Food and Recipes Entertaining Ideas & Tips 32 Coconut Desserts That'll Transport You To The Tropics By Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland Kimberly Holland is a writer and editor with 15 years of experience in food, lifestyle, health, and nutrition content. She has been published in Southern Living, Real Simple, Allrecipes, EatingWell, Cooking Light, and other publications. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 1, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Craving a bit of sunshine? Dreaming about being somewhere on a beach? Transport your taste buds to the tropics with a little help from these coconut recipes. We love baking with coconut for its versatility and subtle, yet distinct flavor. Coconut pairs well with a variety of fruits, from strawberry to pineapple, and complements the richness of ingredients like chocolate and pecans. It brings lightness to decadent classics like German Chocolate Cake, creaminess to custard pies, and crunchy texture to classic layer cakes. You can also use coconut to bring a bit of sweetness to savory recipes, like Coconut Fried Shrimp, or even to mellow out the spice when you go a little overboard with the hot sauce. This weekend, treat yourself to a piña colada and bake some of our favorite coconut desserts. These recipes will make you feel like you're on an endless vacation. 01 of 32 Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox These adorable miniature pies are perfect for any tea party or afternoon garden soiree. A coconut crust perfectly complements the tangy Key lime filling, and the smaller size makes these just right for entertaining. 02 of 32 Triple-Coconut Poke Snack Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke For a dessert that’s small on time and big on flavor, this snack cake delivers. A coconut frosting is poured over coconut cake for an intense, rich taste. 03 of 32 Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos Visually, this cake is a show-stopper. With layers of crisp chocolate-swirled meringue and coconut cream, its delicate flavors match its bold flavors. 04 of 32 Millionaire Pie Micah A. Leal This no-bake pie's combination of pineapple, cherry, coconut, and pecans will certainly have you feeling like a millionaire. Its baby-pink color is guaranteed to make you swoon. 05 of 32 The Lane Cake Hector Sanchez This recipe may be over 100 years old, but it's stood the test of time. With a coconut-pecan-peach filling and peach schnapps meringue frosting, it will wow any crowd. 06 of 32 Pineapple-Coconut Cake Micah A. Leal This elegant layer cake with fluffy coconut sponge, pineapple filling, and rich cream cheese frosting bursts with tropical flavors. Cover this occasion-worthy dessert in toasted shredded coconut for the ultimate in presentation and taste. 07 of 32 Mama Mae's Ambrosia Salad Southern Living This take on ambrosia salad doesn't call for any marshmallow or whipped cream, instead letting the flavors of all the fresh fruit and sweet coconut shine through. Plus, it's accidentally vegan. 08 of 32 Tropical Carrot Cake Micah A. Leal Warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger combine with pineapple and coconut in this Hummingbird-carrot cake fusion. Top the cream cheese frosting with toasted coconut and chopped pecans for added flavor and crunch. 09 of 32 Coconut Cream Pie John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine When it comes to pie recipes, this classic coconut pie recipe takes the blue ribbon. A refrigerated pie crust makes it easy, and the whipped cream and toasted coconut make it stunning. 10 of 32 Coconut Cookies Micah A. Leal With both unsweetened shredded coconut and coconut extract, these cookies are loaded up with your favorite summer flavor. You’ll stock your cookie jar with these again and again. 11 of 32 Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio These playful cupcakes will transport you right to the tropics. For a whimsical touch, garnish with crushed graham cracker "sand" and miniature cocktail umbrellas. 12 of 32 Coconut Pound Cake Antonis Achilleos We love a classic Bundt, and this coconut version brings a light, fresh flavor to the traditional pound cake. Make this for showers, holidays, or neighbors in need. 13 of 32 Seven-Layer Cookies Southern Living This reader-submitted recipe was the first-ever bar cookie featured in Southern Living, so it has many years of history behind it. These gooey bars layer chocolate and butterscotch chips, pecans, and coconut, and they’ve been winning rave reviews since the recipe was first published in 1966. 