Haupia

This Hawaiian chilled coconut pudding is refreshing and simple.

By
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold
Alexandra Penfold is a literary agent, author, blogger, and recipe developer who has contributed an extensive number of baking and candy recipes to Serious Eats. 
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Updated March 01, 2025
A square of haupia, served on a small plate and sprinkled with toasted coconut.

Serious Eats / Alexandra Penfold

Why It Works

  • Slowly heating the pudding base and simmering it for 10 minutes ensures a good set.
  • Continuously whisking the mixture as it cooks results in a silky smooth texture.

In my experience, coconut is one of those love-it or hate-it foods. As a kid, my only real exposure to coconut had been in the context of cloyingly sweet confections which put me staunchly in the hate-it camp. It's dishes like haupia, a traditional Hawaiian luau staple, that have since made me reconsider.

Haupia, pronounced how-PEE-ah, is an uncluttered dessert made primarily of coconut milk and milk.
A few tablespoons of sugar and vanilla are added to amp up the natural sweetness of the coconut and then some cornstarch is whisked in to thicken the pudding. While haupia doesn't take much time to prepare, it's all about the slow and low cooking. In order to get the desired firm yet creamy texture, it's essential to blend coconut milk well with the whole milk and heat the mixture over a low flame until thickened and smooth.

While you may be tempted to ladle yourself up a serving immediately, haupia is typically served not in a bowl, but chilled and cut into small squares. Cool, clean, and completely refreshing, this is coconut as it's meant to be enjoyed. Trust us, it's worth the wait.

January 2012

Recipe Details

Haupia Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Cook 20 mins
Active 30 mins
Chilling Time 70 mins
Total 95 mins
Serves 16 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk

  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 6 tablespoons sugar

  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1/4 cup toasted coconut (optional)

Directions

  1. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Add coconut milk, milk, and vanilla to blender. Blend for about 30 second to thoroughly combine.

  2. Pour mixture into a medium saucepan and whisk in sugar and corn starch. Heat over medium while whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes, continuously whisking. Pour into prepared baking dish and gently shake back and forth to settle. Let cool uncovered on the counter for about 10 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

  3. Using a sharp knife, cut into 16 equal-sized squares. Sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired. Serve cold.

Special Equipment

8-inch square baking dish, blender, medium saucepan, whisk

Read More

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
84 Calories
5g Fat
9g Carbs
1g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 84
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 4g 22%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 13mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 9g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 0mg 1%
Calcium 30mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 77mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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