The best Coconut Cream Pie recipe has a delicious and creamy filling and flaky pie crust, topped with a whipped cream frosting. It's absolutely delicious and a crowd favorite!
Nothing beats a homemade pie recipe! You have to try Lemon Cream Pie, Banana Cream Pie, No-Bake Cheesecake, German Chocolate Pie, Key Lime Pie, or Grasshopper Pie!
The Perfect Old-fashioned Coconut Cream Pie.
The Perfect Old-fashioned Coconut Cream Pie.There's no dessert I love more than homemade pie. Thanksgiving is like my “superbowl” for pie making, and I always make dozens of my favorites, including this easy coconut cream pie recipe. The filling is creamy and flavorful, and I strongly recommend you use my perfect pie crust recipe, for best quality taste.
Coconut Cream Pie Ingredients:
How to make Coconut Cream Pie:
Toast Coconut (may be done ahead): Add coconut to a large skillet and warm over medium-low heat, stirring and tossing frequently, until the flakes are mostly golden brown. Watch it closely because it happens quickly and you don’t want it to burn. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Store covered at room temperature for up to several days.
Coconut Cream Filling: Combine egg yolks, cornstarch, and ¼ cup milk in a bowl and set aside. Pour remaining 1 cup milk, coconut milk, salt, and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
Temper Eggs: Slowly pour a ladleful of the hot milk mixture into a bowl with the beaten eggs, mixing constantly. This gradually warms and tempers the eggs so they don't scramble. Repeat with another spoonful of milk. Add the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan, stirring constantly. Stir vigorously for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
Finish Filling: Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and coconut extract. Fold in ¾ cup of the toasted coconut.
Cool: Pour warm filling into cooled, baked pie crust then immediately place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Top with whipped cream and remaining toasted coconut.
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: assembled coconut cream pie will keep well covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
More favorite Pie Recipes:
- Blueberry Pie
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Apple Pie
- Lemon Meringue Pie
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Recipe
Coconut Cream Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pre-baked pie crust* (Follow my recipe and blind bake pie crust)
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk , divided
- 14 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter , room temperature*
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract , to taste
For Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream , lightly sweetened
- 3-4 Tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Toast coconut (can be done ahead): Add coconut to a large skillet. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and tossing frequently, until the flakes are mostly golden brown. Watch it closely because it happens quickly and you don’t want to burn it. Remove from heat then transfer to a bowl to cool completely. Store at room temperature for up to several days.
- Mix egg yolks, cornstarch and ¼ cup of milk in a bowl. Set aside
- In a medium saucepan combine remaining 1 cup milk, canned coconut milk, granulated sugar and salt. Set mixture over medium heat, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Temper eggs: While mixing eggs with a whisk, slowly spoon a ladleful of simmering milk into the bowl with the beaten eggs, mixing well, to temper the eggs (warm them up slowly). Repeat with another spoonful of simmering milk.
- Combine: Pour the egg yolk mixture into saucepan, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring vigorously, for 2-3 minutes, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir butter, vanilla extract and coconut extract, stirring until butter has melted. Stir in ¾ cup of the toasted coconut (reserve the rest for topping on the finished pie).
- Cool: Pour coconut cream filling into cooled, baked pie crust. Place a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly over the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Whipped cream: Add cream, powdered sugar and vanilla to a bowl then mix with electric whisks until peaks form. Pipe or smooth whipped cream over pie filling. Top with remaining toasted coconut.
Notes
Nutrition
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*I originally shared this recipe November 2014. Updated April 2019 and October 2024.
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Thank you for the clear and easy instructions, Mine turned out fantastic!
I have a pie chilling in the fridge as I type this. The hot crème pat tastes eggy and vanilla-y (absolutely delicious), so I hope that as it cools the coconut flavour comes through more. (I used 1/2tsp essence)
I baked my own shell – my standard unsweetened shortcrust using 1/3 butter, 2/3 baking margarine. Will wait to see what this one is like sweetness-wise and if it’s not too sweet I’ll make another one with my sweet shortcrust (100% butter, 1tbsp icing sugar, 1 egg + 50/50 lime juice/water) and see how it goes.
Before baking the shell I baked my second cherry pie using your recipe since the first one was so delicious and everyone who tried it concurred. Our poor orchardists have been having a bad season with less than 50% of the crop saleable due to hail and rain, but on the plus side second-grade cherries are cheap, plentiful and perfectly good for baking with – nobody can see the scars and splits once they’re baked!
Next on my list though is your key lime pie. I just need to track down some of them or juice here in Australia (we call them West Indian Limes) but they’re rather hard to come by so I’m probably going to have to resort to buying a case of juice off Amazon. I lived in the USA for a couple of years and developed a real fondness for American pies – especially key lime!
I’m so flattered you’ve enjoyed to many of my pie recipes! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Absolutely the BEST, I have been making a Coconut Cream Pie for over 30 years with great results, but had to try this one. Made it twice now and my wife really loves it. I’d give it 9 out of 5 stars if i could.
Just one problem I have family members that cannot have the corn starch; what would you suggest to substitute. I’m a little concerned how flour might impact texture, etc.
Thanks for sharing
Hi David,
I am so glad you enjoyed the cake! Thanks for the comment!
Cornstarch might by a little tricky to subsitute in this recipe. Here is a website that has some suggestions you could try!
http://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/cooking-questions/constarch-substitutes
Hope that helps!
Hi David,
I use arrowroot instead of corn starch in all of my recipes. It works very well. 🙂
Does each serving really contain 3,704 calories?
Each serving is about 300 calories (if you’re serving 12 slices)
What size coconut milk can do you use?
A 13.5 oz can 🙂
This coconut cream pie is fabulous. My mother-in-law enjoys it and she is an awesome cook. Thank you for posting and making my husband smile also.
Like Kara, I’ve not made a Coconut Pie for a few years but will definitely give this one a try. It looks “soul soothing!”
This looks so pretty and delicious!
Thanks Becky! It’s so yummy!
Oh gosh, every one of these pies looks amazing!! It’s been ages since I made coconut cream pie, I need to give this recipe a try. Yum!
Thanks Kara! Hope you like it!
This looks absolutely perfect! Pinned!