14 of 32 Coconut-Banana Pudding Hector M. Sanchez The addition of coconut adds a toasty texture to the much-loved Southern classic, banana pudding. Plus, this no-bake dessert will be ready in a snap. 15 of 32 Ambrosia Pudding Pie Alison Miksch All those nostalgic flavors of ambrosia salad are distilled into a pie with lemon curd and coconut custard. The homemade lemon curd and pie crust can be made in advance. 16 of 32 Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez You won’t find any candied fruit in this coconut-frosted favorite. More resembling a seasonal spice cake than a traditional dense fruitcake, this recipe is fit for any holiday spread. 17 of 32 Tropical Coconut-Citrus Pie Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee Coconut cookies create a crisp crust for a creamy citrus pie. With Key lime, marshmallow crème, and a citrus garnish, what could be sweeter? 18 of 32 Laura Bush's Cowboy Cookies Southern Living Oats, coconut, and pecans bring a twist to Laura Bush's famed stuffed chocolate chip cookies. Her recipe for these Cowboy Cookies was crowned victorious at the First Lady Bake-Off in 2000, and it's stood the test of time. 19 of 32 Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas Sheet cakes are a perfect way to feed a crowd, and this Coconut-Carrot Sheet Cake will delight at any party. Lightly spiced, this dessert takes carrot cake up a level. 20 of 32 Mama's German Chocolate Cake Southern Living German Chocolate Cake is just perfectly indulgent. Top with lots of Coconut-Pecan Frosting to mingle with all those rich chocolate flavors. 21 of 32 Coconut Custard Pie Micah Leal A cross between buttermilk pie and coconut cream pie, this fusion dessert will bring you right back to your childhood. This pie maximizes the coconut flavor with coconut cream, coconut extract, and shredded coconut. 22 of 32 Coconut-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Hector M. Sanchez Coconut recipes aren’t just for summer. If you crave tropical flavors all year long, this twist on pumpkin pie is what your holiday dreams are made of. 23 of 32 Coconut-Lime Cupcakes Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Brighten up a party with these light and dreamy cupcakes infused with a mighty coconut-lime flavor duo. Whip these up in an hour, just in time to quench that sweet-tart craving. 24 of 32 Coconut Brown Sugar Fudge Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn; Prop Stylist: Christine Keely Here’s a foolproof method for making fudge, and a winning flavor combination. When it comes to standing out on the dessert buffet, these easy treats will be your new go-to. 25 of 32 Coconut Easter Eggs Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn Don’t save these dark chocolate-covered bites for just Easter. You can make them any time of year. Reminiscent of favorite candy bars, these candies can be made in any shape. 26 of 32 Ambrosia Cheesecake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee Cheesecake gets a twist with a classic ambrosia treatment. Citrus fruits and coconut that make up the holiday salad turn a classic into an unexpected dessert. 27 of 32 Coconut Pudding Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas A few minutes is all you need to make this light, refreshing pudding. Since it chills for a few hours, it’s great to make ahead for a weeknight treat and sophisticated enough for guests. 28 of 32 Coconut Panna Cotta with Blood Orange Granita Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee Top creamy coconut custard with citrus granita for a dish that will dazzle any dinner guests. Make this dessert up to two weeks before you need it. 29 of 32 Peanut Butter-Coconut Cookies Micah A. Leal These cookies have a perfectly chewy texture from a brown sugar-peanut butter base. They are gluten-free, easy to make, and need only a handful of ingredients. 30 of 32 Lemon Coconut Cake Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn This sweet lemon cake will bring cheer to any dessert buffet. Layers of coconut cake and lemon filling are topped with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut. 31 of 32 Coconut Meringue Nests Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Fitting for any spring occasion, these airy meringues can be made up to a week ahead. A coconut garnish makes these festive for Easter or just welcoming warmer weather. 32 of 32 Coconut Citrus Bars Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Giulietta Pinna; Food Styling: Ali Ramee Similar to lemon bars, this version is made with tangerine juice and cherry syrup for a sweeter taste. Use coconut flour and desiccated coconut for the delectable crust. Make these in advance so they have time to chill before serving. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit