This coconut cream pie recipe features a thick and creamy coconut filling, crispy homemade pie crust, mounds of sweet whipped cream, and toasted coconut. Blind bake the pie crust first, then chill the pie filling until thick and lush. It may be helpful to review my tutorial on how to blind bake pie crust before getting started.
Coconut. You either love it or hate it.
Considering my adoration for coconut cake, you know I fall in the first category. And if you’re reading this, I assume you do too. Obviously this is what you need to make next!!
If you’re not in the coconut gang, you should probably skip this one. But coconut cream pie isn’t *just* for coconut lovers. If you appreciate thick creamy pies, flaky pie crust, and all that fresh (not store-bought!) whipped cream has to offer, you’ll enjoy each forkful.
I worked HARD on this recipe, taking what I learned from butterscotch pudding, dirt pudding, and banana cream pie, then incorporating both into a coconut variation. Let’s dive in.
Video Tutorial: Coconut Cream Pie
Let’s watch how to make coconut cream pie in a quick video tutorial. I walk you through each part of the recipe, including blind baking the pie crust.
3 Parts to Coconut Cream Pie
This pie is made completely from scratch!
- Pie Crust – Pie crust shell must be fully blind baked. Don’t worry, I teach you how.
- Creamy Coconut Filling – We’ll make this on the stove.
- Whipped Cream – Have you made my homemade whipped cream before? It’s very simple. You can add toasted coconut on top, too.
Fully Blind Bake Pie Crust
Some pie recipes call for fully baked crust and some recipes need a partially baked crust. Lemon meringue pie requires a partially baked pie crust because it will continue to bake with the filling. Coconut cream pie, like French silk pie for example, is a no-bake pie—the filling does not go in the oven. We obviously don’t want to eat raw pie dough, so we need a fully blind baked pie crust.
I published an entire tutorial about how to blind bake pie crust. I repeat *some* information here, but I encourage you to review the tutorial prior to beginning this coconut cream pie recipe.
- Make pie dough ahead of time, then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to make the pie. Pie crust must chill for at least 2 hours before rolling out.
- Roll it out, then fit into your 9-inch pie dish. Crimp or flute the edges.
- Chill the shaped pie crust for at least 30 minutes. This prevents shrinking. Remember that pie dough must be cold.
- Fill with pie weights. As the pie dough bakes, its fat will melt. The melting fat causes the pie crust to shrink down the sides of the pie dish. To prevent the pie dough from completely losing its shape, weigh it down with pie weights. Carefully line the pie dough with parchment paper first, then pour in pie weights or even dry beans. (Note: 2 packs of these pie weights are needed!)
- Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 15 minutes.
- Remove pie weights, then prick the bottom with a fork. This lets air escape the bottom.
- Return to oven until the entire pie shell is golden brown.
- Cool pie shell completely. You can do this up to 3 days ahead of time!
This baked pie crust “shell” is crispy, flaky, and ready for a creamy coconut filling.
Coconut Cream Pie Filling Ingredients
Most of the time, coconut cream pie is nothing more than vanilla pudding with some coconut thrown on top. Let’s make a REAL coconut filling using thick coconut milk. Since coconut milk doesn’t have a very strong flavor, we’ll add sweetened shredded coconut and a splash of coconut extract. Don’t have coconut extract? Leave it out. The sweetened shredded coconut adds plenty of flavor. Here is a run-down of the ingredients:
- Egg Yolks & Cornstarch: Egg yolks and cornstarch thicken the pie filling. Combine the two first, then temper into the cooking mixture.
- Canned Coconut Milk: Canned coconut milk is a cooking ingredient, not a beverage. It’s very thick and usually found near the Thai food products. Do not use refrigerated carton coconut milk because the two are very different.
- Half-and-Half: I found heavy cream to be too thick, while whole milk was too thin. Half-and-half proved to be the best choice for this coconut cream pie recipe.
- Sugar: Use 2/3 cup to sweeten the filling. The sweetened coconut also helps!
- Salt: A bit of salt adds flavor.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Sweetened shredded coconut is soft, moist, and sweet, so you won’t find dry crunchy chunks inside the creamy filling.
- Butter: Add 2 Tablespoons of softened butter for a soft, buttery consistency.
- Vanilla Extract & Coconut Extract: Both add phenomenal flavor.
