To Die For Coconut Cream Pie

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This Coconut Cream Pie really is to die for! It’s made with a buttery homemade pie crust and a sweet coconut custard filling, then it’s finished off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Easy Coconut Cream Pie
• Coconut Pie Filling Ingredients
• How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
• How Do You Keep a Coconut Cream Pie from Getting Watery?
• Why is My Coconut Cream Pie Lumpy?
• Recipe Tips and Notes
• Storing Instructions
• Helpful Questions & Answers
• Get the Recipe

Easy Coconut Cream Pie

There’s a reason I called this “To Die For Coconut Cream Pie.” I remember the first time I truly fell in love with coconut cream pie. My then-boyfriend (now husband) and I were on a trip to Seattle. In my dessert research, I saw multiple recommendations for a place called Dalhia’s Bakery. Supposedly they had the best coconut cream pie.

So, was it the best? To answer your question, we went back two more times that weekend…so yeah.

My pie is rich and creamy, has just the right amount of coconut flavor, and is topped off with light and fluffy homemade whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes.

Coconut Pie Filling Ingredients

• Egg Yolks – using just egg yolks in coconut cream pie creates a thicker texture and richer flavor.
• Granulated Sugar
• All-Purpose Flour
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Coconut Extract – if you prefer a less intense coconut flavor you can swap this out for vanilla extract.
• Sweetened Coconut – you can leave it un-toasted or add another layer of flavor by toasting the coconut first.

Other Ingredients

• Pie Crust – I like to whip up a made-from-scratch pie crust to keep this recipe completely homemade, but you can use a store-bought pie crust to save time if preferred.
• Topping Ingredients – we’re making a homemade whipped cream with heavy whipping cream and cornstarch, then topping the pie off with a sprinkle of toasted coconut.

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie

Making homemade coconut cream pie feels a lot more intimidating than it actually is! Trust me. Here’s a quick overview of this recipe:

For the Crust

• Blind bake: Prepare a 9-inch pie crust, then follow the instructions to blind bake.
• Cool completely: Set the pie crust aside and let it cool completely before adding the filling.

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie Filling

• Combine filling ingredients: In a saucepan, combine flour, sugar, heavy cream, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut extract. Heat over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the dry ingredients are dissolved and the filling is warm but not boiling.
• Temper the eggs: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks. Take 1/4 cup of the heated liquid mixture and whisk it into the eggs to temper them.
• Combine: Add the tempered eggs back into the pudding mixture. Stir until the mixture starts to bubble and thickens slightly.
• Strain and finish: Pour the pudding through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl, once or twice. Fold in 1 cup of sweetened coconut, pour the filling into the baked and cooled crust, then cover with saran wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

For the Topping

• Make the whipped cream: Place a metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and whip until thickened. Slowly add in the cornstarch and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Add the topping: Remove the saran wrap from the chilled pie and spread the whipped cream over the top. Decorate as desired and garnish with toasted coconut, then slice and serve.

How Do You Keep a Coconut Cream Pie from Getting Watery?

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure that your coconut cream pie filling stays nice and thick!

• Chill the crust completely. The crust should be completely cooled off before you add the filling. If it’s warm at all the filling will melt and get runny.
• Use just egg yolks. The yolks not only give the filling a richer flavor, but they create a thicker texture so it sets up better in the crust.
• Cook until bubbling. When the filling is done cooking, it should be the texture of pudding. If it’s not thick enough, keep cooking until it is.
• Chill until completely cold. Make sure you chill the pie for at least 2-4 hours before serving it so the filling has time to thicken and set.

Why is My Coconut Cream Pie Lumpy?

