Banana Coconut Parfait
I used to dread mornings. Every day began exactly the same way: being jolted awake too soon by the sound of a beeping alarm clock, groggily dragging myself into the shower, getting dolled up and then chugging coffee as if my life depended on it as I maneuvered my way around angry city commuters (side note: why is it that people are always in such a rush to get to work in the morning?)
Mornings are very different these days.
I never thought I would say this but morning has become my favorite time of the day. At some point along the way I went from being a night owl to a semi-early bird. These days I wake up naturally at around 7am, often before my alarm even goes off. The angry beeping clock is gone; when the alarm does wake me up I hear soft music.
I love the quiet haze of morning as the yellow-tinted sunlight creeps through the window. Â I love sitting with my cat and catching up on the news with that first perfect cup of coffee.
My breakfasts aren’t usually very exciting. I alternate between smoothies, quinoa porridge or egg, cheddar and Sriracha on an english muffin. When I’m feeling like more of a treat, I love having a parfait.
I like to prepare several of these parfaits at once and then eat them for breakfast throughout the week. When it comes time to enjoy them I mix everything together in a bowl. But it looks so pretty in layers, doesn’t it?
This granola recipe is intentionally not very sweet. When paired with ripe bananas… it’s perfect. The fattiness of the coconut cream brings everything together but if you’d like a more traditional parfait, plain yogurt can be substituted in place of coconut milk. Also, the granola might lose some of it’s crunchiness if it’s in the refrigerator for too long. It still has texture so it doesn’t bother me. But one way to avoid this is to place a small parchment round between the granola and coconut cream layer.  Simply remove the parchment before enjoying.
Banana Coconut Parfait
Ingredients
- 1 14.5 ounce can full fat coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons honey, divided
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon water
- 4 very ripe bananas, peeled
Instructions
- Place the can of coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. This will cause the liquid to separate and a solid layer of coconut cream will form on top. Carefully open the can and scoop the solid layer into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a regular bowl if using a hand mixer). Add 1 tablespoon of honey. Using the whisk attachment, whip the coconut cream on high speed until light and fluffy. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl combine oats, sunflower seeds, coconut flakes, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl whisk together remaining honey, vanilla and water. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir well to combine. Line granola in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake for 35-45 minutes, until dry and crunchy. Stir the granola every 10-15 minutes to prevent the coconut flakes from burning.
- Place the bananas in a bowl and use a potato masher to make a puree. Divide the bananas into 4-6 serving bowls.
- Top banana puree with the granola and then finish with the whipped coconut cream. Serve or cover and refrigerate.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
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Kate says
This recipes sounds like such a great way to start any day! Bright, tropical… it could make any day feel like a vacation day I bet. Bookmarked and pinned! :)
Laura Dembowski says
That parfait is beautiful! Who wouldn’t want to wake up to that? I used to hate mornings beyond words when I had to go to school but they have become my favorite part of the day too.
Summer says
Sometimes the simplest of things are the most amazing- this being one of them!
Dorothy says
This sounds like the perfect breakfast!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I love mornings too. This parfait would make a perfect breakfast with my coffee… I’m a little obsessed with granola!
Debra says
Delicious! I could eat this every day!
Chung-Ah says
Having this ready for breakfast would definitely make me a morning person!
Sylvie says
Ah unfortunately I’m one of those groggy morning people but I keep hoping one day that will change!
Fred says
That looks really good, love to serve desserts in a glass.
Heather says
I’m such a morning person. I’m probably annoying. Granola & yogurt is one of my favorite breakfasts of all time so I’m sure I’d like this. Is the consistency of the coconut cream similar to yogurt? Or more like whipped cream? Either way I’m in.
Jennifer Farley says
If you eat it immediately after preparing the parfaits it’s closer to whipped cream. If you chill the parfaits the coconut cream will become more dense like yogurt.
Nicole (MyLoveForCooking) says
This looks perfect…especially for the lovies! Thanks! :)
Jennifer says
Now that my kids are back to sleeping through the night I love mornings too. My hubby is trying to get me to go to bed early and wake up early (like 4am) with him. So far, I prefer sleeping in, or I’m being too lazy and not wanting to wake up. :) These parfaits are lovely. I love the combination of banana with the coconut.
sally says
What a gorgeous looking parfait! I love the mornings – I am a bonafide morning person indeed. But sometimes I just mes myself up entirely and stay awake til midnight and then still wake up at 5am. I know, it’s crazy. Regardless, I wish I had this parfait for breakfast instead of my boring cereal!
Christina says
I love seeing recipes pop up with coconut cream! YUM!
kristy says
This looks so good, Jen. What a delicious way to start your day! Or end it :)