Stop buying the jarred stuff and make coco jam at home! This easy 2-ingredient Filipino coco jam (minatamis na bao) recipe uses panutsa for a rich, toasty caramel flavor.
Skip the grocery aisle. This homemade coconut jam, also known locally as minatamis na bao, gets its deep caramel toastiness from panutsa, a Filipino raw sugar molded in coconut shells. It melts straight into the coconut milk and gives the jam a richer, more complex flavor than regular brown sugar ever could.
Coco jam rewards patience, not shortcuts. It takes time for the coconut milk to reduce, so keep the heat low, watch the pot, and keep stirring. The high sugar content means it can scorch fast if you walk away or crank up the heat. Once it thickens into a silky, dark syrup that coats the back of a spoon, it's ready to spread on pandesal, drizzle over suman, or plop over ice cream.
Melt panutsa: Combine chopped panutsa and 2–3 tablespoons of coconut cream in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the panutsa melts into a syrup. For a deeper flavor, cook the melted panutsa until dark golden brown.
Cook coco jam: Pour remaining coconut cream into the pan. Stir until well combined. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until thick and glossy, about 30–45 minutes. It's ready once it coats the back of the spoon, and you can draw a line across the pan and the jam does not run back together.
The jam will thicken as it cools, so avoid over-reducing it. It should look a little looser than you want your final jam to be.
Season coco jam with a pinch of salt. Remove from heat and let cool completely before transferring to a jar.
No panutsa? Use coconut sugar or brown sugar in equal amounts. If you use white sugar, you'll make white coco jam / coconut condensed milk!
For a bit of brightness to cut through the rich sugar, stir in ½ teaspoon of dayap (lime) zest right before you turn off the heat.
You can also add more salt for salted coco jam—like salted caramel, but coconut!
To loosen up stiff or hard coco jam, gently reheat the jam in a saucepan with a few tablespoons of coconut milk (not water!).
Yes. Coconut milk and sugar are volatile. If you leave the pot unattended, the bottom will burn before the top thickens. Keep the heat low and keep the spoon moving—this prevents the bottom from scorching.
You can! The difference between using coconut cream and milk is the cooking time. Because coconut milk is thinner than cream, it needs to cook for longer to thicken.
