This Coconut Passion Fruit Chia Pudding Parfait is just as suitable as a healthy dessert as it is as a wholesome breakfast. Coconut milk chia pudding, thick passion fruit puree and homemade haupia all come together in a single dish. You won’t be able to stop eating this tasty treat!

One of my favorite parts about traveling is finding new foods and dishes that inspire me to get in the kitchen and create my own special version of them. On any typical vacation, I’ll probably come home with at least two ideas of recipes I want to recreate on my own. It’s one of the reasons I love traveling so much – there’s nothing like it to broaden my imagination and get my home-cooking skills flowing again as soon as I get home.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, chances are you noticed we took a little trip to visit my cousin and her new baby in Kauai at the end of July. While the great majority of our vacation was spent hanging out in our beautiful vacation rental and lounging by the pool with our babes, we did manage to get out for a few tasty treats.

There’s a small local market close to where we stay in Poipu that, while not fancy, is perhaps best known for the shave ice “wagon” that parks out front of it or the sushi bar inside of it. We stopped in for some Spam musubi one day on our way home from the beach, and my cousin came out with a Mason jar full of what looked to me like the dreamiest (and tastiest) chia pudding concoction I’d ever seen in my life:

Coconut chia pudding was layered in between passion fruit puree and creamy haupia, and as soon as I tasted a bite of it I casually informed her that she better eat however much of it that she wanted FAST, because otherwise I would 😉

Lucky for me (and for little Raia, who couldn’t get enough of it!) she was more than generous with sharing and I was able to savor each bite just enough so I’d remember how to make my own at home. Lucky for you, I’m sharing that homemade recipe with you today!

There are a few things that go into this Coconut Passion Fruit Chia Pudding Parfait, but no step is too difficult. Just remember that you’ll want to start the process a day before you want to serve it, as both the haupia and the chia pudding need to set up in the fridge overnight. It’s also good to give the passion fruit puree some time to set up in the fridge since you’ll be heating it thicken it up.

Here’s how the process goes:

Step 1: Make the haupia.

Full disclosure, this was the first time I’d made haupia from scratch, and I was blown away by how easy it was! I used this recipe from Tasting Table, which involves just four ingredients:

Cornstarch

Water

Coconut milk

Sugar

It’s a quick and easy process, just boil everything together, pour it into a baking dish and refrigerate overnight. No baking or fancy temperature taking required. You can also find haupia mix packets in Asian grocery stores (or on Amazon [*affiliate link]), but after making this from-scratch recipe, I’ll tell you I never feel the need to buy the packets again!

Step 2: Make the chia pudding.

If you’ve never made chia pudding before, prepare to meet your new favorite make-ahead breakfast. All it takes is some chia seeds, coconut beverage (or milk of your choice) and some vanilla and honey. Pour everything into a Mason jar, shake and seal, then place this in your refrigerator overnight as well. Are we seeing how easy this is yet?

Step 3: Thicken up (and sweeten) some passion fruit puree.

I know, I know, you’re probably wondering where in the heck you’re going to find some passion fruit puree. But I’ve made it easy for you! You can order it on Amazon [*affiliate link], and it’s even on Prime so it will be at your doorstep in just a couple of days.

We were lucky enough to have some passion fruit puree in our freezer from a family friend that grows them, so I simply thawed that but then thickened it up on the stove with some cornstarch and a little extra sugar for sweetness. I highly recommend giving whatever puree you end up getting a taste before doing this, and only adding sugar as needed.

Step 4: Assemble, top with toasted coconut flakes and enjoy!

The next morning, your parfaits will be ready in seconds. Simply take your serving vessel (I like small Mason jars or clear parfait dishes) and start layering:

First goes the coconut chia pudding,

Then goes the passion fruit puree,

Followed by cubes of your homemade haupia,

All topped with roasted coconut strips to add the perfect crunch.

If you’re looking for a special kid-friendly breakfast treat that still packs a ton of nutrition, this Coconut Passion Fruit Chia Pudding Parfait is the answer.

And if coconut and/or passion fruit aren’t your thing, check out some of my other tasty chia pudding recipes like this Tropical Matcha Chia Pudding, this Coconut-Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait, and this baby-friendly Oat Milk Chia Pudding with Blueberry Orange Compote!

Coconut Passion Fruit Chia Pudding Parfait