Sometimes you just need a slice of coconut cream pie in your life. With silky coconut custard, flaky pastry crust, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes, this easy-to-make pie is the perfect way to treat yourself to a little something special.
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Our coconut cream pie recipe is a classic tropical dessert that was one of grandma's favorites (and yours too!). Made with coconut milk, sweetened coconut flakes, and a touch of vanilla, it's a rich and creamy treat that's perfect for any occasion.
This old-fashioned dessert is so easy to make too, no fancy equipment required! The coconut cream filling will be made on the stove, and if you'd like to make the crust from scratch like I do, I'll give you plenty of options to make a golden buttery crust by hand.
It's also a perfect combination of textures and flavors. The flaky pastry crust is delicate and buttery, while the toasted coconut flakes add an amazing tropical flavor. Whether you're a coconut lover or just looking for a new dessert to try, this pie is sure to impress.
If coconuts make your heart sing, may I direct your attention to my hummingbird carrot cake? Yes, it's a carrot cake, but also includes bananas, pineapple, and coconut. And to continue the tropical fruit trend, let's also try these peach mango turnovers for breakfast tomorrow. Or maybe classic desserts like this one are your thing, and you're looking for a classic banana pudding recipe, grandma's rice pudding, or a peach cobbler pound cake that exactly fits the bill on a hot summer day.
In the meantime, let's get started on this coconut cream pie!
π€ The history of coconut cream pie
It seems impossible to tell exactly where coconut cream pie started, but we do know a few things: The first recipes for this pie seem to have shown up in the United States around the early to mid 19th century, but were quite labor intensive, as you would have had to shred the coconut yourself! It wasn't until the 1920's that a man named Franklin Baker, from Philadelphia, acquired a large quantity of coconuts from Cuba as payment for his milled flour, and after some thinking, he realized that this was an untapped market in the U.S. He decided to start selling shredded coconut and you may recognize the product that's still in grocery stores today as Baker's Coconut. Since it was now so easy to make desserts with this pre-shredded coconut, the coconut cream pie was ready to become a new classic, to rave reviews from families all across the country!
π§Ύ Ingredients
Pie crust
- Flour
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Water
Coconut cream pie filling
- Eggs
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Coconut milk
- Half & half
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Shredded coconut flakes
- Heavy cream
See the recipe card below for full list of ingredients and their measurements.
β Ingredient notes
- Pie crust - While I provide the instructions here to make your own pie crust from scratch, if you prefer to skip this step, you can certainly use a store-bought pie crust instead.
- Shredded coconut - I use sweetened shredded coconut in my recipe, but if you prefer the unsweetened version, then go ahead and use that!
π₯£ How to make coconut cream pie
Toasting the coconut flakes
We're first going to be toasting the coconut flakes to sprinkle on top of the finished pie for a beautiful and tasty topping.
Preheat oven to 350Β°F.
Sprinkle the coconut flakes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
Making the pie crust
Now, we're going to be making a pie crust and blind baking it. Never heard of blind baking? That's okay, it's easy. We'll simply bake the pie crust for a few minutes without any filling in it. This is a common practice for many pies that have a liquid or pudding filling, like my lemon meringue pie, berries and cream chocolate pie, and fresh fruit tart.
Preheat oven to 400Β°F.
Mix all dry ingredients in a food processor. Then, add cubed butter and a tablespoon or two of ice water. Pulse briefly a few times for 5 to 10 seconds each. If the dough isn't all sticking together yet, add another tablespoon of ice water and repeat.
β Tip: If you don't have a food processor, you can easily make this pie crust by hand. First mix all dry ingredients together, then cut in the butter cubes using a pastry cutter or your fingers until it starts resembling a coarse meal. Then sprinkle in a couple tablespoons of water and mix it in until all of the dough sticks together.
Remove dough, roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for an hour.
After an hour, remove the dough from the fridge and roll out. Gently place in a pie pan and prick the bottom and sides with a fork.
Now place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the pie crust and fill it with pie weights.
β Tip: Instead of pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice instead. It will do the job just as well! For a visual aid, see my fresh fruit tart recipe, where I did just this.
Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden in color. Let cool.
Making the coconut cream pie filling
First, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until it's thick and smooth.
In a pot on the stove, over medium heat, warm up the coconut milk and half & half until steaming.
Once it's steaming, add a quarter cup of the hot milk/cream to the egg mixture and whisk continuously. This is tempering the eggs to the hot temperature, so they don't scramble. Add another quarter cup of hot milk and repeat.
