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I’m pretty sure every Mother’s Day begins with mom being allowed to sleep in. This is standard protocol and should be the precursor to other special day treatment like foot massages, cocktails and mammoth sized bunches of flowers. But first we have to get her ready for the day with sweet Iced Coconut Buns and coffee!

Soft and fluffy coconut buns with a sweet icing on top

I know this sounds weird but Mother’s Day and yeast share a special bond, they both need lots of love and attention. If you show up at the side of mom’s bed with a tray of these Iced Coconut Buns and a hot cup of espresso, she might even tell you to jump in and share. It’s times like these that you need to skip the drive to Starbucks, spend a little extra time in the kitchen and show some love for mom. 

I feel another analogy coming on. Moms are super awesome and so is Red Star Quick Rise Yeast. You can start making these coconut buns as early as 6 a.m and she could be eating them a few hours later. If getting out of bed that early in the morning just isn’t looking good for you, try making the recipe up until the second rise and then store the dough in the refrigerator overnight. I’ll add more pointers about that in the notes section below.

Fresh made sweet coconut buns

Being an ambassador for Red Star means my cupboard is always full of yeast and Quick Rise was perfect for this recipe. I don’t know how they do it but it works…fast! For some people working with yeast can be scary, but this is a two step recipe with simple ingredients and fairly easy to make. The most important part of the recipe is time, so you have to be available to watch the dough rise. My advice, get up nice and early and throw on some coffee and enjoy the quiet time until mom wakes up and smells the amazing fresh baked aroma!

Make these iced coconut buns for Mom on Mother's Day

As an ambassador for Red Star Yeast, compensation was provided for this post. Be sure to check out Red Star’s Pinterest Page for more Mother’s Day ideas!

 

Fresh made sweet coconut buns

Iced Coconut Buns

Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Author: Gerry Speirs
Soft bread buns with toasted coconut and a sweet icing top.
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup lukewarm water
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons Red Star Quick Rise yeast
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour divided plus more for dusting the work surface
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup toasted coconut flakes

For The Icing

  • 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water

Instructions

  • In a medium sized bowl, dissolve the yeast with the warm water.
  • Add the sugar and one of the eggs and whisk to combine.
  • Mix in 1 1/2 cups of flour until the batter is smooth and sticky.
  • Cover with a towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes add the oil and salt. Mix well with a spatula.
  • Add the coconut and remaining 1 cup of flour to the batter and mix until the dough starts to come together.
  • Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface which has been dusted with more flour.
  • The dough will be sticky but start to fold it over on itself and kneading it at the same time. Add more flour if it becomes too sticky.
  • When you finally form a round ball, put it back into the bowl it was mixed in and cover for 35-40 minutes.
  • Take the dough out of the bowl after the second rise and punch the air out of it.
  • divide the dough into 12 even sized pieces (about 2 oz each).
  • Roll the dough pieces into small bowls and place close together on a greased baking tray in a 3 x 4 pattern.
  • Cover with the towel again and let rise for about 20 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Once the rolls have risen after 20 minutes, using a pastry brush gently glaze them with the remaining beaten egg.
  • Place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
  • Let the buns cool while you make the icing.
  • Add the powdered sugar to a bowl and mix in the water using a whisk. The icing will seem thick but keep whisking until it becomes smooth and lump free.
  • Once the buns are cool, dip each one into the icing and letting the excess pour off.
  • Transfer back to the baking tray until every bun has been iced.

Notes

If you prefer to make these the night before, mix up until step 9, cover with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight.