Coconut Desserts You Need To Make! Leave a comment

I couldn’t hide my love for coconut desserts if I wanted to. Whether it’s sprinkled on top of a cake, stirred into cookies, or whipped into ice cream, coconut plays a key role in many of my favorite desserts.

Coconut Dessert Recipes

When it comes to desserts with coconut, I can’t get enough. Coconut might make you think of tropical summertime weather but I definitely don’t limit my enjoyment of these treats to the warm months of the year.

Coconut desserts are wonderful all year long and I love including them in my holiday baking. Today, I’m bringing you my ultimate list of the best coconut desserts I’ve made over the years!

Coconut Cookies

Do you like those girl scout cookies covered in coconut, chocolate and caramel? They’re called either samoas or “caramel delights” depending on who you ask. If so, you’ll love these coconut cookie recipes.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are pretty much the ultimate cookie in my world. These Toffee Coconut Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies could be described as my “everything but the kitchen sink” cookie. Rich chocolate chips with crunchy bites of pecans, toffee and (of course) plenty of coconut are a little taste of heaven.

Coconut Lover’s Oatmeal Cookies are a must-try for any coconut enthusiast like me. These cookies are extra coconutty thanks to the use of coconut oil in the dough along with plenty of shredded coconut.

When I can’t decide between making scones and making cookies, I turn to Coconut Scone Cookies for the best of all worlds.

Perfect sweet parcels of coconut delivered in bite-sized cookie form, they’re cookies you can eat for breakfast and scones you can serve for dessert.

If you love sneaking bites of cookie dough out of the bowl when you make oatmeal cookies, these Coconut Oatmeal Cookie Dough Bites are for you.

Unlike some of the other coconut dessert recipes, these cookie dough bites aren’t super sweet, making them a perfect snack for any time of day.

Coconut Cakes

Coconut + cake = my idea of perfection on a dessert plate.

The BEST Coconut Pound Cake is deserving of its given superlative every which way. Moist and tender but dense enough to hold up to your fork, this is among the best pound cakes and coconut cakes I’ve ever tasted.

I love coconut cake so much that I find it nearly impossible to resist. Having a whole cake around can be dangerous when I keep returning to the kitchen for “just” one more slice.

That’s why I love making Mini Coconut Pound Cakes. Individually portioned miniature pound cakes deliver all the coconut flavor I enjoy in a full-sized coconut cake. They look extra adorable to boot.

This Pineapple Cake with Coconut Frosting brings together the unbeatable pairing of pineapple and coconut. A white cake flavored with pineapple and a little coconut is topped with coconut frosting and even more shredded toasted coconut for a cake that everyone likes.

That cake turned everyone in my house into a coconut fan!

German Chocolate Cake Truffles are everything I love about a dark chocolate cake covered in coconut frosting all rolled up into bite-sized truffles.

I’ve even used a German chocolate cake from the bakery to make these cake ball truffles easier to make. (Be warned: they’re completely addictive.)

If you’re looking for coconut cupcake recipes, these Blueberry Coconut Cupcakes I spotted at Life, Love & Sugar sound divine. I’ve also pinned this incredible-sounding Lemon Coconut Cake from A Beautiful Plate to try soon.

Coconut Bars

Dessert bars are always a big hit in my house. I love baking them for parties, potlucks, picnics, or just because.

My grandmother’s Coconut Chews are pure coconut perfection. Buttery shortbread with a chewy coconut topping is dessert bar heaven.

I’ve shared the recipe for these Dark Chocolate Coconut Blondies at the bottom of this post. It has been a go-to last-minute dessert for years. If you love coconut, you are sure to love them.

Pineapple Coconut Bars have become one of my go-to dessert bars, especially when I’m baking for someone who I know goes as crazy for coconut as I do. Juicy pineapple and shredded coconut together in bar form are bound to put a smile on your face.

