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Kaya (Malaysian Coconut Egg Jam) – Made with coconut, eggs, and caramel, this rich, aromatic jam is perfect for spreading on toast with a cup of coffee. It’s a classic Malaysian treat that’s both sweet and creamy, and definitely worth trying if you haven’t already!
What Is Kaya
Kaya is one of my favorite Malay words. The reason is simple: it has two meanings that I absolutely love. First, it means “rich,” and second, it refers to the utterly delicious coconut egg jam that’s wildly popular in Malaysia and Singapore.
In this post, I’m going to share how I make kaya, a jam that always gets me excited when I wake up in the morning. Imagine silky smooth kaya spread on warm, crispy buttery toasts, paired with a cup of aromatic Malaysian dark coffee. Ahh… now that’s what I call breakfast.
Kaya, also known as srikaya or seri kaya, is a sweet jam made from eggs, coconut milk, sugar, and the fragrant aroma of pandan leaf. The thought of kaya instantly takes me back to my childhood.
I grew up spending a lot of time with my late grandmother, a beloved Nyonya cook and kuih maker. Most of my childhood was spent in the kitchen, watching her and my aunt prepare various orders, and one thing we always made was kaya. This coconut egg jam would go perfectly on pulut tai tai, a beautiful blue Nyonya kuih.
My aunt was the designated kaya maker. She’d beat eggs, coconut milk, and sugar with a traditional springy egg beater before putting the mixture into an antique yellow enamel double boiler over a charcoal burner.
Every time she made kaya, she would sit in front of the fire, stirring it for hours. Yes, hours! It was labor-intensive, but the kaya that came out of our kitchen was always silky, smooth, and with a golden brown color unlike any I’ve ever seen. The taste was always the freshest and richest, a pure perfection.
Sometimes, my aunt would ask me to help, and I’d eagerly jump in. The task itself was mundane, but there was something satisfying about watching the egg mixture slowly thicken and transform from pale yellow to golden amber as the caramel was added.
It was pure magic—and the end result? Absolutely delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
There are many variations of kaya, and you’ll notice the differences right away. Some are yellowish, others greenish or brownish, and the texture varies too—some are runny, while others are thick and rich.
Personally, I always go for the thick, rich kind. I’m not a fan of runny, thin kaya. The best ones have that golden brown color, which comes from the caramel added at the end of the cooking process.
While traditional double-boiling is probably the best way to make kaya, these days, you can whip up this delicious jam in under an hour.
When I called my aunt for the recipe, she told me to “cook” the kaya and skip the hours of stirring. So, I’ve simplified the process, and my kaya recipe below takes just 30 minutes.
Thanks to modern kitchen appliances, the texture comes out silky smooth, and the taste is as close as I can get to the kaya my aunt used to make. If my late grandmother could taste this kaya, I’m sure she’d be so proud of me. It’s sweet, creamy, aromatic, and without any lumps—simply decadent.
Give my kaya recipe a try, and soon you’ll be spreading this delicious jam on toast to make your very own Kaya Toast—you’ll be hooked in no time! Don’t forget to check out my video guide and tips below to making the perfect kaya!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Coconut milk – I recommend using fresh coconut cream and coconut milk if you can. For mine, I used Kara brand coconut cream and coconut milk.
- Cornstarch
- Eggs – Use room temperature eggs. If you forget to take the eggs out ahead of time, just pop them in some warm water for 5-10 minutes to bring them to room temperature in a flash!
- Pandan leaves – If you can’t find pandan leaves, pandan extract is a great substitute, though it won’t have that fresh aroma.
- Sugar – You can use cane sugar or white sugar.
- Water
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
How To Make Kaya
Alright, here’s what you’re gonna do. Crack the eggs into a big bowl or container, then pour in the coconut cream, coconut milk, and sugar. Give it a good whisk to mix everything together—if you’ve got an electric hand mixer, even better, it’ll save you some elbow grease! Once it’s all blended, grab a strainer and pour the mixture through it to filter out any bits.
Now, take that egg mixture and pour it into a saucepan (preferably non-stick, trust me, it makes life easier). Toss in the pandan leaves and set the heat to medium-low. Grab a wooden spatula or some chopsticks, and just keep stirring, my friend—this will take about 20 minutes, so be patient! Once it starts to thicken, mix in the cornstarch mixture, and stir it all together. You’ll notice some lumps forming in the kaya, but that’s totally normal. Just keep stirring until everything’s smooth and thick!
While you’re stirring the kaya, go ahead and heat up the sugar for the caramel in another saucepan. Keep an eye on it and let the sugar melt down into a caramel. Once it turns that beautiful golden brown color, pour it into the kaya and give it a good stir to mix everything together. At this point, your kaya should be a nice golden brown. Then, just turn off the heat and you’re almost done!
Now, let your kaya cool down a bit. Once it’s cooled, get rid of those pandan leaves (they’ve done their job). Then, transfer the kaya into a blender and blend it until it’s super smooth—no lumps allowed! Once it’s all silky, pour it into a jam jar. Pop it in the fridge, and you’re good to go for about a week. Enjoy!
Secrets To Perfect Coconut Egg Jam
- The key to silky kaya is constant stirring. I always keep the heat low and stir constantly. The last thing you want is scrambled eggs in your kaya, so just be patient and keep that spatula moving!
- As for the eggs, you can totally adjust based on your taste. My aunt told me you can use anywhere between 3 to 5 eggs, so it’s really up to you. I personally like my kaya rich, so I go with 5 eggs. Also, I prefer my kaya to be thicker in texture— I’m not a fan of that “watery” kaya that makes my toast soggy. The thicker, the better for me!
- I’ve noticed that sugar in the USA tends to be a bit weaker compared to what we use in Malaysia, so you might find your kaya a little too sweet. Just adjust the sugar to your taste—don’t be afraid to cut it down to get that perfect balance!