How to Make Coconut Cream Pie Filling
Like most homemade pudding, the coconut filling is made on the stove.
Bring the coconut milk, half-and-half, sugar, and salt to a boil. Whisk the egg yolks & cornstarch together and have them ready for tempering. To temper, add *some* of the boiling coconut mixture into the egg yolks, then add it all back into the pot. This *slowly* raises the egg yolk’s temperature. The purpose of tempering is to prevent scrambling them. You can watch me temper the egg yolks in the video above.
Off-heat, stir in the coconut, butter, vanilla, and coconut extracts. Next, pour the warm pudding into cooled crust, then cover and chill until thickened.
Perfect Make-Ahead Dessert!
The coconut filling must “set” inside the baked pie crust shell. This usually takes about 3 hours, though it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 full day… as long as you keep hungry eyes away from it!! This pie is way too tempting, even without whipped cream on top.
If you’re looking for Easter dessert ideas, this make-ahead pie should be at the top of your list!
Homemade Whipped Cream
Obviously we must add decoration and this pie’s favorite accessory is whipped cream. It’s simply… a must! You can go heavy or light on the whipped cream. I love a big mountain of the stuff, especially paired with the thick coconut filling and crispy pie crust. You need heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add a splash of coconut extract too, if desired. Beat the ingredients together until medium peaks form. When you lift the mixer out of the bowl, a slightly sturdy peak should form. It won’t be liquid-y, nor will it be curdled. Keep your eye on it and don’t be afraid to stop the mixer and check the consistency as you whip.
You can pipe or spread the whipped cream on top. I used Ateco 849 piping tip and you can watch me pipe swirls in the video above. Don’t forget to top with more coconut! I actually used coconut flakes that I found at the grocery, but you can use sweetened shredded coconut or any form of coconut flakes you desire. Feel free to toast them, too!
Chill the pie for a few hours or you can serve it immediately.
Want to make coconut cream pie with meringue topping instead? Meringue is a convenient way to use up the egg whites. I recommend the meringue topping from my s’mores brownie cupcakes. You can toast it with a kitchen torch if desired. It tastes like marshmallows!
Coconut Cream Pie Success Tips
- Follow the recipe closely including using canned coconut milk, half-and-half, and tempering the egg yolks.
- Chill the pie crust inside the pie dish before blind baking. Pie dough must be cold.
- Thoroughly chill the pie filling before serving. Otherwise the pie will completely fall apart… and no one appreciates warm coconut pudding.
And if you dig creamy pie recipes…
Print
Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
- Prep Time: 6 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 6 hours, 35 minutes
- Yield: one 9-inch pie
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This coconut cream pie recipe features a thick and creamy coconut filling, crispy pie crust, sweet whipped cream, and toasted coconut. There are plenty of ways to make this coconut cream pie recipe ahead of time. See various steps.
Ingredients
- 1 unbaked flaky Pie Crust (what I used) or All Butter Pie Crust*
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
- 1 (14 ounce) can full fat coconut milk*
- 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half
- 2/3 cup (130g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (80g) sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 Tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional: 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
Whipped Cream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 3 Tablespoons (20g) confectioners’ sugar or granulated sugar*
- 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional for garnish: unsweetened coconut shavings, coconut chips, or sweetened shredded coconut*
Instructions
- Pie crust: I like to make sure my pie dough is prepared before I begin making coconut cream pie. Make pie dough the night before because it needs to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling out and blind baking (next step).
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Fully blind bake the pie crust. (Follow how to blind bake pie crust instructions through step 9. I skip the optional dough strip trick in step 4, though that trick guarantees thick pie crust edges.) Cool pie crust completely. You can do this up to 3 days ahead of time. Cover cooled crust tightly and refrigerate until ready to fill.
- Make the coconut filling: Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch together. Set aside. Whisk the coconut milk, half-and-half, granulated sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisking occasionally, bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, then reduce temperature to medium-low heat. Once boiling, remove about 1/2 cup of the mixture and, in a slow and steady stream, whisk into the egg yolk and cornstarch mixture. Keep those egg yolks moving so they don’t scramble. In a slow and steady stream, pour and whisk the egg yolk mixture into the pot.
