Coconut Cream Pie

4.82 from 32 votes
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This Coconut Cream Pie has luscious coconut flavor in every bite! Flaky crust filled with homemade coconut cream filling and coconut whipped cream, it’s a coconut lover’s dream!

Holding up a slice of Coconut Cream Pie on a spatula.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Coconut Cream Pie
  2. Topping it Off
  3. Recipe Tips
  4. Coconut Meringue Topping
  5. How to Toast Coconut
  6. Coconut Cream Pie with Less Sugar Option
  7. Frequently Asked Questions about Coconut Cream Pie
  8. More Recipes for Coconut Lovers
  9. How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
  10. Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

This Coconut Cream Pie recipe is by far the best I have ever had. The coconut custard filling is made from scratch (no pudding mixes here!) and it makes all the difference. The rich and creamy texture is full of coconut flavor. This pie is so much better than anything you can get at a store!

Homemade pie always tastes best, and that couldn’t be more true with this recipe. But that doesn’t mean it’s hard to make. Even a pie making novice can put this pie together and everyone will think you put more time into it than you actually did. This pie is perfect for a family gathering or Easter dinner.

Ingredients to make Coconut Cream Pie including a pie crush, half and half, whipping cream, sugar, toasted coconut, coconut milk, corn starch, salt, eggs, coconut extract and flour.


Ingredients in Coconut Cream Pie

Perfect pie recipes start with perfect crusts. For this recipe you can either bake a regular pie dough crust or a graham crackers crust. Try our homemade Perfect Pie Crust  or our Perfect Graham Cracker Crust recipes. Use a food processor to get the cracker crumbs to the perfect consistency. Or, give yourself a break and buy either a frozen or ready made crust at the store. Here’s what you need for the rest of the pies:

  • Half and half – You can find this in the milk section of the grocery store. This is one recipe where you should not substitute whole milk or any other milk. Half and half will give you the creamy pie you want.
  • Coconut milk – A little less than one can is needed for this recipe. Find canned coconut milk in the Asian foods aisle at the store.
  • Eggs – Using large egg yolks will bind the pie filling together and create a creamy coconut custard filling.
  • Sugar – Added for sweetness
  • Cornstarch – This is known to be a thickener. At first it creates a crumbly texture but them makes a smooth and thick pudding like substance.
  • Salt – Just a pinch!
  • Toasted shredded coconut  – You can use unsweetened coconut flakes for the pie filling and maybe sweetened coconut for the topping.
  • Coconut extract – If you can’t find coconut extract, you can always substitute vanilla extract. Coconut extract is found in the baking aisle next to the other extracts and is what gives coconut cream pies that unforgettable flavor.
Spreading whipped topping on a Coconut Cream Pie with a spatula.

Topping it Off

The topping is what makes this cream pie so delicious! It is light and tasty in every bite. This coconut pie is not complete without this creamy topping!

  • Whipping cream – The kind you have to whip yourself, not the pre-made frozen Cool Whip, although you can totally use this in a pinch. Find the heavy whipping cream where you get the half and half, in the milk aisle. Whip it using a stand mixer or hand mixer until soft peaks form.
  • Powdered sugar – Between a quarter to a half cup, to taste. This will help sweeten and thicken the topping.
  • Coconut extract – Add in a hint of flavor that will take this pie to the next level! You’ll get flavoring from the creamy coconut filling as well as the topping.
Slice of Coconut Cream Pie in a pie pan with remaining pie.

Recipe Tips

You will love how quickly this creamy coconut pie comes together. It does have some time in the refrigerator to setup, become thicker, and have a little jiggle to it. These tips will make your coconut pie sing!

  • This Coconut Cream Pie takes a little time to put together, as well as at least two hours of refrigeration time for the pie to set. So make sure to plan accordingly. It’s worth every single minute of prep time, I promise!
  • When making the whipped topping, place heavy cream in a medium bowl and use an electric mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer to whisk the cream, powdered sugar, and coconut extract until stiff peaks form.
Spatula holding up a slice of Coconut Cream Pie.

Coconut Meringue Topping

A delicious variation on this recipe is to top the coconut cream layer with meringue instead of whipped topping. For a quick and easy meringue recipe, see our Lemon Meringue Pie. If you prefer meringue to whipped topping, this works beautifully on the Coconut Cream Pie.

How to Toast Coconut

To get that perfect golden toasted coconut, just follow these simple steps:

  1. First, preheat your oven to about 325 degrees.
  2. Next, spread an even layer of sweetened coconut on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Bake for about 5-10 minutes, or until the color is golden brown. It can burn quickly, so keep a close eye on it. Give the pan a shake every couple of minutes to ensure even baking.
  4. Let the coconut cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes. It’ll continue to crisp up as it sits.
  5. Store leftovers in the fridge or at room temperature for up to a week.
Whole Coconut Cream Pie with spatula and extra toasted coconut.

Coconut Cream Pie with Less Sugar Option

One of our dear readers, Karen, adapted this Coconut Cream Pie recipe to make it more diabetic-friendly. These are her substitute suggestions: 

“This is a great recipe but I wanted to make it with less fat and sugar; I am Diabetic. I substituted milk with 1 – 12 oz. can of Fat Free Evaporated Milk; used 1 – 13.5 oz can of Lite Coconut Milk; exchanged sugar for ½ cup Splenda, and poured it all into a homemade graham cracker crust made with Splenda. It came out fabulous. My husband loved it, said it was the best pie ever.” 