These Strawberry Coconut Crisp Bars are packed with crisp oats, bright red strawberries, and an abundance of coconut. If you don’t usually bake with strawberries and coconut together, I think you’ll be amazed by how good it is.

This is a coconut dessert that’s just begging to be topped with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream. And this Blackberry Coconut Crisp is another favorite for anyone craving a fruit-filled coconut lover’s dessert.

Full disclosure, I probably made that Blackberry Crisp at least 10 times over the past couple of summers. It’s that good.

Where are all the chocolate lovers? These Coconut Cashew Dark Chocolate Bars are for you. I love the sweet coconut balanced with the slightly bitter dark chocolate. If you love almond joys, you’re sure to enjoy those bars!

Cherry Coconut Bars combine tart cherries and sweet coconut served on a shortbread crust. The filling is the best kind of gooey chocolate cherry greatness while the crust stays crisp.

Fudgy Almond Joy Brownies are a must for any chocolate and coconut lover! Rich, chocolatey, and nutty with plenty of light, flaky coconut, they’re great on their own topped with ice cream and hot fudge for a sundae.

Coconut Ice Cream

I know coconut in ice cream can be polarizing so if you’re looking for a coconut dessert with just a hint of coconut flavor, this Caramelized Coconut Pecan Ice Cream is for you.

It was the happy result of whipping some leftover coconut frosting into a vanilla ice cream base and I couldn’t believe how tasty it turned out.

Who can resist a pineapple smoothie with coconut? Coconut Pineapple Smoothie Ice Cream is a homemade coconut ice cream that reminds me so much of one of my favorite kinds of smoothies. And we all went nuts for this Pina Colada Ice Cream.

For vanilla lovers,  Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream is heaven in a bowl. Real vanilla bean and coconut milk make for a fabulous naturally dairy-free ice cream. It tastes great on its own and is next-level irresistible covered in fresh berries and chocolate sauce.

Then, there’s one of the best ice creams I’ve ever made: Coconut Milk and Dark Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream. Have you noticed by now that I love the combination of coconut, chocolate, and toffee? I know you won’t be disappointed by this delicious coconut dessert with rich chocolate and buttery toffee.

This Raspberry Ice Cream was a big favorite last summer. Creamy coconut ice cream filled with fresh raspberries is so easy to make, and so much fun to eat, you’re going to be making it all summer long.

Coconut Candies

Did you know you can make Almond Joys candies at home? Chewy coconut centers wrapped in dark chocolate? Yes, please.

And these No-Bake Peanut Butter Coconut Candy Bars have been a staple in my holiday dessert table for years too.

German Chocolate Macaroons are chewy coconut cookies that almost taste like candy. Drizzled with caramel and chocolate they are bite-size happiness.

Coconut Recipes

Perhaps the most famous coconut dessert of all is a classic cream pie. Check out this Easy Coconut Cream Pie and this Paradise Island Pie the next time you’re in the market for a slice of cool creamy pie.

My love for all things coconut does not stop at desserts. In fact, I’d probably happily eat shredded coconut flakes with a spoon if given the opportunity.

A slice of this Hawaiian Banana Bread with Pineapple and Coconut or this Blueberry Coconut Bread also does the trick in satisfying my coconut cravings, whether I enjoy it as a midday snack or with a steaming cup of coffee first thing in the morning.

Another coconutty breakfast recipe I can’t get enough of is this Pineapple and Coconut Baked Oatmeal. It’s hearty, sweet, and almost unbelievably easy to make.

There’s a reason I’ve made so many coconut desserts over the years. Not only do I love each and every one of these coconut dessert recipes, but almost everyone I’ve shared them with has enjoyed them too.

Do you have a favorite coconut dessert recipe?

Blondies have become my go-to dessert over the past few years and this recipe for Dark Chocolate Coconut Blondies is one that I’ve made countless times. I hope you love it as much as we do.

{originally published 10/28/19 – notes and photos updated 3/1/23}