These sweet coconut grits make for a great breakfast. They are rich, creamy, and delicious adding a monotony breaker to your morning routine. The mixed berry compote takes the grits up a notch as if it were even possible.
I know, I know, grits are “supposed” to be savory. Heard it all before, no sugar in grits, blah, blah, blah. So is it no sugar or no sweetness? Technically these don’t contain sugar, but they are sweet grits; there is no sugar added to the grits.
Many Southern creamy grits recipes call for heavy cream, but absolutely NO SUGAR. Coconut cream makes these a bit lighter than the traditional version. Don’t be a slave to conformity and allow it to hold you back from enjoying these indulgent creamy yellow grits. Trust me!
Fair warning once you open this pandora’s box, you won’t see grits the same way.
MOOD MUSIC
I love tradition, but hate conformity and I feel like most of the “anti-sugar” in corn grits noise is just that. I ain’t the one, it ain’t my way to blindly follow the herd. Now I may not like something, but you damn well better know I tried it first. I don’t believe in saying never, but "never again" is completely acceptable. I smash sweet grits like I do savory grits, and will not pass just to make the haters happy.
Ingredients Needed For Coconut Grits
- Coconut Milk
- Peach nectar
- Butter
- Berries
- Maple syrup or honey
- Grits (stone ground preferred)
How To Make Sweet Grits
Add the coconut milk and pear nectar to a medium sauce pan. Bring to boil then quickly reduce to a simmer. Add butter and grits plus a pinch of salt. Stir well, cover and let simmer 15-20 minutes. Stir a few times while the grits cook to avoid them sticking to bottom of the pan.
While the grits cook, make the mixed berry topping. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Once hot add butter and then sauté the berries for 3-4 minutes. Add honey after about 2 minutes of cooking then proceed to cook the berries down to a syrupy consistency.
Serve the grits topped with the berry mix.
Sweet Grits Cooking Tips and Considerations
I’m particular about my preferred type of grits. Coarse, stone-ground yellow grits are the way to go IMO. Stone-ground grits are known for their tasty corn flavor. They also have more body to them vs. most others which tend to be thin and runny.
Don't be passive on the whisk. Whisk skills mean more starches are released which means creamy madness.
Stone-ground grits include a few harder bits of corn hulls. They're edible but don't really soften. You can easily remove by putting the grits in a bowl of water and removing the ones that float to the top.
Most creams are hard for grits to absorb. Coconut cream is lighter relative to heavy cream or half and half which makes things easier from an absorption standpoint. Plus the peach nectar not only adds great flavor it helps to make the coconut milk more absorbable.
Many different fruit nectars are good substitutes. Pear, guava, and mango are great alternatives.
If you have the luxury of time, soaking grits in their cooking liquid for a few hours or overnight is a pro-level move. Hydrating the kernels will not only reduce cooking time, but will also enhance both texture and flavor. The faster the grits cook, the more corn flavor they will have
If adding salt, do it at the beginning of cooking as cooked grits don't absorb salt too well
I serve a side of this with BBQ shrimp or Stewed okra when having for brunch.
SIMILAR BREAKFAST RECIPES
Creamy Oatmeal with Blueberries
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Grits
- 1 ½ cup Coconut milk
- 1 ½ cup Peach nectar
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 ½ cup Berries
- 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the coconut milk and peach nectar to a medium saucepan. Bring to boil then quickly reduce to a simmer. Add butter and grits plus a pinch of salt. Stir well, cover, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir a few times while the grits cook to avoid them sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- While the grits cook, make the mixed berry topping. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Once hot add butter and then sauté the berries for 3-4 minutes. Add honey after about 2 minutes of cooking then proceed to cook the berries down to a syrupy consistency.
- Serve the grits in bowls. Top with berry compote and mix in.
Video
Jan
Thursday 11th of July 2024
Canned coconut milk or refrigerated drinkable coconut milk?
Marwin Brown
Sunday 14th of July 2024
canned!
Johanna
Saturday 19th of August 2023
I literally only ever eat grits sweetened. I’ve never had them savory and it doesn’t appeal to me at all. Sweet is where it’s at for me. Can’t wait to try these, and I like the creamy richness of coconut flavor paired with tart berries.
Marwin Brown
Monday 21st of August 2023
These are fun! Hope you enjoy