Coconut recipe collection

Hawaiian bon bons made with melted white chocolate, macadamia nuts, flaked coconut, and orange zest, spooned into paper cups and chilled. The 4-ingredient candy that tastes like a tropical vacation.

Hawaiian cake layered with cream cheese vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, whipped topping, coconut, walnuts, and maraschino cherries over a yellow cake base. A retro potluck showstopper.

Imperial coconut flan made from scratch with a whole fresh coconut, homemade condensed milk, and separated eggs baked in a caramel-lined mold. A traditional Mexican showpiece.

Impossible coconut custard pie that magically forms its own crust as it bakes. Everything goes in the blender, then bakes into a creamy coconut custard with a tender bottom layer and toasty top.

Lollipop sugar cookies on sticks, a kid-friendly baking project with paintable egg yolk designs or pressed-in decorations. Fun party cookies that bake in under 10 minutes.

Molded ambrosia salad with orange juice gelatin, fresh banana, oranges, and shredded coconut. A vintage Southern gelatin salad that unmolds onto a bed of salad greens for a retro presentation.

No-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies with pecans, coconut, and orange peel made in a food processor. Drop, chill, and eat. No oven needed.

Orange balls are a no-bake holiday classic: crushed vanilla wafers mixed with butter, powdered sugar, frozen orange juice concentrate, and pecans, rolled in coconut for a bright citrus bite.

Orange dream cake with fresh orange and lemon juice baked into a tender crumb, topped with a coconut whipped cream frosting spiked with citrus zest. Chilled and refreshing.

Orange slice fruitcake with candied orange, pecans, dates, and coconut in a buttermilk batter. Baked low and slow, then soaked with a citrus butter glaze.

Grilled tofu skewers marinated in lemongrass, tamarind, mint, and ginger with mushrooms, snow peas, and tomatoes. Vegetarian brochettes packed with Pacific Rim flavors.

Pecan and chocolate bars with a buttery shortbread base, toffee brickle bits, coconut, and melted chocolate on top. Three layers of crunch, chew, and richness in every square.

Pineapple Dream: light no-bake dessert mousse with pureed pineapple and cottage cheese set with gelatin, topped with toasted coconut. Tropical-tasting low-calorie treat for eight.

Loaded carrot cake packed with crushed pineapple, coconut, walnuts, and cinnamon, topped with chocolate cream cheese frosting. A moist, oil-based cake baked in two loaf pans.

Pumpkin macaroons made with ground pecans, coconut, pumpkin puree, and maple syrup. Light and chewy egg white cookies sweetened naturally without refined sugar. Baked low and slow.

In a Cretan zacharoplasteion (sweet shop), we were so intrigued by these coconut pastries (among the newer breed) that I tried them at home. You can expect the potato pastry to be a bit difficult to manipulate, and you can also anticipate compliments on the results. Attractive and tasty, not excessively sweet.