-Karen

Frequently Asked Questions about Coconut Cream Pie

Why is my pie runny?

If the milk mixture doesn’t thicken after bringing it to a low boil on medium heat, the custard may be undercooked. Mix together a little more cornstarch and water and add to the custard mixture. Bring back up to a boil until it thickens.

Can I freeze Coconut Cream Pie?

If you want to freeze this pie, it’s best to keep the crust and filling separate until you’re ready to thaw and serve it. Leftover pie CAN be frozen, as long as it’s tightly wrapped in foil and placed in a freezer bag.

How long will Coconut Cream Pie last in the refrigerator?

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days, covered in plastic wrap. Any longer than a few days and the crust can get too soggy.

Read More: The BEST Traditional Easter Dinner Ideas

Fork holding a cut of Coconut Cream Pie on a plate. Toasted coconut on the side.

More Recipes for Coconut Lovers

If you’re a fan of our Coconut Cream Pie recipe, try some of our other favorite coconut recipes:

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie

Spatula holding up a slice of Coconut Cream Pie.

Coconut Cream Pie

4.82 from 32 votes
Coconut Cream Pie is a silky smooth dessert with a flaky crust and a coconut filling, topped with coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut sprinkles.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Video

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 1 1/2 cups coconut milk a little less than 1 can
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup corn starch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup flaked coconut toasted
  • 2 teaspoons coconut extract or vanilla extract
  • 9 inch pie shell baked (see above for our pie crust recipes)

TOPPING:

  • 1 pint whipping cream the kind you have to whip yourself, not the pre-made, frozen stuff!
  • 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar to taste
  • 2 teaspoons coconut extract

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Bring to a boil over LOW medium heat (using a double-boiler works best), whisking constantly.
    Sauce pan with creamy liquid and whisk.
  • When it starts to boil a little bit and thickens up to about the consistency of a thick pudding (this takes about 15-20 minutes so BE PATIENT), remove from heat.
    Sauce pan with thickened pudding mixture and a whisk.
  • Stir in ¾ cup of the toasted coconut and the coconut (or vanilla) extract. 
    Saucepan with a pudding and coconut with whisk.
  • Pour into pie shell and chill for 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
    Filled Coconut Cream Pie in pie crust.
  • While pie is cooling, whip together topping ingredients with electric beaters. 
    Mixing bowl with whipped cream.
  • When pie is completely cooled, top with whipped topping.
    Spreading whipped topping on a Coconut Cream Pie with a spatula.
  • Sprinkle on remaining toasted coconut.
    Whole Coconut Cream Pie with spatula and extra toasted coconut.

Notes

 
  • Nutrition information is for the whole pie filling, but not the crust.
  • For a quick and easy meringue recipe, see our Lemon Meringue Pie. If you prefer meringue to whipped topping, this works beautifully on the Coconut Cream Pie.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 879kcalCarbohydrates: 95gProtein: 12gFat: 49gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 716mgPotassium: 244mgFiber: 4gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 215IUVitamin C: 0.7mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 4.2mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is my husband’s absolute favourite coconut cream pie (and mine too)😊. Only difference is my hubby prefers graham wafer crust. I added the 2 tsp coconut extract and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
    Thank you for sharing your recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!

  3. 5 stars
    True story…. my husband hates coconut, but one time we were at a pie social and he had himself a lovely lemon cream pie…only to find out it was the best tasting coconut he’d ever had! Ha ha!!! Love this pie. So easy, so creamy, so incredibly delicious! The toasted coconut garnish on top really takes it to the next level!

  4. 5 stars
    I made this for my mom today! It’s her 65th birthday and she loves coconut cream pies! She’s sadly in the hospital right now but once she’s home she’ll have this pie waiting for her! I used a graham cracker crust and it came out excellent!

    1. The refrigerated coconut milk is diluted with water, so you can’t use it as a substitute. Sorry about that!

  5. 5 stars
    I had saved this recipe to make for a friend who’s crazy about coconut cream pie. I was short on time so I used a shortbread premade crust. Followed the recipe exactly for filling and whipped topping. It was amazing, and my friend asked to take the rest home! It’s a keeper.
    Thank you for sharing!

  6. Hello there. I was just wondering if the nutrition facts you posted were per serving or for the whole pie? Thanks in advance!

  7. 5 stars
    This looks so delicious and yummy! My daughter and husband are going to love this recipe! I can’t wait to make this!

  8. Hi there,
    Thank you for the recipe. The favour was amazing; I made it twice this past weekend.
    I used an 9 inch pie pan. I had so much filling and decided the second time not to put all the filling in but I was upset that the pie didn’t set right. It did not hold its shape even the second time I left it overnight before putting on the delicious whipping cream on. What do you think I did wrong? Thank you for your help.

    1. Hmmm…its hard to say with the information you provided what might have gone wrong. Did you make any changes the second time besides using less filling? Did you store the filling? I’d love to help, but I just need a little more info!