Reduce the heat on the stove to low-medium and slowly but steadily pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk/cream, whisking continuously.
Stir in the butter and vanilla extract, stirring frequently, and simmer until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the (untoasted) coconut flakes.
Let cool for a few minutes.
Once both the filling and the crust have cooled, pour the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until chilled and firm.
Making the whipped cream topping
For this final step, you can use a stand mixer with whisk attachment, a handheld electric mixer, or just a hand whisk.
Whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until it reaches stiff peaks.
π₯₯ Finishing the pie
Once the pie has chilled, spread or pipe a layer of whipped cream on top of the filling, then sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the entire top.
Serve and enjoy!
π§Ί Storage
When kept covered in the refrigerator, this pie will stay delicious for several days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months (just make the whipped cream topping right before serving).
π©βπ³ Pro tips
While this pie is quick & easy to make, I can make it even quicker and easier for you!
You can make almost this entire pie ahead of time. Make the pie crust and filling ahead of time and keep in the fridge or freezer until you're ready to use it. Then, when you're in the mood for some coconut cream pie, just whip up some whipped cream topping, toast the coconut flakes for a few minutes, assemble the pie, and serve...easy as pie!
β FAQ
Absolutely! You don't have to make a pie crust from scratch. There are many great options at your grocery store.
Blind baking is done to make sure the crust stays firm when you're then adding liquid or pudding to the crust. And yes, pie weights are necessary to keep the crust from bubbling up and/or shrinking while baking. If you don't have ceramic pie weights, no problem! Just line the crust with parchment and fill with dry rice or beans.
Full-fat coconut milk will result in the richest and creamiest texture.
I personally use sweetened coconut flakes for my pie, but if you prefer unsweetened, then use that...you do you!
You sure can! Either buy mini pie crusts at the supermarket or make your own, just be aware that the blind baking time and temperature may vary. Then, just fill the crusts with the coconut cream filling, top with whipped cream topping and toasted coconut flakes, and enjoy!
Do you love sweet treats as much as I do? Check out a few more of our delicious recipes:
- Lemon Meringue Pie
- Berries and Cream Chocolate Pie
- Fresh Fruit Tart
- Hummingbird Carrot Cake
- Peach Mango Turnovers
- Easy Homemade Banana Pudding
- Rice Pudding
- Mandarin Orange Cake with Pineapple Frosting
- Lemon Blueberry Bars
- Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
- Easy Homemade Whipped Cream
π Recipe
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 Β½ cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Few Tablespoons ice water
Coconut Cream Pie Filling
- 4 large egg yolks
- ΒΎ cup granulated sugar
- ΒΌ cup cornstarch
- 13.5 ounces coconut milk
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Β½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut flakes
Whipped Cream Topping
- 1 Β½ cups heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
Toasted Coconut Topping
- ΒΌ c sweetened shredded coconut flakes
Instructions
Toasting the Coconut Flakes
- Preheat oven to 350Β°F.
- Sprinkle the coconut flakes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
Making the Pie Crust
- Preheat oven to 400Β°F.
- Mix all dry ingredients in a food processor. *(see notes for options)
- Then, add cubed butter and a tablespoon or two of ice water. Pulse briefly a few times for 5 to 10 seconds each. If the dough isn't all sticking together yet, add another tablespoon of ice water and repeat.
- Remove dough, roll into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- After an hour, remove the dough from the fridge and roll out.
- Gently place in a pie pan and prick the bottom and sides with a fork.
- Now place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the pie crust and fill it with pie weights. *(see notes for options)
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden in color.
- Let cool.
Making the Coconut Cream Pie Filling
- First, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until it's thick and smooth.
- In a pot on the stove, over medium heat, warm up the coconut milk and half & half until steaming.
- Once it's steaming, add a quarter cup of the hot milk/cream to the egg mixture and whisk continuously. This is tempering the eggs to the hot temperature, so they don't scramble. Add another quarter cup of hot milk and repeat.
- Reduce the heat on the stove to low-medium and slowly but steadily pour the egg mixture into the pot of milk/cream, whisking continuously.
- Stir in the butter and vanilla extract, stirring frequently, and simmer until thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the (untoasted) coconut flakes.
- Let cool for a few minutes.
- Once both the filling and the crust have cooled, pour the filling into the pie crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until chilled and firm.
Making the Whipped Cream Topping
- Whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract until it reaches stiff peaks.
Finishing the Pie
- Once the pie has chilled, spread or pipe a layer of whipped cream on top of the filling, then sprinkle toasted coconut flakes over the entire top.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
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