I’m definitely a “pie person,” but I’m definitely NOT a Coconut Cream Pie person. Until now, that is! All the recipes I tried before turned out mostly-flavorless, with insultingly stringy raw coconut strands all throughout, gag. (I love coconut flavor but cannot handle the texture.) THIS Coconut Cream Pie recipe is easy and homemade, with all the flavor and none of the weird. The trick is toasting the coconut to within an inch of it’s life until it’s golden and crispy. And did I mention the layer of caramel we are adding in? Oh yeah.
Table of Contents
- Can we stop with the chewy coconut?
- The best coconut cream pie recipe
- Homemade coconut cream pie ingredients
- How to make coconut cream pie
- Does coconut cream pie need to be kept in the fridge?
- How long does coconut cream pie last in the fridge?
- Can you freeze coconut cream pie?
- My favorite tools to make coconut cream pie
- Easycoconut cream pie frequently asked questions
- More coconut recipes you’ll love
- More cream pies to make for pi day (or any day!)
- Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
My son Edison asked for a popsicle the other day, so I dug around in our garage freezer, amazed to find a single Otter Pop leftover from last summer. But when I pulled it out, it was a little…slushy.
This tiny fridge is from two moves ago, when we convinced our landlord to let us buy it for a song. It was already a senior citizen appliance back then, and that was a decade ago. I’ve been expecting it to bite the dust for years. We keep it in the garage, and use it mostly for condiments and the bajillion grapefruit that my dad brings over from his tree in the yard. I had noticed recently that things were maybe not quite as cold as they ought to be. And being the responsible, get-to-the-bottom-of-it kind of homeowner I am, I completely ignored it.
My mom, who was visiting, went to check it out right away. She said, “The dial where you can adjust the temperature was turned completely off…and the dial is within Edison’s reach.”
Guys, it had been a while. WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME. (But also, fridges with off-buttons: why is this a feature??) I’m tempted to blame the 4-year-old, but I was definitely the adult who was too lazy to investigate in the slightest, so probably I deserve this.
This exact thing happened last year when the automatic sliding door on my minivan broke. We were moving, and I was shoving boxes in the car to take up to the new house. I set a box near the door, pushed the button, and heard a crunch. The button for the door wouldn’t work after that. I threw up my hands and thought, welp, we got 6 good years of having a “nice” car, guess it’s time for us to return to life as broke-ass car people.
And that was that. The whole summer passed. When I started dropping my kids off for school again in the fall, they kept getting out of the van on the traffic side instead of the sidewalk side, because of the broken door. I finally decided it was worth a shot taking it in to the dealership, just to see how much it would cost to have the door fixed.
I get a call just an hour after I bring it in. “Ma’am, the automatic door has an ON/OFF button. We pushed it for you. We won’t be charging you. You can come pick up the van anytime.”
It had been like 4 months. Don’t EVER trust me when I tell you something is broken you guys.
I think this is why God invented sleep. God: “Why aren’t these humans working anymore? They suck at this…Oh, I forgot, I should try turning them off and on again.” Voila.
My 13-year-old daughter Charlotte just told me that she signed up to bring a pie to her math class on pi day next week, 3/14. I love it! Is anyone else having a pi party?? My friend Melissa used to throw a pie party every March 14, it was so fun to eat a ton of pie with friends, usually on a random weekday. (Move back, Melissa!! ;) If you are throwing a party, or even having a pi party for one, you should seriously consider making this Coconut Cream Pie! It’s a crowd favorite for a reason.
Can we stop with the chewy coconut?
Which was something I did NOT understand until recently, actually! Of all the desserts I would have picked Key Lime Pie or Chocolate Cream Pie or Banana Cream Pie over Coconut Cream any day. It was usually just…boring? And has a ton of chewy fibrous coconut strands in it?? It’s like chewing on a soggy pile of vaguely coconut flavored shredded wheat. Gross. No thanks. I honestly didn’t get it.
But I have seen the light. The trick is to toast the coconut MORE than usual. We are not lightly toasting, oh no. This is hover-next-to-the-oven-to-make-sure-it-doesn’t-burn level toasting.
And just to make sure it stays crisp, I added the coconut to the graham cracker crust, and on top of each slice only just before you serve it.