- The pudding will immediately begin to bubble and thicken. Stand back and use caution as the bubbles may burst. Whisk and cook for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, butter, vanilla, and coconut extract (if using).
- Pour warm filling into cooled pie crust. Cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming) and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight until chilled and thickened. Pie may be refrigerated for up to 1 day.
- For the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Medium peaks are between soft/loose peaks and stiff peaks and are the perfect consistency for topping and piping on desserts.
- Pipe or spread the whipped cream on top. I used Ateco 849 piping tip to pipe. Garnish with extra coconut, if desired. Chill the pie uncovered up to a few hours or you can serve it immediately.
- Cover leftovers and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: The pie dough can be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. There are plenty of ways to make this recipe ahead of time. See end of step 2, end of step 5, and end of step 7. You can freeze the pie after step 5. Make sure the filling is completely cool inside the pie shell prior to freezing. Cover with an extra layer of plastic wrap before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter prior to topping with whipped cream.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-Inch Pie Dish | Pie Weights | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Medium Saucepan | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Piping Bag (Disposable or Reusable) | Ateco 849 Piping Tip
- Pie Crust: Both linked pie crust recipes make 2 crusts. You only need 1 crust for this pie, so freeze the 2nd half for another use.
- Coconut Milk: You need one 13-14 ounce can of full fat unsweetened coconut milk. (It’s usually never sweetened.) Canned coconut milk is a cooking ingredient, not a beverage. It’s very thick and usually found near the Thai food products. Shake it up before using. Do not use refrigerated carton coconut milk.
- Sugar in Whipped Cream: Some swear by granulated sugar in whipped cream, while others swear by confectioners’ sugar. If you’re only working with a few Tablespoons of sugar, it doesn’t really make a difference. Use whichever.
- Coconut Topping: I used unsweetened coconut flakes that I found at the grocery, but you can use sweetened shredded coconut or any form of coconut flakes you desire. Feel free to toast them: Bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 6-8 minutes or until browned to your liking.
Keywords: coconut cream pie, pie
Hi Sally, just wondering if you have ever made this as coconut cream squares with a shortbread base. I would like to make it for Christmas…you have so many incredible desserts but I have one grandson who has requested this as “his” dessert. Would you do 8×8 or 9×9?
Hi Chris, we haven’t tested this pie as bars but would love to hear what you try!
Hi, could the canned coconut milk be used as a dairy free replacement for the half and half?
Hi Amanda, You can try to use more of the canned coconut milk instead of half and half but it may not set up as thick. Or you could use the coconut cream to replace BOTH the coconut milk and the half and half but we haven’t tested it. Let us know how it turns out!
My husband, a self proclaimed pie, coconut, and pudding hater, cannot wait for me to make this again! I brought to a friends house for a party and it disappeared in no time. I bake a lot, and have found your recipes to be excellent. Lots of great flavor and very reliable recipes. Thank you!
★★★★★
I would like to make your pie but with a meringue topping instead of the whipped cream. I usually spread the meringue on top of the filling and bake it for 12 to 15 mts until it’s browned. Then cool for an our and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight before serving. Can I fix the meringue using this technique to brown it to go with your filling? I don’t have a torch. Thank you.
Hi Glinda, Baking meringue on top of this pie isn’t ideal since the pie’s filling should not be baked. But you can top the coconut cream pie with Homemade Marshmallow Creme (Meringue Frosting). It does not have to bake and it’s delicious!
Can you double the recipe? I am wanting to make 2 pies at once.
Hi Jamie, for absolute best taste and texture, we recommend making two separate batches of the filling.
Hi, I need to make two pies. Will the coconut pie filling still come together well if I double the ingredients?
Hi Suzanne, for absolute best taste and texture, we recommend making two separate batches of the filling.
This looks amazing! If we want to use a cookie crust instead of traditional pie crust, would you recommend using nilla wafers, gingersnap, or a shortbread cookie crust?
Hi Sam! Any of those could be delicious, but the Nilla wafer crust would be fantastic with this cream pie – let us know what you try!
An easy, delicious pie recipe. My only complaint is how overwhelmingly sweet it is. Maybe it’s just my household, but we all thought it was too cloying. If I cut out some of the sugar will it affect the way the filling sets?
Hi El, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
Hey Sally!
