Homemade Coconut Cream Pie filled with the most delicious coconut filling. Creamy coconut filling set beautifully in a flaky homemade pie crust, topped off with delicious whipped cream and sprinkled with toasted coconut, makes this recipe a definite family favorite!
Coconut Cream Pie
This is a one of my favorite pies ever! If you love a sweet creamy filling, deliciously toasted coconut and the flakiest pie crust you could dream of, then this pie is your dream come true. It takes just about 30 minutes to prep all the ingredients and another 45 minutes to cook and the result will be beyond your expectations!
- Traditional Recipe
- Creamiest Filling
- Simple Ingredients
- Easy Steps to Prep and Cook
With the most convenient prepping steps and just a few handy ingredients, this gorgeous Coconut Cream Pie is a great add-on to your dessert list. This pie truly is for the coconut lovers that love not only coconut flavor, but thick creamy pies with a flaky crust. It really is delicious and perfect for any occasion.
Ingredient Notes
- Sugar – You will need granulated sugar for the filling for sweetness and powdered sugar for the whipped cream topping.
- Coconut Milk – Canned unsweetened coconut milk. This coconut milk is usually very thick and you can usually find it in the Thai food section of your grocery store.
- Cornstarch – To help thicken the filling.
- Cream – Half & Half cream will help give your filling that creamy texture.
- Egg – You’ll only need one egg yolk for your filling to create that pudding-like texture and to help thicken it.
- Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract to give it an extra boost of flavor, but you can use any kind of vanilla extract you can find.
- Coconut Extract – To help boost the coconut flavor.
- Coconut – Unsweetened or sweetened toasted coconut flakes, either large flakes or shredded, to add that crunchy texture to the topping.
- Pie Crust – You can use store bought pie crust or use my recipe to make your own.
- Whipping Cream – Whipping cream with a bit of powdered sugar to make our own delicious whipped cream topping.
How To Make Coconut Cream Pie
- Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using your own homemade pie crust, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes. This is required to soften the dough a bit, so that you can roll it out. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the pie dough until it’s about â…›-inch thick and 12-inch round. Place the pie dough lightly into a pie plate. I usually roll it on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. Crimp the edge and cut off excess dough. Transfer to the fridge to chill the pie dough for 15 minutes or until firm. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pie shell and fill it with pie weights, do this with store bought pie shell as well. If you don’t have pie weights, you can use dry beans. Place the pie shell into the oven and blind bake it for 25 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper, prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork to let the air out, and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until the bottom is golden and dry. Let it cool.
- Make the filling: To a saucepan, add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and whisk together to break up the cornstarch clumps. Whisk in the coconut milk and half and half gently until smooth. Add the egg yolks and continue whisking until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat while continuously whisking until the filling thickens, for about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Strain the filling and set: Add the vanilla and coconut extract and whisk until combined. Strain the coconut cream filling through a fine sieve. Pour the warm filling into the pie crust and smooth the top if needed. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the filling, this will ensure that it won’t form a skin or film over the top. Transfer the pie to the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours to overnight or until completely set.
- Make the topping: In a mixing bowl, mix together the whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Top the coconut cream pie with the whipped cream then with the toasted coconut. Serve immediately.
FAQ’s & Expert Tips
FAQ’s
If after following the directions, you had a runny filling, this could be because the filling may not have cooked long enough to thicken. Make sure you cook it for the full 7 to 8 minutes. You also need to let it chill in the refrigerator as instructed for at least 4 hours, this will also help it thicken and set.
Pie weights ensure your crust will cook evenly by preventing air bubbles from puffing up when it’s placed in the oven and it’s nicely levelled up to hold your filling properly. You can always substitute metal or ceramic weights or dried beans in a pinch. Just make sure if you use beans to have them fully dried before using them.
Blind baking basically means baking your pie crust before you are able to fill it. This is actually necessary when making a pie with a custard filling like ours here as it prevents the crust from becoming soggy.
Expert Tips
- The crust is your most important piece of the pie, so make sure you have a great pie crust that is flaky, buttery and absolutely delicious.
- Bake the pie crust well and allow for it to cool down before you add your filling to get the nice, flaky texture and avoid any kind of soggy feeling in the crust.
- Make sure you use canned coconut cream and not the refrigerated carton coconut milk which is a beverage, these are two very different products.
Leftovers
If you end up having some leftover coconut cream pie, you can store it whole, or cut it into smaller pieces before storing it in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing
You can freeze the pie excluding the whipped topping. Make sure the filling is completely cool inside the pie shell prior to freezing. Cover with with plastic wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then top with the whipped topping and serve.
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Coconut Cream Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ recipe pie crust homemade or store bought
For Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups coconut milk unsweetened
- 1¼ cups half and half cream
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
For Topping
- 1½ cups whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ cup dried coconut either large-flaked or shredded, toasted
Instructions
- Prepare the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°F. If using your own homemade pie crust, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes. This is required to soften the dough a bit, so that you can roll it out. Lightly flour your work surface. Roll out the pie dough until it's about ⅛-inch thick and 12-inch round. Place the pie dough lightly into a 9-inch pie plate. I usually roll it on the rolling pin and unroll it over the pie plate. Crimp the edge and cut off excess dough. Transfer to the fridge to chill the pie dough for 15 minutes or until firm. Place a piece of parchment paper over the pie shell and fill it with pie weights, do this with store bought pie shell as well. If you don't have pie weights, you can use dry beans. Place the pie shell into the oven and blind bake it for 25 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment paper, prick the bottom of the pie shell with a fork to let the air out, and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 10 minutes until the bottom is golden and dry. Let it cool.
- Make the filling:Â To a saucepan, add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and whisk together to break up the cornstarch clumps. Whisk in the coconut milk and half and half gently until smooth. Add the egg yolks and continue whisking until smooth. Cook over medium-high heat while continuously whisking until the filling thickens, for about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Strain the filling and set:Â Add the vanilla and coconut extract and whisk until combined. Strain the coconut cream filling through a fine sieve. Pour the warm filling into the pie crust and smooth the top if needed. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the filling, this will ensure that it won't form a skin or film over the top. Transfer the pie to the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours to overnight or until completely set.
- Make the topping:Â In a mixing bowl, mix together the whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Top the coconut cream pie with the whipped cream then with the toasted coconut. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- The crust is your most important piece of the pie, so make sure you have a great pie crust that is flaky, buttery and absolutely delicious.
- Bake the pie crust well and allow for it to cool down before you add your filling to get the nice, flaky texture and avoid any kind of soggy feeling in the crust.
- Make sure you use canned coconut cream and not the refrigerated carton coconut milk which is a beverage, these are two very different products.
- If you end up having some leftover coconut cream pie, you can store it whole, or cut it into smaller pieces before storing it in an airtight container. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- You can freeze the pie excluding the whipped topping. Make sure the filling is completely cool inside the pie shell prior to freezing. Cover with with plastic wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then top with the whipped topping and serve.
Can I use heavy cream in place of half and half?
Yes, you can.
This looks delicious, Jo. I don’t use my oven during the summer, so I will make it with a graham cracker crust. Thanks for sharing this!
My pleasure, Brian! Let me know how it turns out. 🙂