We’re keeping the coconut OUT of the filling, replacing it with tons of coconut flavor from coconut milk and coconut extract. Then, this is the clincher, fold the fresh whipped cream into the chilled custard so it’s like fluffy clouds of coconut heaven in every bite.
Did I mention I’m adding a layer of caramel? I’m adding a layer of caramel. I am not sorry, and you won’t be either.
The best coconut cream pie recipe
Here are the reasons this pie is 100x better than your average slimy shreddy fibrous coconut cream pie:
- All the coconut used is toasted to a shattery crisp level of golden brown: crispity crunchy, not at all fibrous or chewy.
- The pie filling itself is supremely smooth, as I feel a cream pie should be. The BEST creamy texture.
- We are adding coconut to the graham cracker crust, because hello flavor. It’s completely ground up with the graham crackers so there are zero texture issues: just pure toasty coconut flavor.
- We are adding an egg yolk to the graham cracker crust. Say what now?? Yes you heard me. It helps bind it together. I learned this reading Bon Appetit, and could not be more pleased with the result, I’m seriously never going back on this! My graham cracker crusts are always falling apart on me, but no more. Plus: we are BAKING the crust for crisp-level-100.
- Most Coconut cream pie recipes have an overwhelmingly thick and rich layer of coconut custard (Which is basically straight up Pastry Cream, made with coconut milk) topped with whipped cream. In today’s recipe, we are making the coconut custard, chilling it, then folding it with whipped cream. This makes the pie a lot more balanced, and not so cloyingly sweet.
- We are adding a layer of caramel to the bottom of the pie. I cannot tell you how important I feel this flavor element is!! It does not turn the pie into a caramel pie, I promise. It’s a reasonably small amount of caramel. But the sharp and salty contrast it adds to all the creamy-creamy-creaminess of this pie is not to be understated. I love it and I will never make a coconut cream pie without it!
- Stabilized whipped cream. There is nothing sadder than making a cream pie for an event and then by the time you get there, your whipped cream is all deflated and wilty! The solution is in stabilized whipped cream. There are lots of ways to do this, but the fastest and easiest is by adding a couple tablespoons of instant pudding mix! Pudding mix has modified corn starch in it, which allows mixtures to thicken even when cold (you have to heat up regular cornstarch to get it to thicken.) Modified cornstarch is how 5-minute stone cold instant pudding is able to exist, and now it’s helping up keep our whipped cream from weeping too. Hallelujah!
- Top the pie with MORE crumbled graham cracker crust. This is my rule of thumb for basically any cream pie. There is never enough crust to go around, in my opinion.
- Top with one last garnish: shaved curls of high quality white chocolate. I know this pie looks white-on-white-on-white, but do not underestimate the flavor powerhouse that is white chocolate. It is the perfect contrast to all that creamy coconutty goodness!
When you manage to achieve the perfect moment of getting a bite that has every element: crispity crunchy coconut-y crust, swirly caramel, creamy coconut custard, whipped cream, more graham crumbles, and white chocolate curls… It’s basically nirvana.
Homemade coconut cream pie ingredients
Here’s a quick list of what you’ll need to make coconut cream pie. Scroll down to the recipe card below for full instructions!
- sweetened shredded coconut
- graham crackers
- granulated sugar
- kosher salt
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- Caramel sauce (it’s best with My Favorite Caramel Sauce!)
- cornstarch
- unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- half and half
- vanilla bean paste
- coconut extract
- vanilla instant pudding minx
- heavy whipping cream
- powdered sugar
- unsweetened coconut flakes
- high quality white chocolate bar
How to make coconut cream pie
First up, decide if you are committed enough to make your own Homemade Caramel Sauce. If yes, make it first so that it has plenty of time to cool. I tried this pie with a store bought caramel sauce, and it was not as thick as the homemade stuff, meaning it pools when you cut into the pie. Not the end of the world, but I like homemade best.
Next up, making the coconut custard filling!
Add 4 egg yolks to a pot (not on the stove yet) and whisk in some cornstarch and half and half. Make sure you get all the lumps out, if you don’t get them out now they won’t come out later. Add in the coconut milk, sugar, and salt.
