Mango Coconut Yogurt Parfait

These mango coconut yogurt parfaits include layers of creamy coconut yogurt topped with mango cubes and crumbled amaretti cookies.

I love when mangos make their way into the grocery stores, especially the Ataulfo mangos. Ataulfos come mostly from Mexico, and have vibrant yellow flesh with a sweet, creamy taste. Last week, I grabbed a couple for my grocery cart and decided to make them into a healthy(ish) dessert inspired by the traditional sticky rice with mango dessert you often find in Thai restaurants. After grabbing some coconut yogurt and amaretti cookies, this Mango Coconut Yogurt Parfait was born!

To up the cute factor, I decided to serve these in mini dessert shot glasses but you could double the recipe and serve them in whatever glass bowls or glasses you have. Shot glasses like these work great, since you can make lots of little ones for a party, and everyone can see all the pretty layers of yogurt, mango, and cookie crumbles.

Ingredient Tips for Coconut Yogurt Parfait:

• I used Ataulfo mangos, but any kind of ripe mango would be fine. I'd avoid using frozen mangos for this dessert unless you are very careful to completely dry your mango cubes after defrosting them. Buy extra and try these Sweet Mango Crêpes too!

• I love Siggi's brand coconut skyr because it's thick, creamy, and tangy, with just a slight coconut flavor. But any kind of coconut yogurt or even vanilla yogurt would be just fine! Or replace with something decadent like Crème Pâtissière.

• Amaretti cookies are Italian cookies that are like an almond-flavored version of a French macaron. They are made from almonds, sugar, egg whites, and almond extract and often have a crispy outer layer with a soft chewy middle. I found some in the bakery section of my neighborhood Whole Foods, but you can also find them in Italian markets and even here on Amazon. Some don't have that chewy, marzipan-like middle, but all will work for this recipe. And, many versions are gluten-free!
• You could even use biscotti as a substitute. Or top it with my Almond, Pecan, and Pumpkin Seed Granola if you want to turn it into breakfast or just be extra-healthy for dessert!

How to Peel a Mango

Ready to have your mind blown? The best way to peel a mango is with a glass. What the what? It is! Here's the thing about mangos: they have a wide, flat pit in the middle, which makes it tricky to get at the flesh without hitting the pit. So here's the easiest way to do it.

Put the mango down on your cutting board on its long, narrow side, and slice off each side of the mango as close to the pit as possible. You will have two mango lobes of yellow flesh with skin, and the pit with two narrow sides of unpeeled flesh. The pit is so wide that there is not much good flesh left, but you can peel those sides with a knife and cut off whatever flesh you can find. I often peel it and then just nibble around the edges for a snack.

But the good stuff is in the two lobes you cut off. Take one and carefully put the edge of it at the rim of a glass, and then push down slowly. The glass will slide smoothly between the skin and the mango flesh. And voila! Peeled mango that is then super easy to cube.

Other Delicious Dessert Recipes

Are you craving more dessert? Here are some more ideas for you:

• If you love parfaits, you'll definitely want to check out my recipe for a Strawberry Parfait with Mascarpone Cream.
• If you love the almond flavor in these coconut yogurt parfaits, you might want to check out some of my dessert recipes that feature almond flour, like my Almond Flour Chocolate Cake, my Easy Lemon Ricotta Cake, my Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies, and my Almond Flour Chocolate Cookies
• For another healthy dessert option, don't miss my Cherry Chia Seed Smoothie or my Strawberry Blueberry Banana Smoothie
• If you love fruit in your desserts, check out my Peach Blueberry Crisp recipe, served with or without ice cream!