I attempted to make the All Butter Pie Crust (but halved the ingredients because I only needed the base) but my dough kept tearing. I added more water and stretched it but it was still too short even though I used all the dough. I tried pinching to make a crust but I’ve never been able to do a perfect crust. I spent hours doing this so I’m feeling a little defeated right now. When I blind baked the pie some of the crust fell off and it still felt wet.
I’m not sure what advice you could give me but I need some. Cheers
Hi Joshua! Somehow I missed this question from before. My apologies for that! Having more dough on hand is always helpful. I recommend making the entire dough recipe and when you divide it in 2 to make 2 discs before chilling, make it an uneven half– what I mean is, maybe 3/4 of the dough and 1/4 of the dough. (Just eyeball it– the point is to have extra for the bottom crust.) Use the 3/4 of the dough for this recipe. Freeze the 1/4 for another time if you ever need extra dough.
Did the dough keep tearing because it felt too moist/wet? You may have added too much ice water when making it. Slightly reducing the ice water helps.
Sally I am a cookie and brownie baker expert now because I have been using your recipes for years. I am a novice pie baker. I am practicing because November is coming up and I want to participate in your Pie-Paluzza. My first pie was your lemon meringue pie. I cheated a little and used a store-bought pie crust. The pie was delicious but the piecrust was not. So for this coconut cream pie I made your pie crust, it turned out nice but I need practice. The coconut cream pie is now refrigerating and we are excited to eat it tonight. Thanks for all you do.
Thank you for making and trusting our recipes, Mary Ann! We’re looking forward to Pie Week too — keep up all the wonderful baking!
I spent all week reading this recipe in order to bake it, and making it was as satisfying as eating it! Delicious. For my taste, I’d reduce the amount of sugar just a bit, but the texture was absolutely perfect – like eating a cloud! I love how you include pictures for each step! These recipes are the best.
★★★★
Hi.. i made the coconut cream pie and it was on point. The look the flavour was amazing. However, do not know why the filling was soft .. so soft it was terrible to cut … where did i go wrong??
Hi Rose, Did you make any substitutions? The egg yolks, full fat canned coconut milk, and 1/4 cup cornstarch should thicken things up considerably! If you wish you try it again you can try replacing the half-and-half with heavy cream for a thicker filling. Also be sure to allow for the full chilling time to ensure the pie is fully set. Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try!
I made this today. It was wonderful, I was very pleased with how “real” it was. Thanks for the detailed instructions. I can ALWAYS count on Sally for winner recipes.
★★★★★
I love this recipe! I’ve made it a number of times snd it’s my son’s favorite!
Question: my spouse purchased coconut cream instead of coconut milk. Can I substitute it?
★★★★★
Hi Jackie, You could use the coconut cream to replace BOTH the coconut milk and the half and half but we haven’t tested it. Let us know how it turns out!
Can i make the filling separately and add it later? May seem silly but I have tine for filling now and need to wait to make crust. Haha
Hi Brittany, That should be just fine. The filling will thicken in the refrigerator so it may be a bit difficult to spread in the pie crust, but it shouldn’t change the taste. Enjoy!
I’m a novice baker and mine turned out awesome, if you follow the directions yours should too. DELICIOUS
★★★★★
I am NOT a baker. I avoid any recipe that calls for crust.
Last year my son asked a Coconut Cream Pie for his birthday celebration. I came across this recipe and watching the video made me think I could manage the filling and I would use a store bought graham wafer crust. Well, everyone went crazy for this pie. I followed the instructions to the letter. Here we are a year later and guess what he wants for his birthday again. Sally’s Coconut Cream Pie !!
One of these days I might even give the crust a try but honestly it’s just divine with the Graham wafer crust. Thank You Sally!
★★★★★
I can’t find half and half here so I was wondering if I could substitute whipping cream (35%) which I don’t THINK is heavy whipping cream in the coconut cream pie.
I wrote the 2 star review above. I would like to retract it. Here’s why.
1. After we filled the pie crust with the cooked custard, we ate the custard that was left in the pot while it was very warm. Too warm.
2. Although we waited 3 hours for the pie to set, it wasn’t completely set.
We had some today and it was very good. We think eating the warm custard combined with eating the pie before it was completely set explains why we didn’t enjoy it yesterday.
★★★★
Horrible! Didn’t set up, didn’t taste good at all and I’ve been making pies for 30years!
