Coconut Cream Pie

Content… What Is It? Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Decadent Homemade Pie Recipes Watch How to Make It

What Is Coconut Cream Pie?

An easy coconut cream pie is an American one-crust pie (meaning the crust covers the bottom and the sides only). Then, fill that flaky crust with a rich, decadent custard commonly made with milk, cream, sugar, and eggs.

It comes in assorted flavors – vanilla, lemon, chocolate, peanut butter, banana, and, my favorite – coconut. This coconut cream pie features a creamy coconut pudding filling and a gorgeous whipped cream topping. I add a sprinkle of sweet toasted coconut to amp up the coconut.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Custard Ingredients – For a flavorful and creamy custard, you’ll need coconut milk, whole milk, egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar, butter, and a dash of vanilla extract.
2. Pie Shell – Store-bought pie crust works great if you’re in a hurry. But if you’ve got time, nothing beats a fresh, homemade pie crust!
3. Whipped Cream – The lightness balances the thick, luxurious custard just beautifully. Again, feel free to make homemade whipped cream if cooking from scratch is your thing.
4. Toasted Coconut – Slightly chewy with a subtle crunch, toasted coconut really rounds out the textures in this pie. Plus, it adds a little extra coconut flavor; pre-toasted or toasting your own works fine. Unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut both work fine.

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie

• Preheat the oven to 350℉ (175℃). 
• Toast the Coconut – Spread the coconut flakes on a piece of parchment paper set on a baking sheet. Bake them at 350℉ (175℃) for 6-8 minutes or until lightly toasted. Set aside. (Photos 1-2)
• Prep the Crust – Roll out your store-bought or homemade pie dough and fill your pie dish. Lightly press the dough on the pie pan. Cut any excess dough around the edges. (Photo 3)
• Blind Bake – To prevent the dough from rising, place some beans inside the parchment-lined crust-filled dish. Blind bake the pie crust for 20-25 minutes or until the crust is dry and golden brown. Set aside. (Photo 4)

• Make the Custard – In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch, sugar, salt, coconut milk, whole milk, and eggs, and whisk until thoroughly combined over low heat. Bring it to a boil and keep stirring for 2-3 more minutes or until thickened. (Photo 5)
• Flavor – Stir in butter and mix thoroughly. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in vanilla extract and all but ¼ cup of the toasted coconut. (Reserve that for the topping). (Photos 6-9)
• Chill – Pour the coconut mixture into the pie shell and chill in the fridge until it firms up. That will take a minimum of 4 hours or overnight. (Photos 10-11)
• Serve – Spread or pipe whipped cream over the set pie before serving, and sprinkle the top with the remaining coconut flakes! Slice and enjoy. (Photo 12)

Recipe Variations

1. Get chocolaty. Spread chocolate ganache over the pie crust before pouring in the coconut filling to create a delightful chocolate-coconut combination—kinda like a Mounds bar in a pie.
2. Add fruit. Add pureed mango, passion fruit, pineapple, or any other tropical fruit to the coconut filling for an extra refreshing tropical flavor.
3. Spike it! Add a splash of coconut-flavored rum to the filling for an adult twist on this classic.
4. Pudding. This homemade coconut cream pie filling also makes a mouthwatering custard sans the crust for your gluten-free friends.

Tips and Tricks

1. Allow plenty of time for the custard to set. You don’t want to rush this step. I usually let my coconut cream pie set overnight. That way, it doesn’t splodge or get runny when you serve it. 
2. Whether using a pre-made crust or making your own, make sure it’s fully baked and cooled before adding the filling. Because nobody likes pie with a soggy bottom. 😝
3. Skip the light stuff and go with full-fat coconut milk for a richer flavor and a creamier custard.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Coconut cream pie holds up well in the fridge for 3-5 days, so feel free to make it ahead of time. Just keep it in a covered, airtight container. You can also make the pie crust and fill it the day before and then top it with whipped cream and toasted coconut when you’re ready to serve.

Serving and Storage Instructions

Serve this deliciousness chilled for optimum tastiness. Refrigerate leftover coconut cream pie in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

What Goes With Coconut Cream Pie

Serve coconut cream pie as a follow-up to tropical-themed meals like grilled tilapia topped with mango salsa. It also makes an excellent finish to any meal featuring classic Caribbean dishes like Jamaican jerk chicken. I like to serve it with a hot drink like coffee or ginger tea, but it would also go well with refreshing beverages like mango juice. 

More Decadent Homemade Pie Recipes

1. Pineapple Pie
2. No Bake Key Lime Mango Coconut Cheesecake Pie
3. Banana Cream Pie
4. Pecan Pie
5. Buttermilk Pie

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video