How do you thicken coconut cream pie filling?
Coconut cream pie filling thickens as you cook it. Cook in a saucepan over medium heat until it comes to a boil and the foam recedes. The whisk should leave marks on the top when you drag it across. Remove from heat and add butter, coconut extract, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract if you must).
Add the coconut cream to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on top, to prevent a film from forming. Toss it in the fridge for a couple hours while you make the crust. (You can speed this up by putting it in the freezer for a few minutes, but not too long, we want it to chill evenly.)
Now it’s time to toast the heck out of some coconut. We’re doing this in two batches, but don’t worry, it’s super fast, just takes a couple minutes.
Toast your coconut A LOT. This, to me, is the different between a good-texture-pie, and gnawing on a phone cord. Stand by the oven and watch it toward the end, that’s how close it should be to burning. Taste a bit. If it’s not absolutely shattering in your mouth, keep toasting.
The bottom photo shows the large-flake coconut we are using to garnish the top of the pie, for looks and crunch I think it’s so much prettier than the small flakes. If you can’t find them, don’t sweat it! Toast any kind of coconut you have for the garnish on top, just make sure to toast it to within an inch of its life.
Add all the smaller, sweetened coconut to your food processor for the crust.
Now for the fun part! I’d NEVER heard of adding egg to a graham crust, but I’m so excited about this idea. I use an unconventional egg in my Flaky Pie Crust recipe, because eggs are great binders, and it helps make the final crust so tender. Well, it does the same thing here for our graham crust. I love how this crust is still crispy but holds up a little better to slicing.
Press your graham into the pie pan…
And bake. We are baking some of the graham mixture by itself, to crumble as a garnish on top of our pie later. I’m obsessed with this!
Then add the bottom layer of caramel. YUM.
Homemade whipped cream
Next we’re making whipped cream to fold into the custard, and to top the pie! Whip it into soft peaks in an electric mixer with a little powdered sugar and the secret ingredient, instant pudding powder. This helps keep our whipped cream stable! It should hold it’s shape when you hold the beater on the side like this.
Then fold HALF of the whipped cream into the chilled coconut cream filling, don’t overdo it, you don’t want to deflate the cream.
Pour the creamy coconut filling into the caramel-y pie crust and spread evenly.
Then use the rest of the whipped cream to decorate the top of your pie.
Don’t forget to garnish with all the good stuff: the toasty coconut, extra graham crumble, white chocolate curls, and even a drizzle of caramel if you’re feelin extra.
Does coconut cream pie need to be kept in the fridge?
Yes, definitely, it’s full of perishable dairy products. Plus, coconut cream pies are intended to be served chilled, and tastes 1000x better when it’s cold. Have you ever had a cream pie that’s been sitting out too long? *shudder* It’s almost as bad as room temperature cheesecake. gross.
How long does coconut cream pie last in the fridge?
Coconut cream pie lasts for about 4 days in the fridge. It won’t spoil before then, but eventually the crust gets soggy and blah. This pie is best on days 1 and 2. For maximum crust crispness, serve the pie immediately after chilling the filling and crust together, about 3 hours after you’ve filled it.
Can you freeze coconut cream pie?
Hallelujah yes! I’ve got one in my freezer right now, no joke. You can freeze a completely assembled and chilled coconut cream pie, minus the decorative whipped cream on top. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to two months. You’ll need to let it defrost in the refrigerator before decorating with whipped cream, slicing, and serving.
My favorite tools to make coconut cream pie
These are my some favorite kitchen tools to use when I’m making coconut cream pie! I swear the most important one though is the flat whisk, do you have one of those?? I’m obsessed. They are essential in my book for any time you are making custard. A regular balloon whisk just can’t dig into the corners of a pot the way that sucker does.
Easycoconut cream pie frequently asked questions
Psh. I’m offended. Just kidding, I get it, sometimes you gotta git er done. Coconut Cream pie is super popular, so a well-stocked bakery might sell them, or even the grocery store (the nicer grocery store the better). But of course, if you want the BEST coconut cream pie experience, try this homemade version!