- If you prefer a lighter color, you can use 50g of sugar for the caramel— I used 75g for that richer brown hue.
- When I make the caramel, I take it slow. I let the sugar melt into that beautiful golden brown color, and then I mix it into the kaya. It gives the jam the perfect richness and color.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want green kaya, you can totally skip the caramel! Just mix the sugar, eggs, coconut milk, and pandan juice (or extract) at the start. The pandan gives it that beautiful green color, no need for any caramelizing. As the kaya cooks, the sugar will dissolve and everything will thicken up nicely. Just keep stirring until it’s smooth and thick, and you’ll have your green kaya ready to go!
Once the jam has cooled down, pop it into an airtight jar or container and store it in the fridge. It’ll stay fresh for about a week.
You can freeze kaya if you need to store it longer, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to keep that smooth, silky texture. Freezing can cause it to separate a bit when you thaw it. If you do decide to freeze it, make sure it’s in an airtight container. When you’re ready to use it, just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and give it a good stir to bring that creamy consistency back!
Absolutely! If you prefer your kaya a bit thinner, you can reduce the amount of cornstarch. Just keep in mind that it will have a lighter consistency.
This recipe is only 199 calories per serving.
Other Recipes You Might Like
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Kaya (Malaysian Coconut Egg Jam)
Ingredients
- 4-5 eggs
- 200 g (7 oz) sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 3 pandan leaves, tie into a knot
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 tbsp water
Caramel:
- 50 – 75 g (1¾ – 2¾ oz) sugar
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a big bowl or container, follow by the coconut cream, coconut milk, and sugar. Whisk well, or using an electronic hand mixer, whisk the mixture well. Filter the mixture with a strainer.
- Transfer the egg mixture into a sauce pan (non-stick preferred). Add the pandan leaves into the egg mixture and turn on the heat to medium low. Using a wood spatula or a pair of wooden chopsticks, keep stirring the mixture until they are cooked, about 20 minutes. To thicken the kaya, add the corn starch mixture, stir to combine well with the kaya. Please take note that lumps will form in the jam.
- In the meantime, heat up the sugar for the Caramel in a sauce pan until the sugar melts into caramel. When the color becomes golden brown, add the caramel into the kaya, stir to combine well. The color of the kaya should be golden brown. Turn off the heat.
- Let the kaya jam cool down, discard the pandan leaves and transfer the kaya to a blender. Blend until it reaches a silky smooth consistency and without lumps. Transfer the kaya to a jam bottle. You can keep it in the fridge for about a week.
Video
Notes
- The key to silky kaya is constant stirring. I always keep the heat low and stir constantly. The last thing you want is scrambled eggs in your kaya, so just be patient and keep that spatula moving!
- As for the eggs, you can totally adjust based on your taste. My aunt told me you can use anywhere between 3 to 5 eggs, so it’s really up to you. I personally like my kaya rich, so I go with 5 eggs. Also, I prefer my kaya to be thicker in texture— I’m not a fan of that “watery” kaya that makes my toast soggy. The thicker, the better for me!
- I’ve noticed that sugar in the USA tends to be a bit weaker compared to what we use in Malaysia, so you might find your kaya a little too sweet. Just adjust the sugar to your taste—don’t be afraid to cut it down to get that perfect balance!
- If you prefer a lighter color, you can use 50g of sugar for the caramel— I used 75g for that richer brown hue.
- When I make the caramel, I take it slow. I let the sugar melt into that beautiful golden brown color, and then I mix it into the kaya. It gives the jam the perfect richness and color.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wow … super easy and faster ways to make kaya. Came out really well. Skip pandan leaf as I can’t get it in here in north west of Ireland. Still taste super good. Next time I will op for brown sugar and less sugar. A but too sweet for me but as I’m making it to give away, I guess it ok. Yes … I put it in the blender, came out super smooth. Thanks x
Hi Seanny, thanks for your feedback and I am glad it worked out for you. For the sugar, USA sugar is weaker, I noticed that when I make it in Malaysia, it’s too sweet, too. So please cut down per your taste.
Hi, I tried this recipe but have a question, once I added the caramel to the egg mixture, it seemed to get very lumpy or maybe the egg curdled. Is this suppose to happen? From your video, your mixture doesn’t look smooth and a bit lumpy, I assume once you put it in the blender, it will smooth out. Is this how it’s suppose to be? Thanks so much!
Hi Trish. Yes, kaya tends to be lumpy through the cooking process. Once it is blended, it will be much smoother.
Thank you! I made it again and this time it turned out perfect!! It is so tasty and so much better than store bought. Thank you for sharing this easy recipe!
Hi Trish. Thank you for your comment. So glad you were able to make it better the second time. Yay!
Okay, I live in the us and pandan leaves are t readily available, I do have pandan essence would it work if I just added a bit of pandemic essence instead of knotted pandan leaves?
Hi Gabe. Pandan leaves are usually found in the frozen section of most Asian markets. But yes, in a pinch you can use a tiny bit of pandan essence. However, it is not quite the same as using the actual leaves.
If I like my kaya green, do I skip the caramel? Or this is a mandatory step?
You will need to switch making it with pandan leaves instead of caramel, but the process will be a bit different.
How to store the Kaya?
In the fridge.
Thanks for the recipe. It really reduce the cooking time. I had reduce sugar to 150gm and it taste great, for me.
Nice!
I prefer not to use thickening agent like corn flour; so maybe I will reduce the amount of coconut milk. Will that affect the taste n texture of the final product? Thank you
Yes you can use less coconut milk or cook longer.
Love this recipe . Thank you. I have tried other recipes previously but my son says this is the best . Many thank for sharing your delicious recipes
Thank you! :)