20 Coconut Desserts for the Coconut-Obsessed

overhead view of homemade Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons on a cooling rack
Photo: Allrecipes Magazine

Coconut is one of those love-it-or-hate-it ingredients, and I'm here to talk to those who are solidly on #teamcoconut. If you're nutty for the sweet taste of coconut cream, coconut milk, and shredded coconut, you'll want to check out some of our most popular coconut dessert recipes. Scroll through to find coconut pies, coconut cakes, coconut macaroons, and more.

01 of 21

Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

close up of a single slice of coconut cream pie on a plate
tjallan

"This pie was amazing," says Allrecipes home cook Julie. "I made this yesterday for my brother's 25th wedding anniversary and my son, who at first turned his nose up at it (coconut-yuck!), asked me to make another one as soon as we got home. I will definitely make it for Thanksgiving and any other time I can find an excuse to make one. I did as others suggested and used 1 ½ cups coconut milk and 1 ½ cups half-and-half instead of 3 cups half-and-half, ⅓ cup.cornstarch instead of flour, and I used coconut extract instead of vanilla."

02 of 21

Coconut Macaroons III

mid angle looking at a plate stacked with coconut macaroons
dotdash meredith food studios

This 4-ingredient recipe is about as easy as it gets. Kristil Kimbro Lyle says, "This recipe has won many 1st place ribbons at my state fair. They are very simple to make."

03 of 21

Coconut Poke Cake

square slice of homemade Coconut Poke Cake topped with toasted coconut shreds and a maraschino cherry
Christina

"White cake soaked in sweet creamy coconut milk and smothered in whipped topping and flaked coconut," says recipe contributor Leslie. KXR173 adds, "Great dessert! I made this for Christmas, nervous that no one would try it and it was the first to go on the table! SO moist & sweet...everyone loved this! Must use the CREAM OF COCONUT."

04 of 21

Willard Family German Chocolate Cake

German Chocolate Cake on a plate
Jenn

"This recipe has been in my family for a very long time," says recipe contributor Kelly MacDonald. "My great-grandma could make this with her eyes closed. My father was born on her birthday so she made this cake for him every year. Even shipped it to him in Korea when he was stationed there in the army."

05 of 21

Seven Layer Bars

a stack of three coconut-topped 7 layer bars on a square white plate
Melissa Goff

"Easy to make, and very rich. Can use different kinds of chips (vanilla or peanut butter) to suit your taste," says P. Tindall. Reviewers recommend lining your baking dish with parchment paper to make it easier to lift out these right and gooey bars.

06 of 21

Chococonut Chip Cookies

homemade Chococonut Chip Cookies in a bowl
CKR

"I came up with this scrumptious recipe one day, just trying to find a way to use the bag of coconut flakes sitting in the cupboard. It was just a cross between family recipes for cookies and my own special touch of imagination. Well I'm glad that I came up with it as are my family and friends. I hope you enjoy as much as we did." — Reena B.

07 of 21

Famous Coconut-Almond Balls

Famous Coconut-Almond Balls
mominml

"I made this recipe with my sister one day for fun and they were excellent! They tasted just like the Almond Joy candy bars." — JAADEMYST

08 of 21

Coconut (Haupia) and Chocolate Pie

Homemade Coconut (Haupia) and Chocolate Pie recipe topped with whipped cream toasted coconut, and chocolate chips
Christina

"This must be the most delectable chocolate haupia pie on Earth. My family and I have enjoyed haupia pies from the famous Ted's Bakery in Hawaii before, but my family believes this is just as good, if not better, than Ted's!" — Cookaburra

09 of 21

Hawaiian Cheesecake

hawaiian cheesecake
cassandralynn9

"It turned out great," says reviewer Robb. "I did make a couple of changes. I toasted the coconut before adding it to the batter. I made a vanilla wafer crust that I added the pecans into, as I don't care for nuts in my pie filling, but wanted the flavor. Finally, I toasted the coconut and ground pecans together for topping it with. The added toasting and the pecans in the crust just took it to the next level of flavor!"

10 of 21

Coconut-Lime Cheesecake with Mango Coulis

slice of Coconut-Lime Cheesecake with Mango Coulis topped with whipped cream, lime slices, toasted coconut, and mango sauce
Alberta Rose

Recipe contributor Alberta Rose says, "This tropical-inspired cheesecake features a ginger-coconut crust and two divine layers topped off with a fresh mango coulis. I like to make a coconut cream by adding coconut extract to whipped cream for topping the cheesecake. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut, for even more flavor."

