By Millie Peartree
- Total Time
- 10 minutes, plus freezing
- Rating
- 4(626)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Originating in Puerto Rico and coming in many flavors, limber is named after the pilot Charles A. Lindbergh, who landed on the island in 1928. According to El Nuevo Día, Puerto Rico’s newspaper of record, he was greeted with this delicious frozen juice, which came to be called limber, it’s said, after how many on the island pronounced the pilot’s name. In New York, this simple dessert may be one of the best things about summers in the Bronx. Serve it in cups — squeeze the cups, take your first lick, then turn the dessert upside-down — or as ice cubes. The cubes are especially nice in coconut-flavored rum after a long day. It’s the much-needed cool-off you’re yearning for.
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Ingredients
Yield:12 (4-ounce) servings or 48 (1-ounce) ice cubes
- 1cup half-and-half
- 1(12-ounce) can sweetened, condensed coconut milk
- 1(13-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
- ½teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
143 calories; 15 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 2 grams protein; 177 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
In a large bowl or spouted measuring cup, blend or whisk the half-and-half into the sweetened, condensed coconut milk. Add the remaining ingredients and ½ cup water and whisk to combine. Pour into small disposable cups and freeze for at least 4 hours, until frozen. (For smaller servings, pour into an ice tray.)
Step
2
To serve, squeeze the cup to push the limber up, and eat it directly from the cup. You could also pull it out of the cup and flip it, so the base becomes the top, and eat.
Tip
- For a piña colada version, add undrained pineapple tidbits or fresh pineapple. To make this vegan, substitute the half-and-half with a combination of half a (15-ounce) can cream of coconut and ½ cup soy milk.
Ratings
4
out of 5
626
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Cooking Notes
CFXK
Walmart and Whole Foods usually sell it, and you may find it in your local grocery chain. Also simple to make: dissolve at least a couple of tablespoons of sugar or honey (or more, depending on how sweet you would like it) in a can of full fat coconut milk over low heat, and then simmer it, stirring occasionally, down to about half volume or to desired consistency (maybe 45 min to and hour).
Serena
I'm based in the UK, and I love these American recipes, but they are also a complete mystery. What is Half-and-Half, and what can I use as a substitute? I've never seen Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk over here, but thanks to CFXK I can make my own. Kosher salt is also not something I knew, but Wikipedia explained that. We may share a language, but the vernacular of cooking and recipes is very different either side of The Pond!
Holly
What a treat! I used regular sweetened condensed milk in place of the sweetened condensed coconut milk, since that's what I had at home. I may try making my own next time (Stella Parks at Serious Eats has a recipe with regular milk that I could adapt), although I could also order it online. I froze them in popsicle molds (6), and had some left over to freeze as ice cubes, which I'm thinking of throwing in the blender with some rum!
Andrea
Use coconut Cream instead of 1/2 and 1/2. That’s where the word “Coco” comes from.
meg
Made vegan version and added a little coconut yogurt, unsweetened coconut flakes, and 2 frozen bananas, mixing all ingredients in a blender. Perfection
Dru
Just FYI: This is phenomenal not just with rum, but plopped into coffee, too! Especially very strong coffee like Bustelo.Look for Coco Lopez for the sweetened condensed coconut cream. You can find it in the co*cktail mixer section of your grocery store if it’s not with the other canned coconut milk cans.
Mónica
For sweet condensed coconut cream look for Goya brand coconut cream. Although it may not be clear in the tag it is sweetened. The most popular brand in the island however, is called Coco López. Depending on your location you might find these products in the Hispanic product isle of your grocery store or specialty market. Not niche at all.
Jill
You can get it at Whole Foods, Janet! I've seen it on Amazon, too.
MyKidsAreMyToughestFoodCritics
When I tried whisking this together, my coconut milk separated, and the solids rose to the top and I was unable to recombine them. They just stuck to my whisk in a huge clump. Anyone else have this issue and find a solution?
