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Home » Recipes » Pies

The Best Coconut Cream Pie

November 12, 2021 by brooke 6 Comments

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The best coconut cream pie made completely from scratch, its creamy, loaded with lots of coconut, and topped with a coconut flavored whip cream. A coconut lovers dream dessert.

close up of the best coconut cream pie

THE BEST COCONUT CREAM PIE

I am such a coconut fanatic, so its not surprising that this is one of my favorite pies to make and eat. Of course I love a slice of pumpkin at thanksgiving, but somehow we all end up raving the most about this coconut one.

Pies can seem intimidating at times, but this one really is fairly simple to make. And tasting it completely homemade makes all of the effort feel so worth it.

If you're feeling like you also want to take the time to make a pie crust I have the perfect flaky pie crust recipe and tutorial here with all the steps to blind bake it and make it as easy as... pie!

slice of the best coconut cream pie being lifted out of the pie plate

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THE BEST COCONUT CREAM PIE

  • Pie crust, homemade or store bought
  • Sugar
  • Flour
  • Salt
  • Heavy Cream
  • Canned Unsweetened Coconut Milk
  • Eggs
  • Butter
  • Vanilla
  • Sweetened Shredded Coconut
  • Coconut Flakes
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Coconut Extract, vanilla is fine too
all the ingredients for the best coconut cream pie

HOW TO BLIND BAKE A PIE CRUST

If using a store bought pie crust you will need to blind bake your crust. Place your pie crust into your pie plate. Crimp the edges however you would like. Poke holes along the bottom and up the sides of the crust with a fork, as this will help the crust from shrinking once baking. Place the crust into the freezer for about 20 minutes and preheat your oven to 350. Once crust is chilled again, place a piece of parchment paper inside the pie and fill with pie weights, dried beans or even sugar. You want to make sure it is completely full so it holds your crust in place.

Bake for about 30-40 minutes for a store bought crust, or about 50-60 for a homemade.

the perfect flaky pie crust before baking
the perfect flaky pie crust filled with weights
the perfect flaky pie crust blind baked

HOW TO MAKE THE PASTRY CREAM FOR THE PIE

  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add the sugar, flour, salt, cream, and coconut milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, then turn heat off and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together the eggs. Take about ¼ cup of cooked mixture up above and add to eggs, whisking when added. Do this a couple of times and then add combined eggs mixture to saucepan.
  • Return to medium heat and whisk while cooking until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
first ingredients added to saucepan to heat
ingredients brought to a boil
  • Add butter and vanilla and whisk until butter is melted. Fold in shredded coconut. Place pastry cream in another bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the cream. This will help it from forming a crust layer on the top. Place bowl in the fridge until completely cold.
butter and vanilla added
coconut added
mixture with plastic wrap on top
  • Once completely cold, spread pastry cream into baked pie crust.
  • Toast flaked or shredded coconut for topping in the oven at 350 for about 6-7 minutes, or in a frying pan oven low heat. Be careful not to burn. Set aside to cool.
hands holding pie crust
the best coconut cream pie with pastry cream added to crust

HOW TO MAKE COCONUT WHIPPING CREAM

  • Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread whipping cream over the top of the pie and sprinkle toasted coconut on top of that.
the best coconut cream pie on cooling rack

HOW BEST TO STORE

This pie can store perfectly fine for 3-4 days if needed. Make sure to cover them tightly with plastic wrap or store in a sealed container.  I don’t, however, recommend freezing any leftover pie as there will be significant changes to it’s texture.

single slice of pie on plate

CAN THIS PIE BE MADE IN ADVANCE

Yes. The best way to prep this pie ahead of time would be to bake the pie crust and also the filling and store separate until ready to eat, as this will keep your crust from getting softer. But I always make this pie a day before we eat it for thanksgiving and it is perfect!

