Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
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Decadent Coconut Cream Pie with rich, creamy coconut custard topped with pillowy whipped cream and toasted coconut in a flaky homemade pie crust. Delicious dessert perfect for entertaining!
If you are a fan of coconut desserts, this Coconut Cream Pie recipe is one you will love! It has a delicious coconut custard and thick, amazing homemade whipped cream topped with tasty, toasty coconut flakes. My flaky pie crust is easy to make and is perfect for this pie. It is better than any I’ve had in any restaurant – and I can say it’s the best I’ve ever had. Not only is there a rich coconut taste in every bite – just look at that “mile-high” whipped cream! I love to serve it for entertaining guests and for special family meals. It’s a classic and a coconut lover’s dream! I am excited for you to try it!
Table of contents
How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
Making this pie is really one of those times where the effort pays off ten-fold when everyone takes their first bite. They begin with, “Oh my gosh, this is the best coconut cream pie I’ve tasted.” And then they ask, “Did you make this? Can I have your recipe?” I love it when that happens.
Here’s how this decadent pie is made.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
Pie Crust – Make this crust according to the recipe and follow the Blind Baking instructions
coconut milk – Use sweetened or unsweetened according to your preference. Use coconut milk in the custard for the most coconut flavor, but you can substitute it with whole milk or half-and-half if you choose. But if you enjoy coconuts, I advise you to use coconut milk.
half-and-half
egg yolks – You use several egg yolks in the custard of this pie. Save the egg whites in a container in the refrigerator to make a meringue or a Pavlova! Yum!
sugar – Granulated sugar
cornstarch
butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted if you wish.
salt – Use kosher salt
coconut flakes – Use sweetened flakes – The amount used for the coconut custard (1 1/2 cups) should be untoasted. There is an additional amount (1/2 cup) of coconut flakes used for the toasted coconut topping.
vanilla extract – I use my homemade vanilla, but you can use another pure vanilla extract if you want.
whipped cream – Use this recipe and the tips I share for perfect whipped cream. I do not advise using a store-bought whipped topping as a substitute for this. It is easy to make in minutes and is a deliciously important part of this coconut cream pie!
Tips for Perfect Whipped Cream
Start COLD and go HIGH.
Chill your mixing bowl and whisk (even the one to your electric mixer) in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Make sure that your heavy whipping cream is as cold as possible, too.
Add all of your ingredients to the super chilled mixing bowl and mix it on HIGH for about a minute – and that’s it! Deliciously perfect whipped cream!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the pie crust. Make the pie crust according to the recipe and instructions. Then follow the instructions to blind-bake the crust.
Toast coconut for topping. Evenly spread the coconut flakes for the topping on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in oven and toast as directed until the coconut just begins to brown. Watch it closely as it browns quickly once it starts, and you don’t want it to burn. Once toasted, remove from the oven and set it aside to cool.
Begin making the custard. Pour the coconut milk and half-and-half in a large liquid measuring cup. Add the egg yolks and mix well with the milks. Set aside.
Heat the custard. Add sugar and cornstarch to a saucepan over medium heat. After giving the milk/egg mixture another quick whisk, slowly add it to the saucepan and whisk it all together constantly.
Bring to a boil. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and continue stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and let boil for one minute, stirring the whole time.
Remove from heat and add ingredients. After one minute of boiling, remove the saucepan with custard from the heat. Add the butter, untoasted coconut flakes, vanilla, and salt.
Pour custard into the pie crust. Spread the custard mixture evenly into the blind-baked pie crust. Cover it lightly with a wrap and refrigerate it until set, about 30 – 45 minutes.
Make whipped cream. While the custard is setting in the fridge, make the whipped cream according to the recipe and instructions. If you have a bit of time left until the custard is finished setting, put the whipped cream in the refrigerator to stay cold.
Top the custard with whipped cream. Once the custard is set, spread the whipped cream on top and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Top with toasted coconut and serve. When ready to serve the pie, top it with the toasted coconut, slice, serve and enjoy.
Storage Tips
To refrigerate – Cover the pie well and store any leftover pie for up to 3 days.
To freeze – If you wish to freeze coconut cream pie, do not add the whipped topping or toasted coconut topping to the top of the pie yet. After the custard has cooled and it has completely set in the pie, you can wrap it well and store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze it for 2-3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the whipped topping and toasted coconut just prior to serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. This pie contains many dairy ingredients that require refrigeration. If not refrigerated, bacteria can grow if kept at room temperature. Once you’ve served the pie, if there is any leftover, wrap the pie and promptly store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Make sure to follow all of the directions when making the pie. Don’t skip the cornstarch in the custard – it helps to thicken the custard when used as instructed.
The time the pie sits in the fridge for the custard to set is important – because not only is it important for the custard to set, it’s important for it to be completely cooled before adding the whipped cream.
Other Favorite Pie Recipes
Classic Peach Pie – always a hit with those juicy peaches!
Best Pecan Pie – heirloom family recipe!
Apple Pie – what a classic!
Peanut Butter Pie – so easy and no bake!
…and so many more pies to try!
So many of my readers love this pie as much as my family does! I can’t wait for others of you to try it.
