Spring baking is upon us, and gone are the heavy cakes and pies of the holiday season. Now we can indulge in some lighter, but no less indulgent, fare. One of our favorite desserts to make is this vibrant coconut pudding pie; it’s rich, creamy, and topped with a citrus compote that is good enough to eat on it’s own. We love incorporating fruit into this season of baking, and we’ve got a pie that really pops with bright color and great flavor. Each bite makes it feel like we’re on a tropical isle, basking in warm breezes and warm sand – well, almost.

What we love about this particular dessert is the smooth and creamy texture of the scratch made pudding. The pudding creates a beautiful blank canvas for a deliciously sweet topping. We’ve been told that seeing is an important part of how we eat, and the bright white of the filling with the vibrant yellow of the pineapple is a feast for our eyes. This is a dessert that also wins over hearts, minds, and tastebuds – talk about a sensory achievement!

We love the contrast of a crumbly sweet crust against the cool pudding. We’ve chosen to use vanilla wafer cookies here; they’re a little bit airier than graham crackers, which compliments the lightness of the coconut filling. But don’t make a special trip to the grocery store; we’ll use graham crackers if that’s what’s in the pantry.

A fruit compote is super easy to make, especially in this case, since we’re already using diced pineapples. All we need to add is a little sugar for extra sweetness, but we also like to include a pinch of cinnamon for a little savory warmth. Once this reduces it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, and is really good as a topping on yogurt, pancakes, or even served warm over top of cool vanilla or coconut ice cream. Don’t let the three phases of the process deter you from making this; it’s really pretty simple, and definitely worth the effort. We love this cool, creamy, citrusy dessert!