Find me a dessert that is more comforting than Homemade Coconut Cream Pie. The custard filling alone is the stuff of dreams — its cool, creamy, and sweetened with coconut, then piled high onto a tender, flaky pie crust. Top it all off with swooping mounds of homemade whipped cream and lots of toasted coconut for a result that is, not surprisingly, sweet as pie!
A few more reasons I love this coconut cream pie recipe:
- Make it in advance! The crust and filling need to chill for a couple hours, which means it’s perfect for entertaining and making in advance. Top with whipped cream just before serving.
- The creamy texture! Luscious and silky smooth, the coconut custard filling is like biting into a delicious pastry cream cloud! It reminds me of summer cookouts with the family when all I crave is a bite of something creamy and cold.
- Not too sweet! The flavors are all balanced so there’s not too much sugar.
Be sure to check out more of my easy homemade pie recipes, like this rustic, freeform strawberry galette, a simple no-bake chocolate mousse pie, or my personal favorite wild Maine blueberry pie (I use frozen blueberries, so it can be enjoyed all year round!)
My Best Tips!
- Pricking the crust with a fork lets steam escape during blind baking, preventing bubbles and keeping the base flat and even for fillings.
- If the crust browns too quickly during blind baking, cover the edges with foil.
- Let the pie crust cool completely before adding the filling to prevent a soggy bottom.
- For clean, even slices, wipe the knife between cuts.
- For extra coconut flavor, try using coconut milk instead of whole milk in the filling.
Ingredient Highlights
I think it’s worth it to make pie dough from scratch–the texture is unbeatable–but yes, you can use your favorite store-bought pie crust.
Coconut flakes come in both sweetened and unsweetened forms. You’ll need both for this recipe. This is in addition to toasted coconut flakes. Trust me, all this different forms of coconut provide depth of flavor and a phenomenal texture.
Don’t Skip Blind Baking!
Place a piece of parchment paper weighted down with pie weights on top of the dough before baking for the first 15 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and weights, then return the crust to the oven for 5 minutes more.
It’s essential that the pie crust cool completely before filling, at least 1 hour! Otherwise you’ll risk the crust becoming soggy.
A Note On Toasted Coconut Flakes
I prefer to buy toasted coconut flakes instead of making them at home. They’re fantastic in overnight oats, so I often have them on hand. If you prefer to make them yourself, simply spread coconut flakes on a baking sheet, then bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes, tossing once or twice until golden brown. Watch closely to avoid burning!
Top It With Meringue Instead!
Some cream pie recipes are simply topped with meringue instead of whipped cream (like a lemon meringue pie!). You can brûlée this with a kitchen torch or broil for a few minutes to give the pie a toasty flavor and golden brown exterior.
Serving Suggestions
I have wonderful memories of neighborhood potlucks that ended with homemade Southern coconut cream pie, key lime pie cheesecake, and banana pudding. What do these things all have in common? They’re cool and creamy, and are particularly wonderful on hot summer days. My advice? Make this your go-to dessert for easy summer cookouts!
As with any dessert, a cup of hot coffee or hot tea goes great. You can also serve a fruit salad on the side if you like.
Even non-coconut lovers love this pie. Don’t believe me? Try it for yourself and report back! It’s creamy, luscious, and just the right amount of sweet. A totally delicious Southern-style pie! If you give this homemade dessert a try, be sure to let us know what you think by leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review and rating below!
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Southern Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the pie crust
- 1 homemade or store-bought pie crust
For the coconut filling
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch
- 1 cup (240g) whole milk
- 1 cup (240g) heavy cream
- 4 large (74g) egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 cup (84g) sweetened flaked coconut
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of Kosher salt
For the whipped cream
- 2 cups (473ml) heavy cream
- ⅓ cup (42g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Toasted coconut flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust. Preheat an oven to 425F with a rack on the lowest setting. Make homemade pie crust or defrost store-bought pie dough, then roll out on a lightly floured surface. Transfer onto a 9-inch pie plate, then using scissors or a knife, trim excess dough leaving a 1-inch border. Tuck the dough underneath itself, then use your fingers to crimp the edges. Thoroughly prick the bottom and sides of the pie dough with a fork. Chill for 10 minutes.
- Blind bake the pie crust. Line the crust with a sheet of parchment paper slightly larger than the pie (exposed pie crust will cook faster than covered crust and is likely to burn). Place pie weights or dried beans on top to weigh it down. Transfer the pie crust to the preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is lightly golden brown. Remove the pie from the oven, then carefully remove the pie weights and parchment. Return the pie to the oven to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before filling, at least 1 hour.
- Make the coconut cream filling. In a saucepan set over medium heat, combine ½ cup (100g) sugar, and ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch, then whisk well. Pour in 1 cup (240g) whole milk, 1 cup (240g) heavy cream, and 4 large (74g) egg yolks. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture has thickened and comes up to a boil, about 8 minutes. Once boiling, cook for 1 minute more, then remove from the heat and stir in 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and a generous pinch of Kosher salt.
- Add the coconut filling. Pour the warm filling into the baked pie crust, then use a spatula to smooth into a flat, even layer. Press a sheet of plastic wrap directly on top of the filling, then allow to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a fridge until completely chilled, about 1-2 hours more.
