Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding

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Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding: a cross between coconut cream pie & banana pudding, with layers of creamy coconut pudding, vanilla wafers & toasted coconut!

Mason jars with layers of coconut pudding in front of a large mixing bowl and a bowl of toasted coconut.

This Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding is everything we, my fellow coconut lovers and I, have dreamed of forever.

It’s the perfect cross of the classic banana pudding and a coconut cream pie in one dessert!

This recipe idea actually came to me in a dream. Seriously. I think it’s because I have been eating super clean lately.

My sweet tooth is revolting and haunting my dreams. My jeans may be tighter, but this recipe was SO worth it.

Close up of a small mason jar filled with layers of vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers and toasted coconut.

I dreamed I was at the grocery store bakery and I couldn’t decide between a coconut cream pie and banana pudding.

I was debating and drooling over both, when the baker behind the counter came over to me and started asking me if I needed any help.

I shared my internal debate over pie or pudding and he said he had the perfect solution — Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding!

It was the perfect cross between banana pudding and coconut cream pie! It was also in a bucket as big as my face. So that probably helped my decision.

In my dream, I headed to the car and opened it up and ate the entire bucket with a spatula. Dreams are weird.

Three mason jars filled with layers of vanilla pudding, Nilla wafers and toasted coconut in front of a large mixing bowl.

I literally woke up drooling, no joke. And I had a serious craving for this imaginary dessert.

I just HAD to make this coconut cream pie and banana pudding hybrid into a reality.

So I loaded the kids up in the car and off to the store we went. Which with two toddlers, is much easier said than done.

We quickly grabbed everything we needed and came home and whipped it up. It’s a no-bake dessert as long as you don’t count the two minutes it takes to toast the coconut.

After my first bite, I knew I was in trouble. There was no way I was going to be able to be good and only take a few bites.

In fact, this pudding was SO good, I had to immediately start passing it out to my neighbors.

It was the ONLY way to keep myself from inhaling the entire batch all by myself. I could not resist it!

Side view of a small jar filled with nilla wafers, vanilla pudding and toasted coconut.

I based this recipe off of my Mama’s Best Banana Pudding recipe and swapped the bananas for toasted sweetened coconut.

Then, instead of the vanilla pudding, I used coconut pudding. You can still use vanilla pudding and just add a little coconut extract to taste.

When it all came together, it had gorgeous layers of creamy coconut pudding (sweetened with whipped cream and my mom’s secret ingredient — sweetened condensed milk), freshly toasted coconut and vanilla wafers.

After a few hours resting in the fridge, the wafers soften and the pudding flavors mingle and it seriously becomes irresistible!

Head on over to Dixie Crystals for the recipe I developed for them!

RECIPE: Toasted Coconut Cream Pudding

 

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Mama's Best Banana Pudding!

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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82 Responses
  1. MarciaBrock

    I used Tate’s coconut cookies instead of vanilla wafers, they have them gluten free as well as regular! They are amazing!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I have been struggling to find it too, but recently saw it back in stock! Hopefully you can find it near you again soon too!

    2. Felicia

      I used canned coconut milk with the vanilla pudding mix instead of regular milk. Just be sure to mix the coconut milk before you put it in the pudding mix to get rid of the chunks caused from settling.

  2. Claire Savoie

    I made this using banana pudding and was very good but where can I find the coconut pudding you use in recipe. I have never seen this pudding.

  3. Bianca

    I made a recipe similar to this too because we love banana pudding, but I have family members that love coconut. I added cream of coconut and instead of whipped cream used cool whip. So yummy 

  4. Stacy

    I have made this multiple times and always get rave reviews. One variation I do frequently is add bananas. Coconut banana pudding. The perfect combination of both so you do not have to choose. Next time I make this recipe is to add drained crushed pineapple in the layers… Pina coladas, anyone?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Nancy! Here is the link to the recipe: https://www.dixiecrystals.com/recipes/toasted-coconut-cream-pudding

  5. Clifton

    Looks so yummy! I like all the responses about changing the recipe. This is an excellent start! You can make pudding from scratch using whatever healthy ingredients you want. Yum! I will watch for your post in the near future!

  6. Carol Deaver

    I made this as a trifle and not only was it delicious, it was very pretty, too. When making it exactly by the recipe, I thought the pudding/whipped cream mix was not very “coconutty” so I added 1 teaspoon of coconut flavoring which was really good. I’m taking it to a lunch after church tomorrow and bet it goes quickly! Thanks for this good recipe. 

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I do not believe it would hold up very well and would fall over. You could probably do it as a pie though in a shell if you want!

  7. D

    This recipe is a keeper. It is rich and sweet with a perfect balance of coconut and wafers. No modifications necessary – make this recipe as the author indicated and it comes out perfect.

  8. Haley

     I forgot the Harv you whipping cream in mine so it has not set yet. Is there anyway I can salvage it or do I need to start over? 

  9. Mandy

    So I saw this recipe floating around facebook and decided to make it for the forth. It never set fully. Did exactly what you said except I used 2% milk. Top half set but everthing under that was still liquid. Going to try again this weekend. Can anyone think of why it wouldn’t set fully?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Hi Mandy! A ton of people commented on Facebook that they made it and it was wonderful, so I think something must have gone wrong. Did you use two boxes of the instant coconut pudding (for sure not the cook & serve one)?

  10. Leilani

    Very rich and very sweet.  I can eat about 2 tablespoons at one time.  I may try it without the sweetened condensed milk. 

  11. Patti

    I wonder if you can use full fat coconut milk from can for milk also there is ebaporated milk in coconut milk not sure about the sweetended condensed . My daughters are vegan.

  12. Layla

    It would be so great if there was a dairy free alternative (like only using coconut milk in place of all the milk.) 

  13. Melanie Colman

    How far in advance can you make these before the wafers get soggy? Are these better with crisp cookies and prepared right before eating? Thank you in advance! 

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      The wafers get a little soft on purpose, just like in banana pudding. If you want the wafers still crisp, I wouldn’t make it more than an hour before hand. 

  14. Gigi

    Love this dessert, it look good!  But I am not a big fan of coconut (I know). Can I replace all things coconut with banana?  The pudding mix & the flakes, and make this recipe just as is, but with the replacement of banana for the coconut? 

  15. Valerie

    This is just the recipe I have been looking for! I noticed in the video that it is topped with whipped cream but in the recipe it doesn’t mention setting aside some of the whipped cream mixture. Do you reserve a little of it for the topping or do you mix it all into the pudding mixture?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I usually just make a little extra for topping them when I serve it. If you want to set some aside, make a little extra or add a little extra milk to your pudding mixture — otherwise it will be a little too thick! 

  16. Viva Bem

    Jessica loved the recipe and her blog. Here in Brazil we like a lot of candy like your recipe, we call it a cake in the pot. delicious!

  17. Nichole

    I LOVE coconut. I kid you not, when I saw the picture, I sat here for a few seconds, mouth gaping wide. Pretty sure I drooled on my phone a little bit. 

Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.