Pandan coconut jelly is an irresistible delight that can be found all over the busy street food markets of Thailand. This sweet and refreshing, no-bake dessert is the perfect treat for hot summer days. With a delicious blend of creamy coconut milk and fragrant pandan leaves, this classic Thai dessert is absolutely a must-try!

Just about every Thai person I know loves this special dessert. No wonder why it’s so extremely popular in Southeast Asia, everyone is super fond of it.

Before we dive into the instructions for this amazing jelly dessert, let me tell you a little more about it.

What is pandan coconut jelly dessert

This Thai delight has a jiggly, jelly-like structure that makes both eating and preparing it a joyful adventure. I often enjoy making it with my young niece and nephew, we’re totally into desserts! And this one is a hit with the kiddos, it’s one of my favorite kid-friendly recipes, and making it is a super fun family activity.

The top layer has a firm structure that’s simply irresistible, packed with rich coconut flavor from coconut milk. Hands down, it’s my favorite part of this layered dessert. Sometimes I even whip up a single layer dessert that’s all about coconut goodness.

The bottom layer has a soft, jelly-like consistency and a beautiful green color. It’s made up mostly out of water and fragrant pandan leaves.

Both layers get their gelatin structure from agar-agar powder, a common ingredient in the world of jellies, puddings, and mousses.

What is agar-agar powder

Agar-agar powder is a staple in many Asian desserts. This vegan ingredient comes from the red algae, and it’s used as an alternative for gelatin. It forms a jelly like structure when combined with boiling water, taking just about 5 minutes to dissolve completely. Unlike gelatin, it doesn’t need to be chilled in the fridge to set, letting it rest at room temperature does the trick.

When agar is used in desserts, it gives them a firmer structure compared to those prepared with gelatin. For this traditional dessert, it’s important that the agar-agar is fully dissolved before continuing with the next step in the recipe.

You can check whether the agar powder is dissolved by dipping a spoon into boiling water. If the spoon still contains traces from agar, then you need to cook for longer. With this tip in mind, you’ll have an easy time cooking with agar-agar.

Pandan layer ingredients

All ingredients to whip up this pandan coconut dessert can be found at your local Asian market or Asian grocery store.

• Pandan leaves – Pandan leaves can be found in many Southeast Asian desserts. They give this jelly a fragrant aroma and a hard to resist green shine. If you don’t live in a tropical country, you can look for frozen pandan leaves in an Asian supermarket or use pandan essence.
• Agar-agar powder – Agar is a vegan-friendly thickening agent that assures a firm, jelly dessert.
• White sugar – Got a craving for sweet food? Feel free to adjust the sugar levels in this coconut and pandan dessert to your liking. I’ve used regular white sugar in this recipe, but you could swap it out for brown sugar for a healthier twist.
• Water – Water is crucial for the soft texture in the pandan layer.

Coconut layer ingredients

• Coconut milk – Full-fat coconut milk is key for a rich flavor and good texture.
• Agar-agar powder
• Salt
• White sugar

Short recipe video

Step-by-step instructions

Creating this tropical treat might seem a bit overwhelming at first. But believe me, it’s not, it’s actually a piece of cake… or should I say jelly? The next time you’ll make it, you might find yourself whipping up this dessert with ease.

Tips for the best Thai jelly dessert

• If you use older pandan leaves, you will get a beautiful dark green pandan layer. If your pandan leaves are still young, you can add a drip of green color liquid to make the bottom layer look darker and more visually appealing. You can add green color liquid after blending the pandan leaves. You can also use pandan essence, this will not only enhance the green color, but it will also add more pandan flavor and fragrance.

• While cooking, make sure that the agar-agar powder is fully dissolved before continuing with the next step.

• This jelly is often seen with multiple layers. 2, 4 or 6, anything is possible. I suggest starting out with 2 layers if this is your first time making jelly.

• Before adding the agar-agar and water mixture to your dessert, give the mixture another quick stir.

• Make sure the pandan layer is firm enough before adding the coconut layer on top. If this is your first time making a double layered jelly dessert, you can use a small cup as a “test cup”.

• Use a fine filter cloth to catch the blended pandan leaves, the finer, the better.

How to serve

This make ahead dessert is perfect for serving after a family dinner.

