Dulce de Coco

Dulce de Coco (coconut sweet) is one of the most popular traditional candies in the Dominican Republic. Freshly grated coconut is cooked slowly with sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes ginger until the mixture caramelizes and can be formed into small, dense patties or balls. The candy has a chewy, sticky texture and an intense coconut flavor enhanced by the caramelized sugar.

Dulce de Coco comes in several colors and varieties: the classic white version made with just coconut and sugar, a brown version where the sugar is caramelized to a deeper color, and pink or red versions tinted with food coloring for visual appeal. Some recipes add condensed milk for extra creaminess or lime zest for a citrus note.

This candy is deeply rooted in Dominican street and market culture. Vendors sell dulce de coco wrapped in small cellophane bags or on wax paper at markets, bus stations, town squares, and festivals throughout the country. It is one of the essential dulces criollos and a taste of Dominican tradition.