slices of the best coconut cream pie on plates and also in pie dish

FOR MORE COCONUT RECIPES YOU SHOULD TRY

The Best Coconut Cake Ever

Peaches and Cream Coconut Tart

Lemon Coconut White Chocolate Cookies

German Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

slice of the best coconut cream pie on pie server

For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment below if you make them and love them as much as I do.

the best coconut cream pie on cooling rack

The Best Coconut Cream Pie

brooke
The best coconut cream pie made completely from scratch, its creamy, loaded with lots of coconut, and topped with a coconut flavored whip cream.
5 from 6 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hr
Cook Time 1 hr
3 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10
Calories 781 kcal

Equipment

  • Pie Plate

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 pie crust blind baked

Coconut Pastry Cream

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup heavy cream room temp
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk from can full fat
  • 2 large eggs room temp
  • 3 tablespoon butter room temp
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla I love to use vanilla bean paste in this
  • 1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 cup coconut flakes or shredded for topping

Coconut Whipping Cream

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon coconut extract can use vanilla instead

Instructions
 

  • Blind bake pie crust and allow to cool completely.

Coconut Pastry Cream

  • In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add the sugar, flour, salt, cream, and coconut milk. Bring mixture to a simmer, then turn heat off and let stand for 10 minutes.
  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together the eggs. Take about ¼ cup of cooked mixture up above and add to eggs, whisking when added. Do this a couple of times and then add combined eggs mixture to saucepan.
  • Return to medium heat and whisk while cooking until the pastry cream thickens and begins to bubble. This will take about 5-7 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat.
  • Add butter and vanilla and whisk until butter is melted. Fold in shredded coconut. Place pastry cream in another bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the top of the cream. This will help it from forming a crust layer on the top. Place bowl in the fridge until completely cold.
  • Once completely cold, spread pastry cream into baked pie crust.
  • Toast flaked or shredded coconut for topping in the oven at 350 for about 6-7 minutes, or in a frying pan oven low heat. Be careful not to burn. Set aside to cool.

Whipping Cream

  • Whip heavy cream, powdered sugar and coconut extract until stiff peaks form.
  • Spread whipping cream over the top of the pie and sprinkle toasted coconut on top of that.

Notes

This pie can be made a day in advance, but I wouldn't make it farther than that as the crust will start to soften once assembled from the pastry cream.
The cream, eggs and butter should be room temperature before beginning to make the pastry cream. I usually set them out when I begin baking my pie crust.
I have given both cups and grams as measurements. Grams will be more precise, especially when measuring flour. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, no problem! Just lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup to insure its not packed in there. Light and fluffy is the key.

Nutrition

Calories: 781kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 7gFat: 61gSaturated Fat: 41gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 180mgSodium: 327mgPotassium: 288mgFiber: 3gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 1511IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2mg
Keyword coconut, coconut cream pie, pie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. R. Court Huish

    November 20, 2021 at 11:17 am

    5 stars
    AMAZING!! It’s delicious!! (But I’m a sucker for anything with whipped cream)

    Reply
  2. Tiffany Vasquez

    November 21, 2021 at 12:19 pm

    5 stars
    Not gonna lie...I was a little nervous making this recipe. Only because every other coconut cream pie recipe I’ve made was a fail. This recipe however is a for sure KEEPER!!! It was so easy to follow and turned out delicious!! My family and I ate every last bite & I can’t wait to make more to share with friends & family. My family and I have enjoyed every one of your recipes that I have made. Thank you so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • brooke

      November 21, 2021 at 5:09 pm

      Yay! So happy this was a successful recipe for you! Thank you so much Tiffany!

      Reply
  3. Kim Huish

    April 17, 2022 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    So delicious! Made it twice now!

    Reply
  4. Heather Rundgren

    December 04, 2022 at 9:17 pm

    5 stars
    Seriously the best and so so easy to make. The whole family loved it!

    Reply
    • brooke

      December 04, 2022 at 9:22 pm

      Yay!! Thank you!

      Reply

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