Coconut cream pie can be watery if you don’t use full fat ingredients. Make sure that your coconut milk doesn’t say “lite” anywhere on the label, and that you’re using full fat heavy whipping cream. Also, if you cut into the pie and then save the rest over the course of several days (as I did several times testing this pie!), it will start to get a little less stable as time goes on.
It’s important to use the amount of cornstarch called for in the recipe, and to cook the custard exactly as described in the recipe. Undercooking at this point will result in a pie that will not set, no matter how long you chill it. That said, this recipe yields a very soft and creamy pie, maybe softer than you are used to. You should expect it to hold up as a slice, but just barely. One last thing, make sure that you’re using full fat ingredients! This is not the time for lite coconut milk or substituting half and half for cream.
More coconut recipes you’ll love
- Coconut Layer Cake << if you don’t like coconut texture but love coconut flavor this one’s for you
- Coconut Frosted Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Hearts << these are so darn cute!
- Hawaii Coconut Syrup for Pancakes << be transported to a tropical island over breakfast
- Coconut Jasmine Rice with Cilantro << this is perfect with stir fry or curry any night of the week.
- Samoan Coconut Rolls (Pani Popo) << have you ever had Hawaiian rolls? These are only about a million times better and totally worth the effort
- Toasted Coconut Macaroon Cookies from The Slow Roasted Italian
- Coconut Bars from The Big Man’s World
More cream pies to make for pi day (or any day!)
- Key Lime Pie << this pie is unbelievably tart, I LOVE IT
- Chocolate Cream Pie << with an Oreo crust. Don’t tell the others, this is my fav.
- Banana Cream Pie << You will notice a trend, this recipe also has a drizzle of caramel and extra graham crumble!
- Dulce de Leche Cream Pie << looove this one
- French Silk Pie << a classic for a reason!
- Homemade Blueberry Pie << Perfect for summer!
- Homemade Apple Pie << one of the top recipes on my site, and don’t for get his cousin Dutch Apple Pie.
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Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Homemade Caramel Sauce, for spreading on the pie crust
For the custard filling:
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup half and half
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 (13.5 ounce) can unsweetened full fat coconut milk
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar, (this is 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, use half the amount of table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the crust:
- 1 and 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 14 full sheets graham crackers
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, use half the amount of table salt
- 7 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 1 large egg yolk
For the whipped cream:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream**, cold
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons instant vanilla pudding, dry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, use half the amount of table salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
To garnish:
- 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted, to garnish (large flakes)
- 2 ounces white chocolate, from a good quality bar
- the extra graham crumble
Instructions
- Make the caramel: If you are committed, make your Caramel Sauce* from scratch so that it has time to cool to room temperature. (It really is the best choice, but store bought caramel works too.)
- Make the coconut filling: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add 4 egg yolks, 1 cup half and half, and 1/4 cup cornstarch. Use a flat whisk to beat it very well, until you are sure there are no cornstarch lumps.
- Add a 13.5 ounce can of full fat coconut milk, 10 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Beat again, but don't stress about getting the coconut milk lumps out.
- Set the pot on the stove over medium heat and stir with a flat whisk constantly for about 7-8 minutes, digging into the corners of the pot. The mixture will start to thicken and eventually bubble into a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to medium low and continue whisking constantly for about 60-90 seconds, until the foam has receded completely, and the top is smooth.When you drag your whisk across the top, it should leave well defined marks. It will feel pretty thick, like pudding. If you are inexperienced, a thermometer can be handy; it should reach 200 degrees.
- Remove from the heat. Whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, 1 teaspoon coconut extract, and 1 tablespoon butter.
- Pour the coconut custard into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on top. This helps prevent a film from forming. Put it in the fridge and chill for about 2 hours. Sometimes I cheat and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes to give it a head start, but be sure to start a timer and move it to the fridge eventually; you don't want to freeze the edges.
- Toast the sweetened coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1 and 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 2-3 minutes, stir it thoroughly, then bake another 2-5 minutes until golden brown, check every 2 minutes. Do not walk away; keep a close eye on it so you don't scorch it. You want the flakes to be a very deep golden, hardly any white left. When it's cooled enough that you can handle it, carefully transfer the hot coconut flakes to your food processor.
