Name: Simple Coconut Fruit Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup whipping cream (cold); 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar (divided); 2 teaspoon coconut extract (divided); 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature); 1 1/2 cup shredded coconut; 1/2 cup canned coconut milk

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This simple coconut fruit dip is an easy no bake dessert recipe for kids to make and fun to pair with the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.

a bowl of coconut dip next to a book, strawberries, and crackers

I’ve found fruit dips, like this chocolate yogurt fruit dip, are always a hit at parties and with children. They love dipping their foods in some sort of sauce and it can be a sneaky way to get some kids to actually try some fruit.

Reading a book and then making a recipe together also can increase interest and excitement for children and help them be more open to new flavors or textures- like coconut.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and is addition to my kids book inspired recipes collection.

If you can find alphabet graham crackers (I’ve seen them at Trader Joe’s) that would make it a fun addition for preschoolers. Practice naming the letters for preschoolers or for early elementary you can make simple words with the letter crackers. And of course eat them with the fruit dip!

Ingredients

whipping cream
powdered sugar
coconut extract
cream cheese
shredded coconut
canned coconut milk

Possible substitutions:

You can substitute Cool Whip for the whipping cream and 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

If you don’t have coconut extract you can use vanilla extract.

I used unsweetened shredded coconut for this. You could use sweetened coconut but it will be a little sweeter.

showing the first 2 steps to make the dip

How to make this:

In a medium sized bowl, add whipping cream, 1/4 cup of the powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon coconut extract. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form.
In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
Add remaining powdered sugar, coconut extract, coconut milk and shredded coconut and beat again until fully combined.

Carefully fold in whipped cream with a spatula. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Serve with fruit or graham crackers or would be tasty in place of pudding in a parfait or trifle.

Top tips

You must keep this dip refrigerated until you are ready to serve. I would also keep it chilled if you can while it is out since it stays nice and creamy that way.

To keep it chilled while serving you can place a tray of ice underneath the dip and fruit or place the bowl of dip in a larger ice filled bowl.

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container. Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days. Another use for the coconut dip would be to use it as a filling for a layered triple coconut cake! Yummy!

Top Tips for cooking with kids

When using a hand mixer:

make sure it is unplugged while attaching the beaters. That way no curious children can accidentally turn it on and catch your fingers- ask me how I know this!
always start it on the lowest setting first. I also like to be the one to start the beating for a few seconds before handing it off. That way there is less of a chance of flinging ingredients around the room, especially when mixing in powdered sugar or milk.

Does your child constantly want a taste?

If your children like to taste test frequently, keep a little spoon on hand for them. Use a larger spoon to scoop from the main bowl and onto their spoon. This keeps the contamination levels low for the main dish but also allows you to encourage their interest and curiosity.

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