Here’s my Coconut Cream Pie recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Toasted Coconut Topping
- 1/2 cup (60 g) flaked, sweetened coconut
For the Coconut Custard
- 1 1/2 cups (362 g) coconut milk
- 1 1/2 cups (341 g) half-and-half
- 5 (70 g) egg yolks
- 3/4 cup (149 g) sugar
- 4 tablespoons (28 g) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) butter
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) flaked, sweetened coconut
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) vanilla extract
- Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Prepare pie crust according to blind-baking instructions of recipe.
For the Toasted Coconut Topping
- Spread coconut evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Place into 350º F oven for 8-10 minutes until coconut has just begun to turn brown.
- Set aside to cool.
For the Coconut Custard
- Pour coconut milk and half-and-half into a liquid measuring cup. Add egg yolks and whisk together with milks. Set aside.
- Add sugar and cornstarch to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk egg and milk mixture together once more and then slowly begin to add to the sugar and cornstarch, whisking together constantly.
- Bring custard mixture to a boil. Switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon and continue to stir constantly. Boil one minute.
- Remove from heat and add butter, coconut, vanilla and salt.
- Spread custard into pie crust. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until set, about 30-45 minutes.
- Spread whipped cream on top of coconut custard. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, top with toasted coconut.
Notes
Storage Tips
To refrigerate – Cover the pie well and store any leftover pie for up to 3 days. To freeze – If you wish to freeze coconut cream pie, do not add the whipped topping or toasted coconut topping to the top of the pie yet. After the custard has cooled and it has completely set in the pie, you can wrap it well and store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze it for 2-3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add the whipped topping and toasted coconut just prior to serving.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Has anyone ever put meringue on this pie? Was wondering how it stood up going in the oven to toast the meringue.
You can use meringue on this pie if you wish, Terri. Hope you enjoy.
Perfection! My family devoured this pie! Well balanced, tender crust, custard is perfect, not cloy and the whipped topping proportion is spot on! I made this recipe exactly as written and used the suggested recipes for the crust and whipped topping. It’s become a family favorite! This is my go to coconut cream pie recipe from now to eternity! Thank you!
Thank you so much, Victoria. I’m so happy you love this pie so much. It has been a favorite in my family for years.
Hi, Robyn!
Just wanted to say this is one of my mom’s absolute favorite desserts and I’ve made it for her annually (usually for birthdays, sometimes for Mother’s Day) for years now. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and for the happiness it lets me bring to someone I love!
This is such a sweet compliment, Sara. I hope your mother enjoys this pie for many years to come.
THE BEST PIE my husband and I have EVER had! Simple and absolutely delicious. I doubled the coconut in the custard and used coconut rum instead of vanilla. So good thanks for sharing. Now how do I make it adding chocolate?
Cherie, I am thrilled you and your husband both loved this pie. Try my French Silk Pie Recipe for a chocolate pie. Thank.s
I have been looking for a Coconut Cream Pie homemade for a long time. This is it! I pulled up a few on the internet, but this one my my choice and I am so glad. Coconut Cream Pie and Cake are my husbands favorites. A few years ago I found a great from scratch cake that was so moist and got better each day, but lost it. Now I am on a mission to find it or one close. Thank you to directions were perfect!
I’m thrilled you loved the coconut cream pie, Jackie. It has been a favorite in my family for years. I have two coconut cake recipes which may be interest you: Ultimate Coconut Cake Recipe and Southern Coconut Cake. xo
One of the best coconut cream pies my family has eaten. I’ve made the pie multiple times.
For anyone curious about variations – The first time I followed the recipes as written – delicious. I’ve used the recommended amount of vanilla extract as well as subbing part of the vanilla with coconut extract. Both versions were hailed as delicious. (My family also prefers the pie without the coconut in the pie filling – still delicious.)
About freezing the pie – I’m not sure what I did/did not due on one pie-making episode, but the pie filling was not thickening as anticipated – so I put it in the freezer. My husband was delighted with the final product.
Robyn,
Dave here again. I called this custard. Sorry. Big difference between custard and cream filling.
Dave
My family loves this pie . It came out fantastic.
Thanks, Samantha!
So are we sure we bake this pie shell for only 8 minutes? The pie tasted fine, but the pie crust tasted like uncooked dough.
Martha, did you make sure your oven was preheated to 425ºF? The pie crust has always been done for me when blind baking at 8 minutes. Oven temperatures vary so just make sure your pie crust is done before removing from the oven.
Oh my stars. This pie is SO GOOD! I am not a big fan of cream pies but my husband requested a coconut cream pie and after some searching, this was the recipe I decided to try. I used coconut cream instead of coconut milk but other than that, followed the recipe as written and it was wonderful. My husband asked that I make it once a week, it was that good. And not only is it good, it’s not hard to make at all. I’d give it 10 stars if I could.
Thank you so much, Kathryn. This has been a favorite for my family for years. xo
I only could find a can of coconut cream, will this work or will I have to blend it with water to make coconut milk?
Hailey, I do use canned coconut milk in the recipe, not coconut cream. You can also use whole milk or half-and-half instead of the coconut milk.