Hi Reader,

Somewhere between poolside cocktails, questionable wallpaper, and my lifelong affection for anything served cold on a humid afternoon, coconut lodged itself permanently into my summer cooking brain.
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It’s a sneaky little thing. Quietly persistent. Toasted here. Creamy there. Suddenly showing up in cakes, shrimp, puddings, curries, drinks, and the occasional dessert I eat straight from the fridge while pretending I’m “just evening off the edge.”
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You know that lie. We’ve all told it.
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Coconut has a way of making food feel looser, sunnier, less bothered by reality. One minute you’re standing in your kitchen in sensible shoes. The next, there’s coconut milk in the pot and your dinner has developed a tiny paper umbrella attitude.
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And this time of year? I start reaching for it constantly.
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Not because coconut is trendy. Please. Trends are what happen when someone in a headset decides toast needs a publicist. I reach for it because it works. It adds richness without heaviness, sweetness without clobbering you, crunch when toasted, silk when stirred into something warm.
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It’s also the rare ingredient that can wander from savory to sweet without looking suspicious. Like a charming guest who somehow belongs at every party.
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So yes, coconut is having a moment. In my kitchen, it’s been having one for years. I’m just finally admitting it publicly.

The Coconut Commandments

• Toast it when you want drama. A few minutes in a dry skillet turns coconut from pleasant to “What is that incredible thing?” Watch it closely. It goes from golden to arson fast.
• Use coconut milk for body. It gives soups, stews, curries, and sauces a creamy richness without making everything feel like a dairy brick.
• Balance the sweetness. Coconut loves lime, chile, ginger, garlic, salt, and vinegar. Give it a little sharpness so it doesn’t wander into suntan-lotion territory.
• Keep both kinds around. Unsweetened coconut is your savory friend. Sweetened coconut is dessert’s favorite aunt—the one with lipstick on her teeth and cash in her purse.
• Let it chill. Coconut desserts, drinks, puddings, and creamy salads often taste better cold. Which is convenient, because so do I after July 1.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Coconut Cream Pie​
• ​Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake​
• ​Portuguese Coconut Custard Tarts​
• ​Toasted Coconut Ice Cream​
• ​Coconut Panna Cotta​
• ​Coconut Popsicles​
• ​Coconut Lime Cookies​

​Coconut Cream Pie​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.79 from 19 votes

This coconut cream pie is an old-fashioned recipe for bliss. A luscious coconut custard is topped with billows of meringue and sprinkled with shredded coconut. A buttery, flaky crust instead of a graham cracker crust adds just the right savoriness.

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​Old-Fashioned Coconut Cake​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.86 from 34 votes

This traditional coconut layer cake is made up of delicate, moist vanilla cake layers, creamy coconut filling, and a fluffy meringue frosting. On top is a sprinkling of shredded coconut. An excellent cake for any celebration.

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​Portuguese Coconut Custard Tarts​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.84 from 25 votes

These Portuguese coconut custard tarts are little pastries that look like cupcakes. They're a classic in which the best parts of creamy milk custard and eggy macaroon come together in very Portuguese fashion.

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​Toasted Coconut Ice Cream​

This toasted coconut ice cream from David Lebovitz is essentially custardy homemade vanilla ice cream infused with the complex taste of toasted coconut. Not too sweet and really sorta perfect.

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​Coconut Panna Cotta​

Chopped homemade peanut brittle sits atop a creamy coconut milk panna cotta.

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​Coconut Popsicles​

These coconut popsicles are homemade with coconut milk, sugar, and vanilla bean. Easy. Creamy. Healthy. Dairy-free. Vegan. And no artificial anything. Just unadulterated loveliness. Here's how to make them.

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​Coconut Lime Cookies​

Coconut and lime go hand in hand and these crispy sugar cookies with lime glaze are no exception. They're like a tropical vacation, in cookie form.

​☞ ​Try this recipe​