• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • ALL RECIPES
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Pumpkin Recipes
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
Self Proclaimed Foodie
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT ME
  • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT ME
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dessert

    Homemade {Dairy Free} Coconut Pudding

    Published: May 15, 2020 · Updated: January 7, 2021 · By: Krissy · 45 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    how to make homemade coconut pudding
    homemade coconut pudding recipe
    This old fashioned Homemade Coconut Pudding made with coconut milk and coconut cream is the perfect dessert because it is so creamy rich and delicious.

    This old fashioned dairy free Homemade Coconut Pudding made with coconut milk and cream is the perfect dessert because it is so creamy rich and delicious.

    Old fashioned Homemade Coconut Pudding with toasted coconut in glass dish

    Why this recipe works:

    If you love all things coconut like I do, you will absolutely love this easy to make homemade coconut milk pudding. It is a fantastic dessert recipe.

    Growing up, I thought the only way to make pudding was to combine the powder from the box with milk, cook, and serve. I seriously didn't think you could make it from scratch.

    Making pudding the old fashioned way is the same as making custard or making ice cream. Its basically mixing heated milk with eggs and sugar. For this pudding, I used coconut milk with some coconut cream in place of regular cow's milk. May all my dairy free and lactose intolerant friends rejoice!

    Served warm or cold, you want to make this pudding!

    Ingredients:

    Granulated sugar, egg yolks, a can of coconut milk, a couple tablespoons of coconut cream, some flour and corn starch for thickening, a pinch of salt, a splash of coconut rum, and sweetened coconut flakes are all that you need!

    coconut milk and coconut cream

    How to make this coconut pudding recipe:

    1. Combine the sugar and egg yolks (photo 1). These will get mixed on high speed for several minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy (photo 2). Corn starch and flour gets added to this mixture to help thicken the pudding.
    2. Coconut milk and coconut cream are heated in a pot just until scalded (photo 3) then removed from heat.
    3. You will add a small amount of the scalded coconut milk to the egg mixture to temper the egg (photo 4) and will gradually add more hot coconut milk until it is all incorporated. Then you will return the mixture back to the pot (photo 5) and cook over low heat while stirring until it thickens. Stir in the coconut rum when it's finished.
    4. Pour the pudding into serving dishes (photo 6) and top with toasted coconut if desired. The toasted sweetened coconut flakes are totally optional but highly recommended, not just for the nutty taste, but for the added texture. YUM!!!
    step by step photos of how to make coconut pudding

    Cooking tips for best results:

    • Good quality eggs with large, rich, orange yolks make all the difference in this coconut pudding recipe.
    • It is very important that you beat the egg yolks and sugar until very light in color and fluffy. Don't cheat on this step.
    • You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer, but I do not recommend mixing my hand.
    Single serving of homemade coconut pudding

    Other great pudding recipes:

    • Homemade Vanilla Pudding
    • Rice Pudding
    • Classic Banana Pudding
    • Strawberry Coconut Chia Pudding
    • Coconut Ice Cream
    • Coconut Pudding Poke Cake
    • Homemade Chocolate Pudding
    • Creamy Old Fashioned Rice Pudding
    spoonful of dairy free coconut pudding
    This old fashioned Homemade Coconut Pudding made with coconut milk and coconut cream is the perfect dessert because it is so creamy rich and delicious.

    Homemade Coconut Pudding

    This old fashioned Homemade Coconut Pudding made with coconut milk and coconut cream is the perfect dessert because it is so creamy rich and delicious.
    4.89 from 27 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

    CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Scale: 2
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup sugar
    • 2 egg yolks
    • 1 14 ounce can lite coconut milk (I use Trader Joe's)
    • 2 tablespoons coconut cream (again, Trader Joe's)
    • 2 tablespoon flour
    • 1 tablespoons cornstarch
    • Pinch of salt
    • 1 teaspoon coconut rum (can substitute with vanilla if desired)
    • ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes (optional)

    Instructions

    • Combine sugar and egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to combine until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes on medium high speed, while stopping the mixer every coupld of minutes to scrape the bowl.
    • While eggs and sugar and mixing, combine coconut milk and coconut cream in saucepan. Heat on low just until the liquid starts to scald and you see steam. Remove pan from heat.
    • Add flour and cornstarch to egg mixture and whisk until well combined, stopping the mixer and scraping as needed.
    • With the mixer running on low speed, add a small amount of the hot coconut milk to the egg mixture and combine well to temper the egg. Once it is well mixed, add a little more milk, mix, and repeat until all of the milk has been added. Transfer the entire mixture from the bowl back to the pot and heat on medium low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in coconut rum.
    • To toast your coconut, add it to a large pan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Once the coconut starts to brown, stir more frequently to avoid burning.
    • Serve pudding warm or cold. You can either mix the toasted coconut in with the pudding or you can serve it on top.

