This southern coconut cream pie is one of the most delicious pies to ever exist! The flakey pie crust and homemade custard filling is topped with sweetened whipped cream and loads of tasted coconut, making it completely irresistible!
Here’s why you should make this easy coconut cream pie recipe:
This downright dreamy and creamy pie is perfect for any gathering. It’s one of my favorite pie recipes and a special treat for any time of year. Using a store-bought crust makes this a very easy recipe that the whole family will love (I promise the store-bought crust is very flakey too!), in fact, it is the definition of low effort, high reward! You don’t even have to be a huge fan of coconut cream pie to think this pie is still delicious!
Ingredients you’ll need for this old-fashioned dessert:
- Half-and-half
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Sweetened flaked coconut
- All-butter pie crust: homemade or store-bought
- Whipping cream
- Powdered sugar
Steps for making the best homemade coconut cream pie ever:
- Blind bake your pie crust. Whether you’re using a homemade pie crust or store-bought, it’s important that it’s fully baked!
- Toast some flaked coconut until golden brown. A little toasted coconut gives the perfect textural contrast!
- Make the creamy coconut custard.
- Fill the baked pie shell with the custard.
- Make the whipped topping.
- Top the pie with mounds of whipped cream and toasted coconut.
- Chill to set up in the fridge before slicing!
Tips for blind baking pie crust:
- Once the crust is formed to the pie dish, dock the bottom of it with a fork. This allows steam to escape from under the pie so it doesn’t puff up in the oven.
- Crinkle parchment paper into a ball before placing it on top of the crust. By doing this, it prevents the parchment paper from rolling up on you. It just holds it’s shape better this way.
- Add pie weights on top of the parchment paper. Pie weights prevent the crust from shrinking as it bakes it in the oven. You can use dry beans, rice, coffee beans, etc. if you don’t own pie weights.
- Once the crust is par-baked, remove the parchment paper and pie weights (careful, they’ll be hot) and return the crust to the oven to finish baking and become golden.
FAQ:
Sure! It wouldn’t be traditional old fashioned coconut cream pie but it would still be downright delicious! If you make this with a graham cracker crust, you can avoid blind baking the pie crust to make this recipe even easier!
As long as you’ve followed the correct measurements, it will thicken. The flour in this recipe is what acts as the thickening agent. It will take about 5-7 minutes on medium heat to see it being to thicken. Once it starts, it will become thick at a rapid pace. Just keep whisking for best results!
You’ll know the cream has reached the stiff peak stage when it holds onto the beater or whisk attachment you’re using. You want the cream to be stable on top of the pie and be able to hold all of that delicious toasted coconut!
I think making your own whipped cream here is pretty important because it’s half of the topping on this pie. In my opinion, sometimes pre-made options like cool whip can become a little artificial tasting, so I stay away from it!
Sure! This old-fashioned recipe is something you can cover and chill in the fridge for 2-3 days before serving and you would never know! I would wait to put the whipped cream and toasted coconut on top of the pie until day of serving just to keep it as fresh as possible though.
Definitely! The addition of a little coconut extract will really amp up the coconut flavor in this pie. This pie already has a light coconut flavor from the shredded coconut that’s in the custard and on top of the cream so keep that in mind too! If you are going to use extract for tons of coconut flavor, I would recommend only adding about a teaspoon of coconut extract at the same time you add the vanilla extract to the custard.
Southern Coconut Cream Pie
Equipment
- 1 stand or handheld mixer
- 1 medium sized pot
- (1) 9 inch pie plate
- pie weights
Ingredients
- 1 store-bought pie crust
- 1 1/3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
- 3 cups half and half
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- pinch of kosher salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For the whipped cream:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 4 tbsp powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread flaked coconut into an even layer on a baking sheet. Place in the oven to toast and become golden. 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To bake the store-bought crust:
- Press the pie crust into the pie plate and dock (aka poke holes) the bottom with a fork.
- Line the surface of the crust with parchment paper and pour in the pie weights. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Carefully remove the parchment paper and pie weights. Then return the crust to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until golden and fully cooked through.
For the custard:
- In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add half and half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt.
- Whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. About 5-7 minutes.
- Once thick, remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Once cooled, add in 1 cup of the toasted coconut.
- Mix to combine the pie filling, then pour the hot filling into the baked pie shell.
- Spread the filling into an even layer and place the pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours to chill and set up.
For topping:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (you can use a handheld electric mixer as well) add the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Whip on medium high speed until the mixture reaches stiff peaks.
- Top the chilled pie with whipped cream and the remaining 1/3 cup toasted coconut.
Leave a Reply