Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Our homemade Coconut Cream Pie is outrageously creamy, loaded with coconut flavor, and topped with a generous cloud of pillowy whipped cream. With a buttery, flaky pie crust and toasted coconut flakes sprinkled over the top, it’s a decadent, irresistible treat that’ll win over any coconut lover the moment it hits the table.

It’s rich, cold, creamy, and precisely what a dessert’s supposed to taste like.

Coconut custards appeared in American cookbooks in the 1800s, when coconut was still a rare and exotic treat. Coconut Cream Pie took shape in the early 1900s, once canned coconut milk and dried coconut became readily available.

Our Coconut Cream Pie recipe stays true to the classic, with its rich coconut flavor and that smooth, silky filling, which never goes out of style.

Meringue was the topping of choice for decades, but these days we go with whipped cream because it’s simple, satisfying, and really lets that coconut be the star of the show.

You don’t need any special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients to make this creamy coconut dessert at home. It’s pretty straightforward and well worth the time it takes to make it.

If you’re into creamy pies that don’t hold back on flavor, our Banoffee Pie recipe delivers a knockout combo of banana, toffee, and whipped cream in every bite. And our old-fashioned Egg Custard Pie, Chocolate Pecan Pie, and Buttermilk Pie are the cllassic dessert that never fails to bring smiles to the dinner table.

Ingredients

Gather the ingredients to prepare our coconut cream pie recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

Can I Change Up the Recipe?

Absolutely. We made our coconut pie with sweetened shredded coconut, but you can use unsweetened coconut if you prefer a slightly less sweet filling. Just know that it will have a drier texture and a somewhat milder flavor.

For the crust, you can substitute the homemade version with a store-bought pie crust or even a graham cracker crust if you prefer something quicker and slightly sweeter.

If you’re feeling adventurous, try folding a handful of toasted coconut into the whipped topping, or add a small splash of coconut extract to take the flavor even further.

How to Make a Coconut Cream Pie

Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make a coconut cream pie in your home kitchen.

• Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
• Pulse three times to combine.
• Add the very cold butter pieces to the bowl.
• Pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in.
• Add the egg to the bowl.
• Pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the processor

Turn the dough out from the food processor onto a floured surface, and carefully remove the blade. Then flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it with plastic wrap, and chill for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

• Use a rolling pin to roll out pie dough into a circle that is 2 to 3 inches wider than the pie pan.
• Carefully transfer the pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp edges for a decorative finish.
• Pierce the bottom several times with a fork. Then, line the pan with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights or dry beans.
• Place the pie crust on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until it’s a light golden brown..
• Remove the pan from the oven, remove the weights, and place it on a wire rack to cool.

• Add the egg yolks, cornstarch, and ¼ cup of milk to a medium bowl.
• Whisk until well combined. Set aside until needed.
• Add the remaining cup of milk, canned coconut milk, granulated sugar, and table salt to a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring as needed.
• Slowly add about ¼ cup of the simmering milk to the bowl with the beaten eggs.
• Whisk to combine. Then repeat the process with another ¼ of the hot milk.
• Then, pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, whisking it to combine.
  *This process tempers the eggs.

• Cook the mixture, stirring vigorously, for 2-3 minutes until it has thickened. Then remove the pan from the heat and add the unsalted butter to the custard.
• Stir until the butter has melted and been incorporated.
• Add the vanilla extract and coconut extract to the custard and mix until well combined.
• Add ¾ of the coconut to the custard.
• Stir until well combined.
• Pour the coconut cream filling into the cooled crust. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the filling to prevent skin from forming.

Refrigerate the pie for at least 4 hours before serving. For Best results, chill overnight.

• Add the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (or a large bowl with an electric mixer).
• Start at a low speed and gradually build up to a faster speed (this will give you better consistency for your whipped cream than overbeating it from the beginning). Continue beating the cold cream until stiff peaks begin to form (just a little past soft peaks). The process should take 7-10 minutes.
  * Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
• Pipe the whipped cream topping over the chilled pie.
• Garnish with toasted coconut.

Our Coconut Cream Pie is perfect for any occasion. Serve it at your next birthday celebration, barbecue, Sunday dinner, or any gathering where dessert deserves its own moment on the table.

How to Store Coconut Cream Pie

Cover the Coconut Cream Pie loosely with plastic wrap or foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing is not recommended, as the creamy coconut custard and whipped topping can separate and lose their texture once thawed.

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