Let’s get into this week’s bake
Before the Bake – Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda
Part 1: Baking Powder vs Baking Soda
Coconut Drops
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- Whisk optional
- Pastry cutter or fork or food processor
- baking sheet
- Spoon or cookie scoop – optional
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup unsalted butter cold
- ¼ tsp salt ⅙ tsp if using sea salt
- ⅓ cup brown sugar adjust up to ½ cup for a sweeter bite
- 2 large eggs slightly cold
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup raisins
- 1 cup grated coconut fresh recommended
- 2 tbsp water or coconut milk as needed
Optional Add-Ins
- 2 tbsp mixed dried fruit to taste
- maraschino cherries whole or chopped, for tops or batter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Set your baking sheet aside—greasing it well is recommended over lining with parchment paper for this rustic treat.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Add cold butter to the flour mixture. Use your fingertips, a pastry cutter, or a food processor to work it in until it resembles coarse sand.
- Tip: Avoid using your palms to prevent warming the butter.
- Stir in the brown sugar, grated coconut, raisins, and mixed fruit (if using).
- In a separate small bowl, lightly beat eggs with vanilla. Add to the dry mixture and mix until fully combined.
- The dough should be soft and slightly sticky—able to fall off a spoon without sticking to your hands. If it’s too dry, add water or coconut milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until it comes together.
- Use a spoon to drop small mounds of batter onto your greased baking sheet. Optional: top each with a maraschino cherry.
- Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Prefer sweeter drops? Increase brown sugar to ½ cup.
- Egg-free version coming soon!
- This is a rustic, flexible recipe—yield will vary based on drop size.
- Using dried coconut? If you’re substituting fresh coconut with desiccated (dried) coconut, you’ll need to adjust the liquids and sugar. Dried coconut absorbs more moisture and can make your dough dry or crumbly. To correct this, gradually add more coconut milk or water until the dough is sticky and spoonable. You can also slightly increase the sugar since dried coconut is less naturally sweet.
Watch the full step-by-step video
Coconut Drops, Rock Cakes, & Rough Cakes—Same Love, Many Names
A beloved Caribbean treat that’s rugged on the outside, soft inside, and bursting with coconut flavor.
This is another Caribbean favorite, known by different names and made with slight variations, but wildly loved all the same. Like coconut turnovers, coconuts are the star of the show. In Grenada, we call these coconut drops—why? Because we literally “drop” them on the baking sheet and into the oven. With their rugged tops, they look like little rocks, which explains the names they go by in other Caribbean islands. In Jamaica and Guyana, they’re often called “rock cakes” or “rock buns.” In Dominica, you might hear them referred to as “rough cakes.”
Hands down, this is one of my favorite treats my mom used to make. Between the grated coconut, plump raisins, bits of mixed fruit, and cherries (my least favorite part—I used to pick those out…lol), I’d eat these like no tomorrow.
One of the best things about coconut drops? They fit any time of day. Have them for breakfast with coco tea. Enjoy one as an afternoon snack with a cold lime juice. Or grab a few just because—it’s always easy to reach for “just one more.”
The texture is everything: slightly crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, with chewy bits of coconut and juicy raisins dancing in every bite. Simple, nostalgic, and satisfying.
When I want to reconnect with Grenada, I bake a batch of these. One bite, and I’m transported—barefoot in the grass, sun on my face, juice in hand, savoring the moment.
NOTE: Using dried coconut? If you’re substituting fresh coconut with desiccated (dried) coconut, you’ll need to adjust the liquids and sugar. Dried coconut absorbs more moisture and can make your dough dry or crumbly. To correct this, gradually add more coconut milk or water until the dough is sticky and spoonable. You can also slightly increase the sugar since dried coconut is less naturally sweet.
If you’re from the Caribbean, what do you call them in your country? And if this is your first time hearing about them—would you try making it?