11 of 21

Coconut Cream Pound Cake

Coconut Cream Pound Cake
Emilia Budihardjo

"OMG! This pound cake is awesome! If you love coconut this cake is for you. I followed the recipe exactly and used my Kitchen Aid stand mixer to beat everything so it was nice and fluffy. I also let everything get to room temperature before mixing. It baked up beautifully in exactly 1 hour and 20 minutes and the smell in the house was nothing less than heavenly. Make no mistake, this cake is rich and dense so it's not something you'd make on a regular basis but it definitely fits the bill for special occasions. I served it with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and toasted coconut - YUM!" — Jillian

12 of 21

Coconut Ice Cream

close up of two scoops of coconut ice cream topped with chocolate syrup
Dianne

You'll need only four ingredients to make this easy coconut ice cream. "This is a very luscious coconut ice cream," says reviewer Albertacf. "The only thing I will do different next time is put the flaked coconut in the blender/processor with the milk and cream of coconut. The flakes made the ice cream a bit chewy in texture. Otherwise, this recipe is very easy and extra creamy."

13 of 21

Nanaimo Bars III

Three-layer bars with a graham cracker crust, custard powder filling, and chocolate top
Katie S

"Because it's three layers, this sounds hard but it's worth it. My son is famous for making and taking these in to work. I've heard other names but here in the Northwest everyone knows them as Nanaimo bars. They are sold on British Columbia Ferries and at coffee stands. If you can't find custard powder, I've used instant pudding mix with good results." — Martha J Paul

14 of 21

Italian Cream Cake II

Italian Cream Cake decorated with chopped nuts and cherries
CHIBI CHEF

Reviewer Barbara Hamilton says, "I have made this cake twice. Turned out perfect each time. My DH loves it and it is now his most requested cake. Didn't change a thing about the recipe. I added chopped pecans to the frosting and put both pecans and coconut in the batter."

15 of 21

Ono Butter Mochi

Ono Butter Mochi
neeko

"This recipe for mochi is an easy Hawaiian local-style treat made with coconut and butter in a rice flour base. A great dessert for any tropical themed party," says recipe contributor SAXONY.

16 of 21

Yummy Lemon Coconut Loaf

Yummy Lemon Coconut Loaf
naples34102

"OMG, this is so good! I made it exactly as written and wouldn't make any adjustments. The only downside of this delicious lemon coconut loaf is that it won't last very long in this house, in fact it's almost gone and I just sliced into it," says Allrecipes Allstar Deb C.

17 of 21

Tembleque de Coco - Coconut Tembleque

serving of traditional Puerto Rican coconut pudding garnished with ground cinnamon and basil leaf
Yoly

Recipe contributor MKCortes (Latin Goddess) says, "Tembleque is a traditional dish served in Puerto Rico around the holiday season. It is jiggly and similar in texture to a panna cotta."

18 of 21

Maja Blanca (Coconut Pudding)

Maja Blanca Coconut Pudding topped with toasted coconut on a green plate
Allrecipes

"This is a popular dessert among Filipinos. It can be served with different presentations. Ordinarily, when served in the Philippines, it will contain small kernels of sweet corn inside and topped with flakes of roasted coconut meat. Often it will also have shredded Cheddar cheese on top." — Your Cooking Papa

19 of 21

Simply the Best Coconut Cake

close up on a slice of coconut cake
Allrecipes Photo

"Incredibly moist and sweet with a delightful coconut taste that's not overwhelming, this is the best coconut cake ever. Each bite combines a cold and creamy filling, a soft cake, and a thick, sweet frosting — it melts in your mouth! And it looks fancy, like you spent all day making it, but it's actually super easy and approachable." — NicoleMcmom

20 of 21

Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons

overhead view of homemade Salted Caramel Coconut Macaroons on a cooling rack
Allrecipes Magazine

"Fill those thumbprints with caramel and a sprinkle of sea salt," says recipe contributor thehungryscientist. "Gilding the lily? Maybe! But it might just be your new favorite. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, with waxed paper or parchment paper separating layers, up to 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months."

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