My sweet Coconut Pastries are perfect for casual New England get-togethers, or to enjoy with a hot cup of coffee! The easy-to-make coconut filling is nestled inside a flaky, buttery pastry pocket.
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These are simple little pastries and that's why they're so delicious. My Coconut Pastries are handmade, sweet bites, with a sweetened filling of coconut. That filling is held inside a flaky, all-butter pie crust pocket.
I like to make Coconut Pastries to have on hand for afternoon coffees, and especially to bring to family get-togethers. They've even made an appearance on the breakfast table at holiday time!
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: Little hand pies with a sweet and creamy coconut filling inside a buttery, flaky crust.
- You'll love this part: The filling is easy to make, and the pastry dough can be made in advance! They're a tasty dessert or coffee time treat.
- How it's made: Stir together the coconut filling. Spoon it into rolled out rounds of pastry dough, then seal and bake them.
Jump to:
Sometimes (or all of the times) you feel like a nut
Do you like coconut? Well, do I have some sweet little pastries for you!
I just happen to be nutty for coconut, and so it's no surprise that coconut is a key ingredient in several of my favorite sweet treats. Favorite candy bar? Almond Joy. Favorite macaroon? These Peanut Butter Macaroons with Chocolate Bottoms.
Favorite over-the-top sweet dessert bar? These bars with lime, coconut, and cocoa fit the ticket!
And so, of course, these darling coconut mini pies are high on my list of favorites, too. They're made with buttery, flaky pie crust and a sweeeet shredded coconut filling.
Why you'll love Little Coconut Pastries
These treats could go by many names, like coconut turnovers, coconut hand pies, or coconut pocket pies. Whatever you want to call them, I'm certain that you'll love them.
The easy coconut filling for the coconut turnovers is a cinch to mix together. It's a sweet blend of coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and flavored extracts.
The pastry crust is just as tasty as the filling—that's because it's made using my Best-Loved Flaky Pie Crust dough. Make the dough up to three days ahead of time, and have it waiting for you in the fridge to make these pies.
Serve Coconut pastries with coffee for breakfast, as a midday treat, or for a casual evening dessert. Because they're portable, you can put them in lunchboxes or bring them to a picnic.
I ♥ pie!
Thanksgiving Pies That'll Make You Forget the Turkey
Like these Coconut Hand Pies, Fruit of the Forest Pie, and Cinnamon Pie!
🔪 How to make baked Coconut Pastries
Ingredients:
- Pastry Dough: I use my best-loved Flaky Pie Crust recipe to make the pastry pockets. The dough bakes up with a delectable texture and lots of flavor, too. If you'd prefer, you can also make these pastries with another pie crust dough or a store-bought dough.
- Shredded Coconut: To make the coconut filling, look for a bag of sweetened, shredded coconut, usually stocked in the baking aisle at the store.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Find this thick, sweetened milk In little cans at the store. Just don't confuse it with evaporated milk, which is sold in a similar size.
- Vanilla Extract: Use a good quality brand; my favorite is Nielsen-Massey.
- Almond Extract: I add a little almond extract to the filling, because it's a beautiful accent to the vanilla and coconut flavors.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt helps make all of the flavors in the pastries more pronounced and delectable.
- Sugar: A sprinkle of granulated or decorating sugar over the pastries before baking adds a sparkly finish to the turnovers.
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Have the dough ready in the fridge.
Find the recipe for my All-Butter Pie Crust here. Make the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes, or up to three days ahead of time.
Make the filling.
Stir together the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, extracts, and salt.
Roll and cut the dough.
Roll out the pie crust dough to a ¼-inch thickness and use a round cutter to make 4-inch circles.
Fill and fold the pies. Then chill.
Fold the dough over and crimp the edge closed. When all of the pies have been formed, chill them for 30 minutes.
Add a sprinkle of sugar and bake.
Brush the pastries with egg wash and sprinkle the tops with sugar. Bake the coconut pastries until they're golden brown.
Coconut Pastries FAQs
Cold butter is the secret to a flaky pastry for these coconut hand pies. When the dough is rolled out, you should be able to see little pieces of butter suspended throughout. As the dough bakes, the water in the butter turns to steam, puffing up the dough to create layers and flakes.
If the pastry dough is sticky, it's likely getting too warm. Pop the dough into the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes to firm it up. If it's still a little sticky, add a light dusting of flour to your work table and rolling pin. When rolling out the dough, pick it up and rotate it a quarter-turn each time, so it won't have the chance to stick
If your pastry dough is crumbly or cracking too much when you roll it out, it needs a little more ice water. Sprinkle some ice water over the surface and try rolling again.