    Notes

    Yields 2 cups. Note: I forgot to show the coconut rum in the video but it indeed was added.
    • Good quality eggs with large, rich, orange yolks make all the difference in this coconut pudding recipe.
    • It is very important that you beat the egg yolks and sugar until very light in color and fluffy. Don't cheat on this step.
    • You can use a hand mixer or a stand mixer, but I do not recommend mixing my hand.

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 260IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.5mg
    SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTERSign up to have my recipes emailed to you. Free!

    This recipe was originally published in September 2019 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don't worry - the recipe hasn't changed!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tern

      November 14, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      Mmmmm good. I made it. Delicious!

      Reply
    2. Diane

      October 29, 2018 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      This is the best coconut pudding you have made. And, I am quoting my husband! And, he is not wrong at all. This recipe is really good and it's definitely a keeper. I don't buy those pudding boxes at the store instead I make all my pudding from scratch and I finally found a coconut pudding we both really like. And, I was so happy to find coconut cream at the store too! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
    3. Cindy

      October 27, 2018 at 12:43 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe, I doubled it for 6 people and toasted 1 cup coconut and added it to the pudding. Divine

      Reply
    4. Sharon vanshaik

      August 20, 2018 at 8:37 am

      How can you thicken this to make a pie filling?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        August 23, 2018 at 1:52 pm

        you can mix in a tablespoon or so of cornstarch and that will thicken it up a lot!

        Reply
    5. Rhoda Edwards

      May 19, 2018 at 9:07 pm

      5 stars
      Just reading the recipe made my mouth watered. A must do for me.

      Reply
    6. Claire

      April 26, 2018 at 3:21 am

      Sounds like a very tasty custard. Could one substitute the sugar with honey please?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        May 01, 2018 at 1:24 pm

        I would think you could, but I haven't tried it. If you do, I would recommend using less honey than sugar because it is sweeter. If you make it, will you let me know how it turned out?

        Reply
    7. Rajat Nagpal

      April 25, 2018 at 10:49 am

      5 stars
      I tried the recipe as it is. It turned out great. I made a few variations later which too turned out well. One replacing the coconut milk and cream with almond milk and almonds. The second addinbf nutmeg and cinnamon as a flavour and the third topping the same pudding with a banana and palm jaggery sauce.
      Extremely versatile recipe. Thank you.

      Reply
    8. Rebecca

      April 14, 2018 at 4:14 am

      4 stars
      You should change the (dairy free) part of the title because the recipe includes eggs which are a dairy product. So this recipe isn’t vegan friendly.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        April 14, 2018 at 5:20 am

        Hi Rebecca, That's actually not true. Dairy implies that it is derived from a milk product from a mammal. Eggs come from birds. Eggs are often thought of as dairy, but they are not. You are correct in that this recipe is not vegan friendly since eggs are an animal product, however it is indeed a dairy free recipe.

        Reply
      • Valerie Jackson

        April 28, 2018 at 3:00 pm

        5 stars
        Eggs are NOT dairy. Dairy comes from cow's milk.

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          July 05, 2020 at 7:18 pm

          5 stars
          This was a hit! Delicious thick and creamy, I used vanilla extract and could still taste the coconut flavor!

          Reply
    9. Jamie

      April 02, 2018 at 3:13 pm

      5 stars
      The pudding was absolutely delicious! I used coconut extract in place of the coconut rum. I will be keeping this recipe and making mini eclairs with it. Thanks!

      Reply
    10. Jamie

      March 26, 2018 at 7:58 am

      Do you think this pudding would hold as the filling for a crepe cake? If it would then I'd have to leave it in the fridge and take out 15 minutes before serving?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        March 26, 2018 at 9:16 am

        Hi Jamie, if you use a very thin layer in between crepes then yes - I think it would work. If you slather it on thick, you might risk having your crepes slide!

