35 Coconut Desserts That'll Transport You Right to the Tropics

By Zoe Denenberg
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

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. Coconut is also a great option to replace butter when baking vegan desserts, like our Vegan Banana Bread or Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. 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.

From coconut flakes and milk to oil, there are so many creative ways to use the different parts of this fruit. 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.

Start Slideshow

1 of 36

Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Prop Styling: Missie Neville Crawford; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Mini Coconut-Key Lime Pies 

These adorable miniature pies are perfect for any tea party or afternoon garden soiree.

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 36

Coconut Dream Bar

Micah Leal

Recipe: Coconut Dream Bar

It isn't called a "dream bar" for nothing. With a browned butter-pecan shortbread crust, these bars are anything but ordinary.  

3 of 36

Toasted Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Toasted Coconut-Pecan Cupcakes with Coconut-Cream Cheese Frosting

Coconut and pecans are a match made in heaven. Drizzle these cupcakes with caramel for a supremely elegant finish.

Advertisement

4 of 36

Easy Coconut Macaroons

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Easy Coconut Macaroons

With a crisp, toasty exterior and fluffy center, these bite-sized desserts are the perfect addition to any dessert spread.

5 of 36

Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Chocolate-Coconut Pavlova Cake

Visually, this cake is a show-stopper. With layers of crisp chocolate-swirled meringue and coconut cream, its delicate flavors match its bold flavors.

6 of 36

Millionaire Pie

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Millionaire Pie

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 36

The Lane Cake

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: The Lane Cake

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.

8 of 36

Pineapple-Coconut Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Cake

This elegant layer cake with fluffy coconut sponge, pineapple filling, and rich cream cheese frosting bursts with tropical flavors.

9 of 36

Mama Mae's Ambrosia Salad

Southern Living

Recipe: Mama Mae's Ambrosia Salad Recipe

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

10 of 36

Banana Nut Shortcake

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Bell Stamos

Recipe: Banana Nut Shortcake

Complete with a layer of toasted coconut and pecan crumble, these shortcakes are the perfect way to reimagine banana bread.

11 of 36

Tropical Carrot Cake

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Tropical Carrot Cake

Warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger combine with pineapple and coconut in this Hummingbird-carrot cake fusion.

 

12 of 36

Coconut Cream Pie

Photo: John Autry; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine

Recipe: Coconut Cream Pie

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

13 of 36

Coconut Cookies

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Coconut Cookies

With both unsweetened shredded coconut and coconut extract, these cookies are loaded up with your favorite summer flavor.  

14 of 36

Lemon-Coconut Chess Bars

Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Lemon-Coconut Chess Bars

We love dessert bars for their ease and portability, and these Lemon-Coconut Chess Bars combine all of our favorite flavors into one small package.

15 of 36

Coconut Meringues with Elderflower Strawberries

Hector M. Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Meringues with Elderflower Strawberries

These light, airy meringues are the perfect vehicle for light coconut flavor.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

16 of 36

Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Vanessa McNeil Rocchio

Recipe: Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting

These playful cupcakes will transport you right to the tropics. For a whimsical touch, garnish with crushed graham cracker "sand" and miniature cocktail umbrellas.

17 of 36

Coconut Pound Cake

Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Coconut Pound Cake

We love a classic Bundt, and this coconut version brings a light, fresh flavor to the traditional pound cake.

18 of 36

Vegan Banana Bread

Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Vegan Banana Bread

Coconut oil is the secret to lots of vegan desserts, and this vegan-friendly Banana Bread recipe combines coconut oil with tahini and sesame seeds for a unique crunch.  

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

19 of 36

Seven-Layer Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Seven-Layer Cookies

This reader-submitted recipe was the first-ever bar cookie featured in Southern Living, so it has many years of history behind it.

20 of 36

Coconut Rice Pudding with Strawberry-Nectarine Compote

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Hadas Smirnoff

Recipe: Coconut Rice Pudding with Strawberry-Nectarine Compote

Strawberries and nectarines come together in a jammy compote to top this silky-smooth Coconut Rice Pudding.

21 of 36

Strawberry-Coconut Paletas

Photo: Wynn Myers; Prop Styling: Lauren Smith Ford

Recipe: Strawberry-Coconut Paletas

These fresh and fruity Mexican ice pops are the perfect way to cool down on a hot summer day.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

22 of 36

Coconut Tres Leches Sheet Cake

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Coconut Tres Leches Sheet Cake

Condensed milk makes this sheet cake super moist, and coconut makes it super flavorful.

23 of 36

Coconut Snowballs

Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Snowballs

This quick and easy recipe results in decadently fluffy cookies that are perfect for the holiday season.

24 of 36

Coconut-Banana Pudding

Hector M. Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut-Banana Pudding

The addition of coconut adds toasty texture to the much-loved Southern classic, banana pudding. Plus, this no-bake dessert will be ready in a snap.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

25 of 36

Ambrosia Pudding Pie

Alison Miksch

Recipe: Ambrosia Pudding Pie

All those nostalgic flavors of Ambrosia Salad, distilled into a pie with lemon curd and coconut custard.

26 of 36

Coco-Loco Chocolate Fondue

Southern Living

Recipe: Coco-Loco Chocolate Fondue

Coconut cream gives this chocolate fondue its smooth, silky texture. Forget the fondue set: this recipe can be made in the slow-cooker.

27 of 36

Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Japanese Fruitcake with Lemon-Coconut Frosting

More resembling a seasonal spice cake than a traditional dense fruitcake, this recipe is fit for any holiday spread.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

28 of 36

Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting

Hector Manuel Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting

Crumbled coconut resembles snow on this wonderfully festive, warm rum-filled holiday cake.

29 of 36

Coconut Chess Pie

Jessica Colyer

Recipe: Coconut Chess Pie

Instantly upgrade your classic Chess Pie with the addition of toasted flaked coconut in the filling.

30 of 36

Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies

Southern Living

Recipe: Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies

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.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

31 of 36

Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Coconut-Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream

Sheet cakes are a perfect way to feed a crowd, and this Coconut-Carrot Sheet Cake will delight at any party.

32 of 36

Coconut Thumbprints with Dulce de Leche

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Coconut Thumbprints with Dulce de Leche

A salty-sweet dulce de leche filling complements the toasty coconut flavors of these cute cookies. They’re perfect for your holiday cookie swap.

33 of 36

Mama's German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Frosting

Southern Living

Recipe: Mama's German Chocolate Cake with Coconut-Pecan Frosting

German Chocolate Cake is just perfectly indulgent. Top with lots of Coconut-Pecan Frosting to mingle with all those rich chocolate flavors.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

34 of 36

Coconut Custard Pie

Micah Leal

Recipe: Coconut Custard Pie

A cross between buttermilk pie and coconut cream pie, this fusion dessert will bring you right back to your childhood.  

35 of 36

Coconut Cream Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Coconut Cream Cake

This stunning layered cake will be the best birthday treat for any coconut-lover in your life.

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Advertisement