Turnover is another name for hand-held pastry pockets like my Coconut Pastries. Turnovers typically hold fillings of cooked fruit, but can also hold sweetened cream cheese (like a Danish) or chocolate.
Tips:
- Keep the pastry dough cold until you're ready to use it, and hold scraps in the fridge as well. The dough is easier to handle and bakes up with a flakier texture when it's kept cold.
- Don't overfill the pastries—if the filling is falling out as you try to seal them, the pastries will likely lose that filling as they bake.
These little pastries are wonderful to share at holiday time, as a potluck dessert, or as a special dessert for your family!
Find the Coconut Pastries recipe below. Here are more coconut treats for you too.
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Coconut Turnovers
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Ingredients
- All-Butter Pie Crust Recipe (This is enough dough for a two-crust pie)
- 2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- granulated sugar ( for the tops)
Instructions
- Have the Perfect All-Butter Pie Crust Dough, divided into two portions waiting for you in the fridge.
Make the filling:
- Mix together the 2½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
Cut dough circles:
- Roll out half of the chilled All-Butter Pie Crust Dough on a lightly floured surface until it's about ¼-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough.
- Gather together and reroll scraps as needed. Move the dough circles to the fridge as you cut them to keep the dough cool.
Fill the pastries:
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Have a small dish of water at your work area. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the coconut filling into the center of each dough circle. Dip your finger in the water and moisten the entire edge of the dough circle.
- Pick up the dough circle with the filling and hold it it your hand like you would a taco, with the edges facing up. Use your other hand to pinch the edges closed; this will make a dough pocket with the filling inside. Don't let the coconut filling come out of the edges.
- Lay the pastry on your work surface. Fold the sealed edge up over on itself and crimp it down firmly all the way around. Move the pastry pocket to the baking sheet.
- Repeat these steps with the rest of the dough circles and coconut filling. Place them on the baking sheet (or two baking sheets) spaced about two inches apart.
- Place the pastries in the fridge for 30 minutes. This will chill the dough, help the crimped edges stay closed, and give you flakier pastries once they're baked.
Bake:
- Preheat the oven to 400° F. Whisk the 1 large egg with two teaspoons of water in a small bowl, and have a pastry brush ready.
- Remove the pies from the fridge. Crimp the edges once more firmly.
- Use a paring knife to cut a small slash in the top of each pocket. Then, brush the tops with the beaten egg and water. (This is an egg wash.) Finally, sprinkle the top of each pastry with a generous pinch of granulated sugar.
- Bake the pastries for 30 minutes until the crusts are golden brown.
- Note: a little filling may leak out and turn dark. As long as the pastry edges are crimped firmly down and they're cold when they go into the oven, the pastries will keep most of the filling inside.
- Move the pies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
- Serve the coconut pastries warm or at room temperature. Makes about 20. Cooled pastries can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Variation: Coconut and Raspberry Pastries
- When filling the dough circles with the coconut filling, add in 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam.
Notes
- This recipe calls for my All-Butter Pie Crust Dough. Find that recipe here at this link.
- Keep the pastry dough cold until you're ready to use it, and hold scraps in the fridge as well. The dough is easier to handle and bakes up with a flakier texture when it's kept cold.
- Don't overfill the pastries—if the filling is falling out as you try to seal them, the pastries will likely lose that filling as they bake.
Nutrition
Nan says
Thanks, Jenny! Happy A-Z to you too
Jenny says
These look so good! I love coconut.
Have fun with A to Z!
Jenny at Choice City Native
kool123 says
I dont know what to say. These were good. I had them at school.
Nan says
You had me at "good". I'm glad that you liked them! I'll try to send more yummies your way. You are the koolest, Kool123!
fuzzybunnies13 says
I tried them at my school mr.Mock gave it to me! I just found out that you made them and they where YUMMY!!!
Nan says
I'm glad that I made them too, and really glad you got to be my taste-tester! Thanks for your lovely words, Fuzzybunnies!
cupcake says
I don't know, though. These were good. I had them in Mr. Mack's classroom. That's it.
Nan says
Thank you, Cupcake (what a great blogger name!) I'm glad that Mr. Mack (!) shared them with you. Thank you for checking out my blog! That's it. 😉
Bagheera says
Those coconut things that you made were really good!
Nan says
Thank you Bagheera! I'm so glad you got to try them. I really appreciate that you came to my blog to comment on them!
Talya Tate Boerner says
Oh my. Delicious!
Nan says
It's true - coconut is such an indulgence!