Easy 3-ingredient Lychee Coconut Jelly

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Refreshing, light and sweet layers of lychee and coconut jelly. This easy and simple lychee coconut jelly is made with just 3 ingredients! A great vegan and dairy-free dessert for the whole family to enjoy.

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Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
📖 Recipe
💬 Reviews

Lychee Coconut Jelly is a layered jelly dessert with coconut and lychee layers. It's a jiggly in texture and aesthetically pleasing thanks to the layers.

This is a wonderful South-East Asian dessert that is enjoyed cold. Lychee is a very popular fruit found in Asia and it has sweet and exotic flavor! It's actually one of my favourite fruits.

The whole fat coconut milk in this dessert balances the sweetness of the lychees with it's creamy flavors.

I absolutely love anything with lychee and coconut and the two ingredients pair so well with each other. The best part about this dessert recipe is that it's made with minimal ingredients!

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.

For the Lychee Layer

Lychee Juice: you can usually find this sold in tetra packs at many Asian markets or even select Western grocery stores. Make sure to get the kind that doesn't contain chunks of lychee in it.
Agar agar powder: this is a vegan powder to set jellos. Or substitute with 3x the amount of non-vegan gelatin powder as it’s not a 1:1 ratio.

For the Coconut Layer

Full Fat Coconut Milk: this usually comes in a can and it's not the same as light coconut milk.
Agar agar powder

Expert Tips

Whisk the agar agar powder into the liquid before you heat it for proper distribution.
Make sure the liquids come to a boil to activate the agar agar powder.
Don't over boil the liquids past 60 seconds or it'll quickly evaporate the liquid.
Always keep the liquids on the heat source (while it's turned off) so it stays warm and runny or it will solidify.
Set the jelly layer at room temperature and not in the fridge so the layer is warm enough to stick to the next layer.
Pour the hot liquid over the back of a spoon to prevent breaking the first layer.
Set the jelly for at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make lychee coconut jelly:

In a small pot, whisk together the lychee juice and agar agar powder. Bring this to a boil for 60 seconds and then turn off the heat. Cover and keep this on the heat source so it doesn't solidify.

In a small pot, whisk together the lychee juice and agar agar powder. Bring this to a boil for 60 seconds and then turn off the heat. Cover and keep this on the heat source so it doesn't solidify.

In another small pot, whisk together the coconut milk and agar agar powder. Bring this to a boil for 60 seconds and turn off the heat. Cover and and keep the pot on the heat source so it doesn't solidify.

In another small pot, whisk together the coconut milk and agar agar powder. Bring this to a boil for 60 seconds and turn off the heat. Cover and and keep the pot on the heat source so it doesn't solidify.

In a 8 x 6 inch rectangle container, scoop ½ cup or 125 ml of the lychee liquid and pour into the container, keeping the rest warm and covered. Let this layer set at room temperature. To check if it's set, it should be firm to touch.

In a 8 x 6 inch rectangle container, scoop ½ cup or 125 ml of the lychee liquid and pour into the container, keeping the rest warm and covered. Let this layer set at room temperature. To check if it's set, it should be firm to touch.

Then scoop ½ cup or 125 ml of the coconut liquid and pour over it over the back of a spoon on top of the firm lychee layer to prevent breaking it. Let this layer set until firm to touch and avoid moving the container. Keep the remaining coconut liquid covered and warm.

Then scoop ½ cup or 125 ml of the coconut liquid and pour over it over the back of a spoon on top of the firm lychee layer to prevent breaking it. Let this layer set until firm to touch and avoid moving the container. Keep the remaining coconut liquid covered and warm.

Repeat this process until there is no more liquid left. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To slice: run a thin knife around the edges of the jelly and then slice into squares. Enjoy immediately or while cold!

Repeat this process until there is no more liquid left. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. To slice: run a thin knife around the edges of the jelly and then slice into squares. Enjoy immediately or while cold!

Storage

Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge and is enjoyed cold.
Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing lychee coconut jelly or it will change the texture of the jelly.

Pairing Suggestions

Lychee coconut jelly serves well with:

fresh tropical fruit like pineapple, lychee, dragon fruit, star fruit, rambutan and more
sago desserts like Coconut Mango Sago, Strawberry Sago, or Mango Sago
jelly desserts like Mango Coconut Jelly, Fruit Jelly Cake, or Pandan Coconut Jelly
shaven ice, ice cream, popsicles or frozen yogurt

FAQ

Can I make this in advance?

Lychee coconut jelly can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

Can I substitute the lychee juice?

Yes, feel free to substitute the lychee juice with mango juice or any tropical juice without pulp.

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