★
These instructions say to blind bake the crust at 400, but the link you provide for instructions on par/blind baking indicate 375?? Which is better?
Hi Kristin, this should read 375°F (190°C). Thank you!
Made just the filling because I loved this pie recipe when I made it and I was craving coconut pudding. How long do you think it can keep in the fridge?
★★★★★
Hi Eden, the filling should last for about five days in the refrigerator.
Can I make tarts instead of a pie
Hi Linda, we can’t see why not. You’ll want to use a different crust (perhaps this graham cracker crust). We’re unsure of the exact bake time. Let us know how it turns out!
I’m a novice baker and mine turned out awesome, if you follow the directions yours should too. DELICIOUS
★★★★★
Best pie ever! Loved that it calls for both coconut milk and extract. Very coconutty! Didn’t last long!
★★★★★
I made the pie for my family. The custured didn’t get as firm as I wanted it. When we cut into the pie & took a slice, the custured ran a little into the dish. The taste was delicious. I will make it again, practice makes perfect.
Hi Betsy, did you make any ingredient substitutions? The egg yolks, full fat canned coconut milk, and 1/4 cup cornstarch should thicken things up considerably! If you wish you try it again you can try replacing the half-and-half with heavy cream for a thicker filling. Glad your family still enjoyed this pie!
This was just amazing! I am really pleased/proud with how it came out. Sally, your website is different because you really breakdown how to do EVERYTHING and I am very grateful for that. I’ve used a few of your recipes over the years, but I will now exclusively use it. I wanted to write a review because I had asked a question under the Smores Brownie Cupcakes about the frosting to use for this recipe. You take the time to answer all questions, which makes your website so unique so thank you! Not to mention you seem like the sweetest person!!
Ok, anyway, about my review. I made the flaky crust (which I typically don’t make from scratch because I’m really not good at them), the coconut cream pie, and I used the marshmallow meringue recipe. I had Googled how to pipe the frosting, like how you did because I’m not very good at piping. Then I thought, “hey, I wonder if Sally has a how to pipe video” and of course you did so THANK YOU! It was all so delicious! My mom had requested coconut cream pie, I’ve never had it, and my whole family loved it! Although my swirls weren’t as pretty, nor was the crust (it shrank, I only used one, so I could save the other), but it was really good. Even the marshmallow meringue got stiff peaks, which I’ve had issues with in the past. Mine took more like 8 minutes to stiffen up. At 5 minutes, it was still a little runny, so I just let it go longer (it’s hot here, so maybe that’s why). So thank you Sally for everything you do. Your site is just the best, and I just noticed earlier you have a few books that I want asap!
★★★★★
This was amazing!! Thank you!
★★★★★
I want to modify the coconut cream filling to be stable enough for a two layer cake. Would you suggest subbing the half&half for heavy cream or increase the corn starch to make it thick enough to not blow out the edges?
As with everything on this site, love the explanations and recipes!
★★★★★
Hi Chris, we haven’t tested a thicker version of this pie filling that would work between cake layers. It may be best to search for a thicker coconut cream filling — or if you give any of your suggestions a try, we’d love to know how it turns out for you. Thank you for your positive feedback on the site!
Used two tablespoons of coconut powder. It contains a thickener without compromising the flavor.
Will this recipe double okay if I want to make 2 pies?
Hi K, for absolute best taste and texture, we recommend making two separate batches of the filling.
6/9/21
Followed the Coconut Cream pie recipe & it was OUTSTANDING
For the pie weights for the crust I had to improvise, so I used some a collection of “small creek stones” I have collected & worked perfect
Sally your good
Hi! Should I let the pie mixture cool a bit before putting it in the fridge to firm up? My mixture is pretty warm. Thanks!
Hi Sarah, no need to wait, just be sure to cover tightly with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (to prevent a skin from forming). Hope you enjoy the pie!
Delicious!!! 🙂 followed all instructions and advices in comments, turned out perfectly even with already expired corn starch (ooops…)
★★★★★
I am not a fan of Coconut Cream Pie but my Father is, so for his 84 birthday I made him this one. It was a Hit! He loved it, the rest of my family Loved it and to see what all the fuss was about, I tried a piece. I think I have a new favorite! I WILL Definitely be making again!
★★★★