Rich
I used Coco Lopez, which is or isn't sweetened condensed coconut milk, depending on your source. The result is very sweet, but refreshing. One glance at the ingredients tells you that this isn't health food, but the scolds here seem intent on making an issue of this. It's a treat for a hot humid day. Other receipes combine different milks with coconut milk and sometimes sugar, with varying amounts of vanilla and cinammon--I'll have try some of them. I fogot the salt and didn't miss it.
Sal
I'm wondering if condensed coconut milk is CocoLopez or the generic cream of coconut? The former having been invented in Puerto Rico by Ramon Lopez I mean that wasn't until the 1950's so maybe it evolved? Either way this sounds amazing and can't wait to make some this summer
Penny
OH MY, I made this into popsicles for the granddaughters and they love them! I also froze quite a few in mini silicone muffin holders for a 2-3 bite treat.
RosebudTX
I checked and double checked, and it appears I didn’t leave anything out, but I only got 9 four-ounce servings rather than 12. Not sure how this happened!
Richard
You're right. If you add the liquid ingredients, they come to about 36 ounces. That's about 9 four-ounce servings.
Emma
This was really great; 5/5. The method of eating it (squeezing the frozen mixture from the cup and flipping it over) was a little weird, but not a big deal. Everyone loved it. Next time I may try freezing as popsicles. Sweetened condensed coconut milk was easy to find; I bought mine at Walmart, but I also saw it at Harmon’s the next day.
JDM
I would say, just OK. Both full fat coconut milk and sweetened condensed coconut milk -- have fat. Fat freezes. Once mixed (with a whisk) and then frozen, I’m left with frozen, coconut-fat-beads, which is plain unpleasant. I bought pineapple and plan to blend the frozen limbers with the pineapple, with hope that that will breakdown or at least hide the frozen fat. So close...**update: I added crushed pineapple and blended frozen, also adding lime juice. Then refroze. Much more palatable.
Silvia
Hello! That sounds delicious! But, what half-and-half is??? Thanks!
angryshark
Half cream and half whole milk. It’s sold as “half and half” in most US grocery stores or you can make it yourself. Whole cream is too fatty for almost frozen desserts and is like licking a stick of butter.
Stephanie
Any thoughts of subbing coconut cream for sweetened condensed coconut milk? What could you do to it to make it similar?
ChicagoFan
Half and half is a dairy product made by combining equal parts cream and whole milk, resulting in a product that's thinner and lower in fat than heavy cream.
Serena
I'm based in the UK, and I love these American recipes, but they are also a complete mystery. What is Half-and-Half, and what can I use as a substitute? I've never seen Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk over here, but thanks to CFXK I can make my own. Kosher salt is also not something I knew, but Wikipedia explained that. We may share a language, but the vernacular of cooking and recipes is very different either side of The Pond!
Barb
Half and Half is half whole milk half heavy cream.
Amy C
Hi Serena! Single cream would be a good substitute for half and half. Enjoy this yummy treat!
Kerry
Half-and-half is just 1 part whole milk to 1 part heavy cream (whatever you would use to make whipped cream to top a dessert). Really you are just looking for a rich liquid. Whole milk alone is likely to work, without making the dish too icy, given all the fat in the other ingredients. Or use the Tip for the vegan version as a guide.
meg
Made vegan version and added a little coconut yogurt, unsweetened coconut flakes, and 2 frozen bananas, mixing all ingredients in a blender. Perfection
Dorothy
I used regular sweetened condensed milk too (and ordered some sweetened condensed coconut milk on line for next time). I used popsicle molds and it came out perfect. The texture is creamy, a lot like the texture of fudgsicles or creamsicles. Big hit with everyone!
Angi
so easy , fast and delicious! Loved it!
Karen B
I forgot all about Coco López when making this, so I added a little coconut flavoring to sweetened condensed milk. Very nice, but CL next time.
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