        Reply
    11. Morgan Rammell

      March 10, 2018 at 8:28 pm

      4 stars
      Dad said "this would be great...without the flavor" we all thought it was a prank, it looked and tasted like cake batter. blegh. I didnt have the coconut cream though...

      Reply
      • Krissy

        March 11, 2018 at 6:56 am

        Hi Morgan, Is it really fair to give this recipe only one star when you didn't use one of the main ingredients? Your comment has to do with the flavor, yet most of the flavor comes from the coconut cream? Poor star ratings hurt my blog and it makes no sense to rate unless you followed the recipe as written, don't you think?

        Reply
    12. Pamela

      February 27, 2018 at 10:11 am

      May I substitute coconut or vanilla extract for the flavored rum (as I do not wish to buy a bottle just to use a teaspoon of it). Or may I just omit the rum?

      Reply
      • Krissy

        February 28, 2018 at 6:53 am

        Either works, but I would use an extract substitute instead of omitting just to get that extra flavor in!

        Reply
    13. Nimmi

      February 19, 2018 at 7:15 am

      Can we use something else instead of egg

      Reply
      • Krissy

        February 20, 2018 at 8:32 am

        Egg acts as a thickener, so you can always omit and add extra cornstarch, if needed.

        Reply
    14. Nikki

      February 17, 2018 at 8:41 pm

      I made this with my son tonight. I couldn't wait for it to cook. It was wonderful! Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
    15. Jenny @ Low-Calorie Foods

      August 17, 2017 at 9:08 am

      This coconut pudding looks fantastic. Pinning to my board to try it later.

      Reply
    16. Smita

      August 02, 2017 at 6:58 am

      Can I substitute coconut milk with whole milk.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        September 18, 2017 at 2:00 pm

        You'll lose some of the coconut taste

        Reply
    17. Pamela Carlson

      July 09, 2017 at 5:36 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious!!!!!

      Reply
    18. Blair

      May 06, 2017 at 8:20 pm

      Is there something I can substitute for the coconut cream? Preferably non-dairy but I would appreciate any suggestion!

      Reply
      • Krissy

        May 19, 2017 at 5:35 am

        coconut cream is non-dairy

        Reply
      • Rajat Nagpal

        April 25, 2018 at 10:44 am

        You can use almond milk with rice flour to thicken and substitute coconut with almonds and coconut rum with amaretto!

        Reply
    19. Mary sam

      April 23, 2017 at 2:17 am

      5 stars
      The whole process in making tbe pudding sounds really easy ...would love to try it out...

      Reply
    20. Diane Hess

      March 14, 2017 at 10:21 am

      Question: I would love to make this recipe, but can't use flour. Should I substitute two additional tablespoons of cornstarch for the flour? Or any other recommendation? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        March 17, 2017 at 4:25 am

        Have you tried the Bob's Red Mill "flour" that's a 1:1 GF substitute? That *might* work.

        Reply
      • Rajat Nagpal

        April 25, 2018 at 10:42 am

        4 stars
        You can use rice flour to thicken it.

        Reply
        • Doth

          August 06, 2020 at 5:04 pm

          How come its vegan ?
          In the recipe you have eggs

          Reply
    Newer Comments »

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Krissy

    A close up of a woman

    I love to create the BEST versions of your favorite recipes. If you love to cook, love to eat, or just have a deep appreciation for good food, you're in the right place! Stick around... I have hundreds of recipes for you to make. more about me...

    SUBSCRIBE to my newsletter

    Valentine's Favorites

    • Absolutely Perfect Filet Mignon
    • Chocolate Covered Strawberries
    • Broiled Lobster Tail
    • Heart Beet Pancakes
    online publications that have featured self proclaimed foodie

    Most Popular Recipes

    • Salmon Patties (Salmon Cakes)
    • Granny's Monkey Bread Recipe
    • Perfect Prime Rib Roast
    • Cajun Shrimp Pasta
    • Country Sausage Gravy
    • Absolutely Perfect Filet Mignon
    • Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce {Easy 4 Ingredient Recipe + Video}
    • Granny's Classic Meatloaf Recipe

    Footer

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    Contact

    Privacy Policy

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Check Out Ten Acre Baker

    Meet Krissy

    Social

    Pinterest

    Facebook

    Instagram

    You Tube

    Sign Up for free emails

    Recipes

    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks
    • Appetizers

    Self Proclaimed Foodie is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

    COPYRIGHT © 2022 SELF PROCLAIMED FOODIE®