Coconut Yogurt Parfait

This coconut yogurt parfait tastes like dessert but is so healthy that you can enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, or a bedtime treat any day. It's naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, plus it's sugar-free to boot.

The layers of creamy coconut yogurt, chia pudding, and crunchy granola are an incredibly satisfying, easy-to-make treat you'll love making for yourself, your family, and for guests. It just doesn't get much healthier or easier than this, and when you can add gorgeous to the mix, it's such a great win!

I just love parfaits and the crunchy with creamy combo. I'm like that with ice cream too. Of course plain ice cream is great, but crunchy nuts and chocolate in my ice cream like this Chocolate Almond Chip Ice Cream are just the best.

History of Parfaits

I love finding out the history of things, especially things that I love, so I just had to find out why parfaits are called parfaits, and well, it's kind of shocking!

The word “parfait” is French. Parfaits originated there as a frozen custard dessert made from cream, eggs, sugar, and flavorings. The dessert later became popular in international circles and Americans made their own version, combining different textures and flavors like ice cream, syrups, fruit, whipped cream, pudding, and more.

One company, Miaolin Foods, describes parfaits as “edible dessert architecture” and I would agree, but I say that they're better than that because the amazing mouth feel should be in that description too!

I would have expected it to be the other way around with Americans mixing the ingredients together for ease and the French making the gorgeous culinary architecture, but there you have it.

Ingredients

Here's the simple list of ingredients for this recipe. For the amounts, see the printable recipe card.

• strawberry chia pudding (or other chia pudding, as desired. Any healthy pudding can work for this including this Chocolate Avocado Pudding. The photos show the blended strawberry version.)
• monk fruit drops (or other sweetener, as desired)
• coconut milk yogurt (or other yogurt, as desired)
• granola (The images in this post show this Sugar-Free Granola, but you can use any granola you like including this Buckwheat Granola.)
• vanilla (optional or other extract as desired)
• sliced strawberries and more granola for toppings

Directions

• Stir the vanilla extract and monk fruit drops, if using, into the yogurt.
• Divide the chia pudding between the 2 serving dishes. Top each with a quarter of the yogurt, then half of the granola, then the remaining yogurt.
• Top with sliced strawberries and more granola, as desired.
• You can add just a small bit of the chia to the granola layer and to the top of the parfait as well, as shown in the photos.

Recipe Variations

While this version uses strawberry chia pudding, you can also use Blueberry Chia or Mixed Berry Chia, Keto Chocolate Chia, or really any kind of chia pudding you like.

Add extracts to the yogurt like vanilla, almond, orange or coconut. Start with one drop and increase slowly.

Serving Suggestions

While the possibilities are truly endless, here are some fun ways to make this parfait even more special. Top with or add another layer of any of the following. You can also serve these parfaits in dessert dishes, small glass bowls or mugs, or mason jars.

• even more granola and lots of fresh berries or frozen berries. These Healthy Sugared Cranberries would be a perfect topping.
• fresh or frozen fruit
• chocolate chips
• whipped coconut cream or regular whipped cream
• dried coconut flakes or toasted coconut flakes
• nuts and seeds

You can also substitute a variety of seeds and/or chopped nuts for the granola for a grain-free option.

Meal Prep Tips

While this recipe is super simple as it is, there are a few ways to make it even easier.

• Buy granola or make homemade granola ahead of time. Of course when your granola is as delicious as this Sugar-free Granola, you'll want to make multiple batches and have it around always.
• Make the chia pudding ahead of time and have it at the ready in the fridge.