This is the best coconut cream pie EVER! Perfect coconut custard sets up inside flakey pie crust with tons of fresh whipped cream topping.
I told my husband I was making coconut cream pie a few weeks ago and his immediate response was “oh, I don’t like coconut.”. I always chuckle when he feeds me these lines because when I serve him the thing he says he doesn’t like…he usually ends up loving whatever I made.
In case you’re wondering, he’s utterly obsessed with this pie now and has dubbed it his 3rd favorite pie I make. (this is his first and this is his second)
My husband isn’t a traditionally picky eater but he does have some funny little preferences. I’ve managed to debunk most of his “I don’t like that myths” when it comes to the following: Brussels sprouts, cheeseboards (SO weird, right?), oatmeal, wine (he never really disliked wine but now prefers it to beer), and now coconut. I’m still winning him over with mushrooms and eggs but I can be quite persuasive!
I’m not sure why but coconut is something I hear people dislike frequently. I happen to think it’s quite lovely especially when you pair it with flakey pie crust, silky custard and fresh whipped cream. 🙂
Here’s how to make the best coconut cream pie you’ve ever had in your life
You’re going to go CRAZY for this homemade pie recipe and it is SO easy to do. The best part is that there’s very little active time.
You’ll need a baked pie crust shell, you can use my crust recipe and follow the directions below for pre-baking. If you must, store-bought is OK but really…give my recipe a shot!
Once you have a pie shell all ready, the filling comes together in less than 10 minutes on the stovetop.
What’s in coconut cream pie filling?
The filling is a mixture of :
- coconut milk (the stuff in the can!)
- egg yolks
- tapioca or cornstarch
- sugar
- vanilla
- butter
- shredded (sweetened) coconut
The coconut milk, yolks, sugar and starch all get cooked over medium heat in a saucepan until thick and bubbly. All that’s left to do is stir in the vanilla, butter and coconut!
When that’s combined, everything is poured into the pie shell and is placed in the fridge to chill and set.
Homemade whipped cream is the secret sauce
My final secret to this pie is the fresh, homemade whipped cream. This is so easy to do, just beat some whipped cream and add confectioner’s sugar and vanilla! Spread it ALL over the pie in a thick layer and VOILA! Pie Perfection.
Love pie? Check out my Lemon Cream Pie! It’s to die for!
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Best Ever Coconut Cream Pie (from scratch)
This is the best coconut cream pie EVER! Perfect coconut custard sets up inside flakey pie crust with tons of fresh whipped cream topping.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes + 2 hours cooling time
- Total Time: 55 minutes + 2 hours cooling time
- Yield: 8–12 slices 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven/Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked pie crust – here’s my recipe which makes 2 crusts* OR one pre-baked pie shell
- 15 oz. full fat, unsweetened coconut milk (one can)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup tapioca starch or cornstarch
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 2/3 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
- 1 and 1/2 tsp. vanilla, divided
- 8 oz. heavy whipping cream*
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- optional – larger, unsweetened coconut flakes for serving
Instructions
- To pre-bake your pie crust, preheat the oven to 375F.
- Roll out your chilled pie dough out and place it into a standard, 9-inch pie plate. Trim and shape the crust edges as you please.
- Pierce the pie with a fork all over to let steam escape. To further prevent the crust from shrinking up on you, lay a piece of parchment down in the pie plate on top of the crust and weigh it down with pie weights, or dried beans or dried lentils.
- Bake the crust for 20 minutes with the weights, remove the weights and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the whole pie crust is golden brown. If your edges start to brown, use a pie shield or wrap the edges in foil.
- Remove the crust from the oven and let it cool while you prepare the filling.
- To make the filling, whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, starch, and egg yolks in a saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and bring it to a slow boil, stirring continuously.
- After the mixture boils, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter.
- Once the butter has melted, stir in the coconut and one teaspoon of the vanilla.
- Pour the filling into the baked pie shell and place it in the fridge to set up for at least 2 hours, or until cold.
- Once the pie has set, whip the heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and remaining vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form.
- Top the pie generously with the whipped cream. If desired, toast some larger coconut flakes and sprinkle on top of the pie before serving!
Keywords: coconut, coconut cream, pie
