Khanom Babin: My Taste Test of Ratcharat’s Famous Coconut Pancakes
This week brought me to Imperial World Samrong, and every time I passed through the 1st floor, the perpetually long queue at Ratcharat Khanom Babin / Ratcharat Khanon Babin Maprao Nam Hom (ราชรัตน์ ขนมบ้าบิ่นมะพร้าวน้ำหอม) always caught my eye. Just looking at the sizzling khanom babin on the griddle showed they were loaded with ingredients, specifically generous amounts of shredded coconut flesh. As with most Thai desserts, I’ve often avoided khanom babin, suspecting the taste would lean towards the typically sweet side. However, with some free time on a weekday around 12:30 PM, my curiosity finally got the better of me. I joined the line, eager to discover what the fuss was about.
The menu was entirely in Thai, so I found myself doing what many uninitiated customers do: listening intently to other customers’ orders to figure out what to get! While writing this post and researching Ratcharat Khanom Babin, I found two video interviews (in Thai, of course – [link 1] [link 2]) that revealed fascinating information. It seems they offer an impressive 11 varieties, with coconut included in all of them. These include popular additions like red bean, almond, sweet potato, taro, sesame, sweet corn, ginkgo, durian, luk chid (ลูกชิด – sugar palm seed), raisin, and foy thong (ฝอยทอง – egg yolk golden threads). However, at the Imperial Samrong booth specifically (where the menu was, again, all in Thai), they only offered 7 menu items: original (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน ดั้งเดิม), sugar palm seed (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน ลูกชิด), sweet potato (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน มันม่วง), corn (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน ข้าวโพด), taro (ไส้เมะพร้าวอ่อน ผือกหอม), red bean (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน ถั่วแดง), and ginkgo (ไส้มะพร้าวอ่อน แปะก๊วย). It seems they might offer the full 11 menu when they are at larger pop-up locations like Central Westgate, but otherwise, your best bet for the full range would be their permanent locations.
What truly differentiates Ratcharat from other khanom babin vendors is their coconut-overload – featuring a significantly higher coconut content than usual, with less flour and reduced sweetness. This “new generation” khanom babin (ขนมบ้าบิ่นสมัยใหม่) boasts a crispy shell and a soft, chewy interior. According to the interviews, the flour used is a blend of white and black glutinous flour, and riceberry. These delicious treats can even be kept in the fridge for up to three days. One interview even mentioned that a box of four pieces weighs almost a kilo due to the sheer amount of ingredients! Their size is also distinctive, and they use a Japanese-style grill pan for obanyaki, an apparent source of inspiration. The final point of differentiation is their unique coconut cream sauce (made from fresh young coconut with coconut water, mixed and simmered until it becomes a rich sauce).
I settled on two classic choices: original and taro, priced at 25 baht each. From the interview, it was mentioned that at least 2 pieces of order come with that small cup of delightful coconut cream dipping sauce – lucky me that my order was for two pieces! And the taste? It wasn’t as sweet as I thought, and the super chewy inside was certainly a highlight.
So, the big question: Would I buy it again? For me, personally, no. It just wasn’t quite my kind of dessert. While incredibly popular with many, its chewy texture and sweetness profile (albeit less sweet than expected) didn’t entirely win me over.
About Khanom Babin: For those unfamiliar, Khanom Babin is a popular Thai dessert believed to originate from Ayutthaya. According to Wikipedia, it’s traditionally made from young coconut, rice flour, coconut milk, sugar, and egg, resulting in a delightful, chewy coconut pancake.
Where to Find Khanom Babin Ratcharat: They are at Imperial World Samrong until today, July 16, 2025. Given their popularity, they often pop up at various locations such as Central Westgate and Central Rama 3, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for their next spot! Otherwise, you can find their regular stalls at Lotus Plus Mall Bangyai and Lotus Bang Kruai Sai Noi.
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Have you tried Khanom Babin Ratcharat or another Khanom Babin vendor in Thailand? What did you think? Share your experiences in the comments below!