- Make the whipped cream. Once the pie has chilled, place 2 cups (473ml) of heavy cream in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes, then add ⅓ cup (42g) confectioners’ sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Continue whisking until medium peaks form.
- Finish with pie. Spread the whipped cream on top of the chilled coconut filling. You can smooth it even an even layer or use a spatula to create swooping mounds of cream. Garnish with as much toasted coconut as you like. Serve immediately! For even slices, we recommend wiping the knife in between cuts.
Notes
- Leftovers: Wrap tightly with plastic wrap, then refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To make-ahead and freeze: Assemble the pie with the coconut cream filling, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap pressed firmly on top. Wrap again in heavy duty aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, defrost the pie overnight in a refrigerator to thaw completely. Make whipped cream fresh, then top and serve!
- If preferred, you can top the chilled filling with meringue, then broil for a few minutes or use a kitchen torch to toast the exterior.
Nutrition
Photography by: Cambrea Bakes
Recipe looks great. The pop-up ads not so much.
Hi Greg — you’re always welcome to skip the post entirely and click ‘jump to recipe’ or ‘print recipe’ if you’d prefer not to support my work by scrolling past ads. Best, Ari
Ari, the recipe is awesome – it’s extremely rare for me to not ‘tamper’ with one. I especially like to combine what I like from several recipes. Yours though, was perfect.
The 2nd comment is not directed at you – I doubt you have any control over it. But if enough people voiced their opinions, particularly when they’re representing the very people these companies are targeting, company, that’s constructive criticism, meant to help.
I owned a small business for 12 years and I empathize with your need to advertise. But my message to the advertisers is – couldn’t you place your ads between paragraphs? I’d look at them then, instead of ‘playing’ whack-a-mole with them. I’d ‘x’ the ad, but within a minute you’re back. The constant motion is annoying – they’re like Vegas billboards. I couldn’t tell you the content of a single one. I tune out annoyances.
Yes, Ari…. As you told Greg, we can skip straight to the recipe. Apparently, you are unaware that these ads cover parts of the recipe. You can’t share it or screenshot it. Yes, I have Ad Block. But ‘we don’t want to support you’ ? Unwarranted.
Hi Vickie! First, thank you so much for the review! I was never a coconut lover until my mid-20’s and ever since then I can’t get enough. I feel like I’m eating a cloud whenever I make this coconut cream pie. Your feedback is very much appreciated.
As far as the ads, yes, they’re a necessary evil of running a business. But from looking at the screenshot above, it looks like there is an ‘x’ button on one and a ‘close’ button on the other, so hopefully you were able to minimize them. Just as a side note, one of the things I do personally that not every blogger does is to ‘group blocks together’ — what this means (in case someone is reading this and doesn’t know) is that I tend to lock blocks of text so that they can’t be interrupted by ads. You’ll see this with practically every list on my website (eg, ingredients, step-by-step instructions) and many sections of text underneath headers. It’s important to me that the user experience is the least annoying possible while still generating income for my work. I hope this makes sense, but even if it doesn’t, please know that I listen to and take into consideration absolutely all feedback from my invaluable community and try to make the best experience for all.
I’m so grateful to have you cheering me on and supporting my work! Kindly, Ari
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is soooo delicious and super easy to make (I used a store bought frozen pie crust). I wasn’t exactly sure if the sweetened coconut flakes were supposed to be toasted or not for the inside, so I used about 3/4 cup raw & 1/4 cup toasted — it was the perfect combo!
My hubby was kind enough to share his pie with a few neighbors. They ALL raved about it and asked for the recipe. So I definitely passed it along!
Oh my gosh, this is the most stunning coconut cream pie EVER! Well done, it’s extraordinary! Thank you so much for the photo, review, and for sharing with neighbors! xo, Ari
Could you use a store-bought graham cracker crust for this recipe?
Yes, absolutely! You can substitute with any crust you like. And that makes this recipe even easier. Let me know what you think! xo, Ari
I made it exactly as printed for my son for a party and again for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved it! I will make it again.
It’s like biting into a cloud! So happy your family loves this recipe as much as mine. xo, Ari
I made this coconut pie for Memorial Day. It was easy to make and came together beautifully, but the pudding took a little longer to thicken up. The only thing I forgot to add was the salt! Of course, I wondered if that was going to affect the taste of the pie. I served a piece to my father-in-law who is a coconut lover and the first words to come out of his mouth was, “this pie is delicious”! So needless to say, I was relieved. Thank you for your delicious recipe!
I’m glad it got your FIL’s seal of approval, that’s an important one! Thanks so much for the feedback, Anna. Cheers, Ari
This is a delicious pie! It has a beautifully creamy texture and tons of coconut flavor without being overly sweet. I used coconut milk for even more coconut flavor and it was great!
I wish I could reach through my screen and take a bite. Looks fantastic! Cheers, Ari
My husbands favorite pie is coconut cream. So I had to try. OMG, he so enjoyed the taste and said it brought back fond memories of his mom’s recipe. The sweet creamy texture was amazing. I will make again before summer is over. Keeping the recipe!!!
Man, it’s too good! The perfect summer pie! Thanks so much for the feedback, Carol–thrilled you and your husband enjoyed it! Cheers, Ari