- Toast the unsweetened coconut garnish (large flakes): You don't need this until later, but your oven is on and it takes just a couple minutes. Spread 3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes out on the same baking sheet (any kind of coconut will do; I like this kind because they usually come in larger, prettier flakes, perfect for garnishing.) Bake at 350 for 2 minutes at a time, stirring every time you check. Don't walk away! Toast until they are a deep golden brown. Toast a little longer than you think. Try to get all the white toasted out. Remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Set aside to garnish your finished pie. Don't bother washing the baking sheet, we need it again later. Leave the oven on for the crust.
- Make the crust and crumble garnish. To the food processor that has the 1 and 1/2 cups toasted coconut, add 14 full size graham crackers sheets, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Give it a sniff and knock yourself out.
- Add 7 tablespoons melted butter and 1 egg yolk. Yes I know this feels weird, trust guys, trust. Run the food processor until you have a mixture that is the texture of wet sand.
- Add about three quarters of the amount of graham mixture to a 9-inch pie plate. Use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crust on the bottom and up along the sides of your pie plate. You want it to be evenly thick. Press all along the top edge with your thumb, to pack it together into a nice crust for each piece of pie.
- Place the pie pan on one side of the same baking sheet that you toasted the coconut on. Dump the remaining quarter of the graham mixture onto the other side of the baking sheet. Use your measuring cup or a drinking glass to press the crumble into a flat disc, it doesn't have to be perfect. We will be crumbling this later to garnish the top of the pie.
- Bake the pie pan and the graham crumble on the baking sheet in the 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, until fragrant and very lightly turning golden. It will look a little more bubbly than your average graham crust, that's ok. Immediately after you've taken it out of the oven, use a spoon to reshape the sides of the crust a bit if they have slumped down. Set the crust and crumble aside to cool.
- Once cool, break up the graham crumble on the baking sheet into bite size pieces, add to a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to use as a garnish later.
- Add the caramel to the pie crust. Once your pie crust is completely cool, use the back of a spoon to spread 1/2 cup of caramel sauce on the bottom of the pie crust. Place the caramel-pie crust in the fridge to chill if your custard is not chilled yet.
- Stabilized whipped cream: Add 2 cups heavy whipping cream** to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix (the powder. This keeps your whipped cream from deflating!) Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract.
- Beat on high speed for 2-3 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is. Use your whisk attachment if you have a stand mixer. Scrape the sides. Keep an eye on it and don't walk away. Over beaten whipped cream is so sad (I accidentally do this all the time). You want to stop beating when your whipped cream is still very smooth. You should be able to hold a beater horizontally and the whipped cream stays up. Don't beat it so much that you can see air bubbles. It should not look textured.
- Scrape half of the stabilized whipped cream into a covered bowl and chill in the fridge. (This will be used to garnish the top of the pie; if it's easier, you can add it straight to a piping bag set up with a large star tip, and place in the fridge.)
- Add custard to the whipped cream: Thoroughly whisk the chilled coconut custard filling so there are no lumps. Scrape the custard into the bowl with the remaining half of the whipped cream. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the custard into the whipped cream. Be careful, you don't want to deflate the whipped cream. Once it's combined (a couple streaks are ok), spoon the filling into the caramel-bottomed pie crust.
- Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic against the filling, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, overnight it great.
- Assemble and serve: Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pie.
- If you haven't already, add the remaining whipped cream to a pastry bag with a large star tip, and pipe the reserved whipped cream on top of the pie. You can also just spread it on top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the top of the pie with the toasted unsweetened coconut flakes (large flakes).
- Sprinkle with the extra graham crumble that you baked alongside the crust. (If you don't plan to eat the whole pie now, reserve some of it for adding later so it stays crunchy.)
- Use a vegetable peeler to shave curls from the end of the white chocolate bar directly onto the top of the pie. If the bar starts getting soft and melty, pop it in the freezer for a couple minutes before continuing.
- Slice the pie using a sharp knife, cutting the crust on the bottom. Lift each piece confidently with a pie server. The first slice is always the ugly duckling, don't stress.
- Serve each slice of pie with extra caramel sauce drizzled on top if you know what's good for you! Pass any remaining garnishes (coconut, graham crumble, white chocolate curls, caramel sauce) at the table for your guests.
