15 Coconut Dessert Recipes We're Obsessed With Right Now
Photo, Roberto Caruso.
These tropical treats are as close to the beach as we'll get during this wintry deep freeze, so we're not holding back our enthusiasm. These coconut dessert recipes leverage everything from fresh to shredded coconut, coconut milk and even coconut extract—with incredible results. Find your new favourite dessert in the gallery below (I highly recommend the cupcakes):
Coconut Shag Cake
Coated with crisp coconut flakes, each forkful is light, airy and unbelievably delicious—everything you want in a cake. Get our coconut shag cake recipe.
Lamingtons
These fluffy little snacking cakes are drenched in coconut and chocolate (making them utterly irresistible). Get our lamingtons recipe.
Chewy Chocolate-Coconut Bars
Once you add these homemade bars to your holiday repertoire, there's no going back. Delicious and oh-so-easy to make, we think they may just be the start of a new holiday tradition. Get this coconut-chocolate bars recipe.
Coconut Cream Pie
What makes this classic coconut cream pie the best ever? With coconut baked in the crust, in the custard AND sprinkled on top, it’s tropical perfection. Get our coconut cream pie recipe.
Vegan Chocolate-Covered Coconut Bars
This easy, elevated chocolate-covered coconut bar is the ideal vegan treat. Get this vegan coconut bars recipe.
Coconut Flan
When cookbook author Diala Canelo was growing up in Santo Domingo, every celebration, birthday and Sunday lunch would end with a delicious flan. This one is made with coconut milk, which creates a velvety- smooth custard and adds a rich tropical flavour. Get this coconut flan recipe.
Coconut-Ginger Macaroons
Grandma’s macaroons just got an upgrade! A gingery kick and pureéd dates give this classic a new spin. Get this coconut-ginger macaroons recipe.
Coconut Parfaits
Looking for a delicious gluten-free dessert? This recipe riffs off of our coconut cream pie, but (obviously) skips the pastry. Get our coconut parfaits recipe.
Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
These coconut cookies have all the things we love about a great cookie: they're chewy, chocolatey and taste like more. Get our chocolate dipped coconut macaroons recipe.
Toasted Coconut Cupcake
Light, airy and extra coconutty (coconut milk plus shredded coconut), these delicious cupcakes will be a hit every time you make them. Get our toasted coconut cupcakes recipe.
Tres Leches Coconut Cake
We gave this Latin American cake, traditionally made with three types of milk, a delicious twist by swapping evaporated milk with coconut milk for a rich, nutty flavour. It’s the perfect dessert for hot summer evenings. Get this tres leches coconut cake recipe.
Pink Coconut Snowballs
Our homemade, hot-pink take on the Sno Ball—a Hostess convenience-store staple which dates back to the late 1940s—is the most delightfully OTT dessert. They’re guaranteed to bring nostalgia—and sticky fingers—to any dessert table. Get our pink coconut snowballs recipe.
Alfajores
We love a crisp and light cookie sandwich, and this one is simply decadent. Filled with dulce de leche caramel, and rolled in a light dusting of shredded coconut, these cookies will go fast. Get our alfajores recipe.
Vegan Mango Coconut Ice Pops
You don't need to wait until summer to enjoy these refreshing vegan treats made with frozen mango and coconut milk. Get our vegan mango and coconut ice pops recipe.
Chia And Coconut Pudding
This make-ahead dessert is a healthy way to add a sweet note to dinner (eating right has never tasted so good). Get our chia and coconut pudding recipe.
Dream Squares
Here's a chewy toasted-coconut classic from Tait's Bakery. What a great way to use up glaceed fruit left from holiday baking. Get this dream squares recipe.