There are a few different reasons that the coconut cream pie filling ends up lumpy. Here are a few ways you can prevent this from happening:

• Cook on medium-low heat. If the heat is too high while you cook the filling, you can end up with lumps. Medium-low is perfect for a smooth and creamy filling.
• Stir often. Stir constantly as you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients to smooth everything out.
• Strain it. I like to run the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve at least once, but sometimes twice, to remove any lumps that may have formed on the stove.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Blind bake the crust. Make sure you bake the crust on its own before you assemble the pie. This gives it more structure so it doesn’t become soggy next to the creamy filling.
• Poke holes in the crust. Before you blind bake, poke holes in the bottom of the crust to prevent bubbles from forming.
• Top with saran wrap before chilling. Make sure you gently top the pie with saran wrap before you chill it in the fridge. The cling wrap should be touching the surface of the pie. This prevents a skin from forming as it sits.
• Make gluten-free coconut cream pie. You can easily make this pie gluten-free by using my gluten-free pie crust recipe and swapping the flour in the filling for cornstarch.
• Adjust the whip to taste. The whipped cream topping is not very sweet since I opted for cornstarch instead of powdered sugar as a thickener. If you prefer a sweeter whip you can swap the cornstarch for 2/3 cup of powdered sugar instead.

Storing Instructions

A fully assembled cream pie must be stored in the fridge. It will last for 3-4 days.

Helpful Questions & Answers

Amazing Coconut Cream Pie

★★★★★

4.6 from 16 reviews

• Author: Julianne Dell
• Prep Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours
• Yield: 8 slices

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Description

This Coconut Cream Pie really is to die for! It’s made with a buttery homemade pie crust and a sweet coconut custard filling, then it’s finished off with whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes.

Ingredients

• 1 pie crust, prepared

For the filling:

• 2 large egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2/3 cups (126g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (35g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (473ml) heavy whipping cream
• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) coconut extract
• 1 cup (120g) sweetened coconut

For the topping:

• 1 ¾ cups (414ml) heavy whipping cream
• 2–3 tablespoons (16-24g) corn starch
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
• Toasted coconut for garnish

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Instructions

1. Prepare a 9-inch pie crust and blind bake according to the instructions. Be sure to poke a hole the bottom of the crust with a fork and bake with pie weights or dry beans to prevent the crust from shrinking. Cool the crust completely.

For the Filling:

1. In a small bowl gently whisk 2 egg yolks and set aside.
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the flour, granulated sugar, flour, heavy cream,  sweetened condensed milk and coconut extract.
3. Heat over medium-low heat. Start by continuously stirring to dissolve the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the filling is warm to the touch but not boiling.
4. Take about ¼ cup of the pudding and whisk into the egg yolks to temper the egg yolks. Pour the egg yolks back into the pudding and whisk to combine.
5. Continue stirring until the pudding starts to bubble slightly and thicken. Pour the pudding through a fine sieve into a medium-sized bowl. The pudding will be thick but you can use a whisk or spatula to help push it through the sieve. Optional: strain a second time through the sieve, washing in between.
6. Prior to pouring the pudding into the pie crust, stir in 1 cup of sweetened coconut. Then pour the filling into the baked pie crust. Cover the top of the pudding with saran wrap, gently pressing onto the surface of the pudding. Refrigerate 2-4 hours until it’s completely cold.

For the Topping:

1. Prepare the whipped cream. Place a metal mixing bowl in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Pour the heavy whipping cream into the chilled bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until the cream thickens. Add the corn starch and vanilla extract and continue beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.
2. Remove the saran wrap and spread the whipped cream over the pudding or use a large piping tip to decorate the pie. Garnish with toasted coconut. This pie must be refrigerated.

Equipment

Pie Weights

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Notes

• Here’s my favorite pie crust recipe which includes some helpful information to blind bake a crust. 
• The whipped topping is unsweetened since the pie itself is pretty sweet. If you’d prefer a traditional whipped cream topping, follow this recipe.
• To make this gluten-free, use my gluten-free pie crust and swap out the flour in the filling for corn starch

Nutrition Information:

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 683

Sugar: 59.8g

Sodium: 250mg

Fat: 38.9g

Saturated Fat: 22.6g

Carbohydrates: 76.4g

Fiber: 1.5g

Protein: 9.7g

Cholesterol: 132.4mg

• Category: Pie
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: Pie Recipe, Easter Pie Recipes, Thanksgiving Pie Recipes, Coconut Pie Recipe