The 4-Ingredient Dessert My Son Loves to Make (and Eat)

My son Evren and I used to cook together every Wednesday, but now it happens less often—soccer, school, life. So when he begs me to make a viral recipe, usually something sugary or deep-fried, I still say yes. It’s not really about the recipe; it’s about finding a way to spend time together and encouraging him to feel comfortable in the kitchen.

So, when Evren came to me with a viral recipe for a 4-ingredient milk pudding, I expected the usual. But the ingredients were simple: milk, sugar, cornstarch, and shredded coconut. No frying. Not too much sugar.

I looked up the original video and saw that Tiffy, the creator behind it, was sharing it as her Taiwanese grandmother’s recipe. My son knows I love a good grandma recipe, so we decided to make our own version.

Making the Recipe Our Own

The original recipe calls for cow’s milk, but we decided to make our version with full-fat coconut milk instead. It seemed like a perfect pairing with the shredded coconut coating that’s added at the end. Because of this, I increased the cornstarch slightly, since coconut milk has less protein and sets a bit softer than regular dairy milk.

Other than that, we didn’t make too many changes or add anything fancy, though you could definitely add vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, or cardamom for more layers of flavor. After cooking it on the stovetop—it thickened in less than 5 minutes!—we poured it into a parchment-lined dish and waited. That was the hardest part, because it smelled divine!

After popping it into the fridge for a couple of hours to set, we lifted it out using the parchment and cut the pudding into squares. We rolled the squidgy cubes in coconut, which was really fun for my son. At the end, we had a chilled, sweet dessert that gave us exactly what we needed: a reason to cook together again.

Tips for Making My 4-Ingredient Coconut Milk Pudding

• Use full-fat canned coconut milk, not the kind that comes in a carton. I like the Native Forest brand.
• During cooking, whisk the mixture constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
• Keep the heat low—coconut milk can break if it boils.
• Make sure to chill the pudding long enough to be able to cut it into cubes—at least 2 hours in the fridge.

How To Make My 4-Ingredient Coconut Milk Pudding

To make 20 to 25 bite-sized pieces, you’ll need:

• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk 
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Line an approximately 8×5-inch rectangular container (a small baking dish or loaf pan works well) with parchment paper. 

In a saucepan, combine half of the coconut milk and the sugar. Add the cornstarch to the remaining coconut milk in the can and whisk it together until smooth. Warm the coconut milk and sugar mixture in the saucepan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. It should be hot, but not bubbling.

Slowly pour in the cornstarch-coconut milk mixture while whisking constantly (this is important to prevent lumps). Continue to whisk over low heat until the mixture is thick and pasty, 3 to 4 minutes. It should hold its shape when you drag a spatula through it. 

Pour the mixture into the parchment-lined container and let it cool to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge and chill until fully set, at least 2 hours. Use the parchment sling to transfer the pudding to a cutting board and cut into bite-sized cubes. You can store the plain pudding cubes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Roll in the shredded coconut just before serving (otherwise the coated cubes will get soggy in the fridge) and enjoy cold.

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