Frejon and Mango Cream Pie

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated July 30, 2026

  • Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
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Ready In
5 hr
(1 hr, plus 4 hrs freezing)
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A popular dish in Lagos, Nigeria, frejon combines beans and coconut milk into a puree that can go sweet or savory. Here, a nutmeg- and clove-scented take on the sweet version is blended with coconut yogurt to become as creamy as a smoothie. Spread into a gingersnap crust, layered with fresh mango and topped with whipped coconut cream, the result is a dessert that’s sort of like banana cream pie. This pie is dairy-free, but if you can’t find sweetened condensed coconut milk or coconut yogurt and you’re OK with dairy, you can use sweetened condensed milk and coconut-flavored dairy yogurt instead.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can coconut cream, chilled

  • 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

  • 2 limes, zested and juiced (about ¼ cup juice)

  • 1 cup/146 grams pitted Medjool dates, chopped, divided

  • 1 ½ cups/217 grams 1 ½ inch mango chunks (from 1 to 2 mangos)

  • 4 cups/198 grams ginger snaps, broken into pieces

  • ¼ cup coconut palm sugar or dark brown sugar

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), divided

  • ½ cup unrefined coconut oil

  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1 (7.4-ounce) can sweetened condensed coconut milk

  • 1 cup/236 grams coconut yogurt

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves 

  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)

40 grams carbs; 417 calories; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams saturated fat; 28 grams fat; 1 gram trans fat; 5 grams fiber; 426 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 21 grams sugar

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

  1. Step 1

    Turn the chilled can of coconut cream upside down and open it. There should be a layer of liquid on top. (If there isn’t, push aside the hardened cream to reveal it.) Pour the liquid into a small bowl and set aside. Scrape the thick coconut cream in the can into a medium bowl. Cover the cream and refrigerate until ready to whip for serving.

  2. Step 2

    In another medium bowl, combine the ginger, lime zest and juice and ¼ cup chopped dates. Break up any dates that are stuck together, tossing to coat with the lime juice. Fold in the mango and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Place the gingersnaps, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender and pulse to crush into dust with some crumbs. Tip the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, add the coconut oil and mix in the oil until evenly distributed. The mixture should look like chunky sand. Use your fingers or the flat side of a cup to press the mixture against the bottom and up the sides of the pan. 

  4. Step 4

    Make space in the freezer for the pan to sit flat. Spread the mango mixture in an even layer over the crust and freeze.

  5. Step 5

    While the mango freezes, use a blender to pulse the beans and remaining ¾ cup dates with the sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt and reserved coconut cream liquid on low to break up the solids. Then puree on high, scraping down the sides as needed, until completely smooth. Work in batches if necessary. You should end up with about 3 cups of purée.

  6. Step 6

    Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the bean purée over the fruit layer. Even out the surface with the back of a spoon; the pan will be filled to the rim. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until completely firm, at least 4 hours and up to 10 hours.

  7. Step 7

    Remove the chilled coconut cream from the refrigerator. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed to beat it until smooth and fluffy. Mound the whipped cream over the frozen pie and swirl. Grate nutmeg over the top. Cut in wedges and serve immediately.

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Comments

Matthew B.

Do it. It’s delicious and unique. Made my own sweetened condensed coconut milk by reducing a can of CM and adding sugar. Swapped graham crackers for ginger snaps, heavy cream for the topping, and Greek yogurt for the coconut yogurt b/c those suited my tastes. You can make swaps (or not) and it’ll still be great. I would definitely add sugar to the topping as the whole thing needs to be a bit sweeter. I also added a tbs of maple syrup to the bean mixture. Just taste and adjust to your desired sweetness before you pour it into the pan.

Joseph

Really pretty refreshing. I was heavy on ginger, which was great. But, I was getting very strong clove. Reminder to me: Suggest cutting ground clove in half.

Becky B

Made this yesterday. Hard to eat. Too much nutmeg makes it almost unpalatable. Comments above look promising - more sweetness and replace ginger crust with graham cracker might help. Straight from freezer to serving was weird. Clunky. Will try again.

Ikenna U.

How popular can it be when it is not known on the streets of Lagos and it is a meal that is eaten during Easter?!?

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