy-aarthi.blogspot.com/2011/05/chocolate-recipe-and-chocolate.html

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30 Anonymous June 7, 2011 at 4:22 pm

These look so yummy, and so tender. I bet they are fantastic when they are warm!

Now, I am a huge coconut fan myself, but I have been holding my tongue on this fat topic for a long time. I do know a lot about the fat debate at hand. Right down to the chemistry of it.
I am a Dietetics major from Chicago, seriously cranking away at the chemistry, and building major bills to gain this knowledge!
And here is a free consultation… ;)

It is true, while butter and lard contain cholesterol (because cholesterol only comes from animal sources), coconut should not be thought to be healthier for you. I commonly see this misconception of what the product labels mean when they claim to be healthier for your body. If you are wanting to reduce saturated fat, butter is, in fact, lower in saturated fat than coconut oil. Lard is even lower than butter! Imagine that! (With a higher melting point, consider this as a shortening replacement in your next pie crust)
The most effective way to reduce cholesterol in a diet is not to eliminate cholesterol sources (so yes, you can enjoy those eggs), but to monitor the saturated fat in your diet. When you consume saturated fat consistently, it leads to the gradual obstruction in your circulatory system. Basically, please take from this that any fat is fat. Your body needs it, but you gotta watch the sources with high percentage saturated fat! Don't be fooled by faulty information creating misleading claims. Enjoy as a tasty indulgence for your mind. You will feel satisfied.

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31 Anonymous June 7, 2011 at 4:27 pm
32 Jen H June 7, 2011 at 6:37 pm

These buns sound great! Thanks so much for talking a bit about cocnut oil, I've been wondering about using it myself.

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33 BakerbyNature June 7, 2011 at 7:14 pm

I feel like coconut is everywhere right now; I can't get enough of it! I love baking with coconut oil; it lends such a unique flavor.

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34 briarrose June 7, 2011 at 7:22 pm

What a great way to use the coconut oil. Wonderful recipe. I've never thought to try a coconut flavored bun….I might have to whip some of these up just to sample away.

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35 Shauna June 7, 2011 at 11:02 pm

How interesting! These look light as air. Beautiful!

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36 Liren June 9, 2011 at 9:20 pm

These look perfect! Coconut oil is not something I have used a lot, but now I am definitely inspired to try. The buns remind me so much of the ones my relatives used to make when we would visit my dad's home in the Philippines – with a lovely coconut filling! I am definitely bookmarking :)

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37 Magic of Spice June 10, 2011 at 2:26 pm

Fantastic looking buns! I do enjoy cooking with coconut oil but I use several different oils depending on what I am making, so I guess I do not use it consistently.

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38 kita June 14, 2011 at 2:31 pm

Mmm those look so soft and airy. I let ppl pick their own battles with food and try not to get to opinionated either way (it seems no matter what I'd be in trouble).

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39 foodwanderings July 3, 2011 at 1:50 pm

OMG Coconut buns you yummy and I am so hungry!! We are crazed for anything coocnut here and loce these buns. Goergeous and marking this for future baking!!

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40 foodwanderings July 3, 2011 at 1:51 pm

meant love that is what happens when I am super hungry

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41 Cooking Rookie July 3, 2011 at 7:07 pm

These buns look adorable! I wish I could have one..

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42 Cookin' Canuck July 4, 2011 at 11:45 am

I try to follow the rule of "Everything in moderation". These coconut buns sounds wonderful and a fun treat to make every now and then.

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