Coconut Tea Buns - another Newfoundland favourite.
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Coconut Tea Buns. A Newfoundland favourite tea time snack for decades. This is how we've made them for many years in our family.
Number one son has been asking me to make these coconut tea buns for a couple of weeks now. He loves anything coconut.
He thinks I should try this recipe with raspberries but he'd eat anything with raspberries. Hmmm, coconut/raspberry? You never know, he might be on to something.
He has very discriminating tastes for an 8 year old. 😉
2020 Update.
This was one of the first recipes ever posted to Rock Recipes back in November of 2007, just 2 months after the website first started. We have since dded over 1700 more in the last 12 ½ years.
I was reminded of the recipe recently, when a Twitter discussion I was mentioned in, came to my attention. I was surprised many people had not heard of these, which are really just a variation on Newfoundland Raisin Buns.
My mom and other bakers in our family have been making them for as long as I can remember. They have always been a family favourite.
So, I decided to update the photos and publish the recipe again, especially for the coconut lovers out there. I think they may become a favourite teatime treat for many.
For even more delicious ideas for brunch, we have put them together into one amazing collection of our 25 Best Scone Recipes.
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Originally published November 2007. Updated March 2020.
Coconut Tea Buns
Coconut Tea Buns - a Newfoundland favourite tea time snack for decades. This is how we've made them for many years in our family.
Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter
- 1 cup dried unsweetened fine coconut
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Coconut or almond extract, (optional)
- 1 cup undiluted evaporated milk
Instructions
- I start these in my food processor because it is so fast but they can be made just as easily in a large bowl by cutting the butter in with a pastry blender or just rubbing it into the dry ingredients using your hands like Nan did.
- In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Pulse in the butter until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with small pieces of butter still visible.
- Add the coconut, toss well, and make a well in the center of the mixture.
- Mix together the undiluted evaporated milk, lemon juice, almond extract and vanilla extract.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the well and mix only enough to form a dough ball.
- Roll on a floured surface to 1 inch thickness and cut out buns with biscuit cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on the size of your biscuit cutter.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
16 large tea bunsAmount Per Serving Calories 246Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 8gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 27mgSodium 266mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 1gSugar 13gProtein 4g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
God Bless Ye and Your's.
Kindest Regards,
The Leprechaun
Made this recipie - first time I ever made tea buns...found that they were a little tough from how my mom's used to be. She told me it was because I used the food processor and the dry mixture was handled too much... next time will mix by hand. Other than that they were tasty - I will make this recipie again for sure!!
I just used the food processor to cut in the butter. I gently mix in the liquid by hand being careful not to handle it as little as possible.
A light touch is best for all biscuits and teabuns. I'm sure your next batch will be better.
I made these last night, but they didn't rise at all. They look more like a cookie than a tea bun. Any idea why??
Otherwise, they're tasty! They just don't look like a tea bun 🙁
Did you roll them out too thin? Try using a tad less milk to make the dough.
@Alicia, did you forget the baking powder?
Love those tea buns! I mix any berry with them
Mix by hand and mix from outside of bowl to Centre!!!!
Easy make and tasty!!!!
Thanks Stan. I'm going to try frozen raspberries in them next time. Barry
I have always made tea buns with an egg or two in the recipe. I've noticed that eggs are not listed in this recipe. Could this be a typo?
Not a typo. Scones generally do add egg to soften them but I like crispier edges. You can add one but modify the milk amount.
Does a silicone matt get the same texture as parchment paper?
Or when is it ok to substitute a matt and get the same results?
Biscuits? Cookies? Scones? Croutons?
Thx!
Vicki ..;)
Hi
Love all your recipes!!!
Was wondering if you can freeze tea buns?
Thanks
We always have. There's probably some in the freezer now!
Could u use fresh milk instead of can
Sure.
we don't have evaporated milk in France. What can I replace it with? Thin cream?
@ann Tulloh, You can use whole milk instead.