Enjoy immediately after preparing it, or enjoy it cold and let it rest in the fridge overnight. I like it best when it’s cold and refreshing. I’m a big fan of using a round or square baking mold to pour in the layers, and I like to cut the jelly in equally sized pieces when I’m ready to serve it.

How to store

This Thai jelly dessert is best stored in your refrigerator, it will remain fresh and firm for up to 5 days (but I doubt it will last that long).

More sweet desserts you’ll love

• Thai bananas in coconut milk – A creamy and sweet dessert where tender bananas are dressed in an aromatic, creamy coconut milk.
• Thai Grilled bananas dessert – Banana slices grilled to perfection, paired with a sticky and sweet homemade dipping sauce.
• Authentic Thai mango sticky rice – This tropical treat is made with sweet mangoes, served alongside sticky rice that’s been flavored in a creamy coconut sauce.

Love this pandan coconut jelly dessert? You would do me a GREAT favor by leaving a star rating and a comment in the comment section! And if you wish to stay up-to-date with my latest Thai recipes, then don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter.

Print Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Pandan Coconut Jelly Dessert

Author: Praew Cooking Method: Cooking Cuisine: Asian cuisines Courses: Dessert Recipe Keys: Egg Free Low Carb Nut Free

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 30 min Rest Time 1 hour Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Servings: 6 Calories: 319

Description

This recipe makes a delightful double-layered jelly dessert, with a fragrant pandan base topped with a sweet layer of creamy coconut.

Ingredients

Servings

For the pandan layer

• 1 tablespoon agar-agar powder
• ¹⁄₂ cup water (for the agar-agar mixture)
• 8 pandan leaves (cut in medium-sized pieces)
• 3 cups water (for blending)
• ¹⁄₂ cup sugar

For the coconut layer

• 1 tablespoon agar-agar powder
• ¹⁄₂ cup water
• 2 cups coconut milk
• ¹⁄₂ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

For the pandan layer

1. Thoroughly mix the agar-agar powder with 1/2 cup water in a bowl. Afterward, let it rest for 15 minutes.

2. Cut the pandan leaves into medium-sized pieces.

3. Toss the leaves into a blender, add the remaining water, and roughly blend.

4. Next, pour the fresh pandan juice into a bowl and use a kitchen filter bag or a sieve cloth to catch the blended leaves. The finer your filter, the smoother your pandan layer will turn out.

5. Simmer the pandan juice in a wok, skillet, or cooking pot over low to medium heat for 1 minute. Then, add the agar-agar mix from step 1, but first give it another stir.

6. Cook and stir until the agar-agar powder is completely dissolved (this should take no more than 5 minutes). The agar has to be fully dissolved before moving on.

7. Once the agar-agar has dissolved, it’s time to add the sugar. Keep cooking and stirring until the sugar has also dissolved.

8. Gently pour or scoop the pandan layer into a baking mold, cup, or any bowl you like. Let it rest at room temperature to become firm for about 30 minutes until it firms up.

For the coconut layer

1. Just like in step 1, combine the agar-agar with 1/2 cup water in a bowl and stir. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

2. After 15 minutes, it’s time to cook the coconut layer. Pour the coconut milk into a pan or skillet and simmer it over a low to medium heat. Once the edges start to bubble, add in the agar mix. Let it cook until the agar-agar powder is completely dissolved (this should take no longer than 5 minutes).

   The milk has to simmer gently, if it’s boiling too much, turn down the heat immediately.

3. Add sugar and salt, cook until the sugar is fully dissolved (2 min) and remove from heat.

4. Use your finger to check if layer 1 has firmed up enough. When firm, use a large spoon to gently layer on the creamy coconut mixture.

5. Let the jelly dessert rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. After that, you can dig in straight away, or pop it into the fridge to enjoy it chilled later.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 6

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Amount Per Serving

Calories 319kcal

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 20.2g32%

Saturated Fat 17.9g90%

Sodium 404mg17%

Total Carbohydrate 38g13%

Dietary Fiber 1.9g8%

Sugars 36.2g

Protein 1.9g4%

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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Use a fine filter to catch the blended pandan leaves, the finer, the better.

All ingredients are vegan.

While cooking, make sure that the agar-agar powder is fully dissolved before continuing with the next step.

Keywords: pandan coconut jelly, pandan coconut jelly dessert, coconut jelly

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