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Old-fashioned coconut cream pie is perfectly sweet and creamy. The thick homemade custard and whipped topping are hard to resist!
You don’t need a special occasion for pie, any time is a good time! Coconut cream pie is a classic flavor that most people enjoy, but if you’re craving chocolate, you’ll love this Chocolate Cream Pie. If you need something fruity, Triple Berry Pie should do the trick!
husband Approved Pie Recipe
My husband LOVES pie! And I mean LOVES! He craves it all the time and secretly hopes I make it for every special occasion and party. And I like pie, but I’m more of a cake and dessert bars girl, so my first thought is never to make pie.
My mom, though, has been making pies for as long as I can remember because my dad actually loves them too. You can imagine how happy the hubby was when he came into the family knowing my mom loved to make pies, and especially one of his favorites – coconut cream pie!
Coconut pie is great any time of year, but my family loves to make it for Thanksgiving (along with all the other classic pie recipes).
How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
The prep for this easy coconut cream pie is actually really simple! The hardest part is waiting for it to chill in the fridge.
FILLING. In a medium saucepan, whisk the milk and egg until completely incorporated. Add your sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cooking over medium heat, whisk frequently until thickened.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla then the coconut. Pour into your cooled crust (we used Marie Calendar’s store-bought crust that you bake, but you can also make your own)!
CHILL. Place in refrigerator until chilled, a few hours.
WHIPPED TOPPING
Tops this old fashioned coconut cream pie with fresh whipped cream!
CREAM. Whip together your cream, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Spread on top of chilled pie.
COCONUT. Spread your coconut on a cookie sheet or pan. Toast at 350°F for about 2-4 minutes, until lightly golden. Sprinkle on top of your pie and eat up!
Meringue Topping
Meringue makes a great topping for this homemade coconut cream pie. Follow the recipe directions, but instead of adding the whipped topping to the pie spread on the meringue.
To make meringue you’ll need 3 egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, and 6 tablespoons of sugar.
BEAT. In a small bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until it gets foamy. Add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Beat at high speed after adding each tablespoon.
BAKE. Once all the sugar has been added, continue beating until soft peaks form. Spread completely over coconut cream pie. Bake for 12-15 minutes in a 350°F oven. The meringue will be golden brown.
CHILL. Cool for 1 hour and then chill in the fridge for 2-3 more hours.
Storing & Freezing
STORE. Cool the coconut cream pie recipe at room temperature for about an hour then place the pie in the refrigerator. Cover loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The pie will keep for 3-4 days. Be cautious or discard the pie if left out of the refrigerator for longer than 2 hours.
FREEZE. Cream pies do not usually do well in the freezer so I don’t recommend freezing this dish. However, you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days before serving.
Recipe FAQ
The coconut custard should thicken visually as it cooks and then set more firmly when cooling in the refrigerator. If it isn’t getting thick, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a separate bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of cold water, then mix it into the coconut custard. Also, be sure to allow several hours for the pie to cool and set.
Baking the pie lower in the oven brings the crust closer to the heating element which helps produce a crisp crust. Adding a barrier between the crust and filling can help keep the crust crisp. Brush on lightly beaten egg whites or sprinkle some graham crackers or cornflake crumbs over the crust, then add the cream filling.
For More Classic Pie Recipes, Check Out:
- Best Apple Pie
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Key Lime Pie
- Chocolate Cream Pie
- Banana Cream Pie
- Cherry Pie
Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Coconut Pudding
- 2 ⅔ cups whole milk
- 1 egg
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cup sweetened flake coconut
Whipped Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coconut
Instructions
Pudding
- In a medium saucepan, whisk milk and egg until completely incorporated. Add your sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cooking over medium heat, whisk frequently until thickened.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla then the coconut. Pour into your cooled crust (we used Marie Calendar's store-bought crust that you bake, but you can also make your own).
- Place in refrigerator until chilled, a few hours.
Whipped Topping
- Whip together your cream, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Spread on top of chilled pie.
- Spread your coconut on a cookie sheet or pan. Toast at 350°F for about 2-4 minutes, until lightly golden. Sprinkle on top of your pie and eat up!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from HERE.
LOVED this recipe!! Making it for the 2nd time in 2 weeks!!
Hubby always compares my desserts to his grandmother’s…. and this one made the cut! THATS saying something! 🙂
Yay!! I am glad it made the cut 🙂 Tell him thank you 🙂
This pie looks so delicious, and easy to make. I can’t wait to try it ????
It really is 🙂 Thank you so much & hope you give it a try!
Your recipe tastes wonderful, I really had a issue at Thanksgiving with one I got from a family member. I promised myself I would find a coconut pie recipe to make for Christmas. From know on this is my go to recipe.
Thank you so much! I’m glad it’s your go-to!
Can you substitute coconut milk for some of the whole milk?
I personally haven’t tried, so I’m not sure. I’m sorry I wish I knew how it would turn out. I bet it would be ok.
Thanks.
I have made this in the past and my family LOVES it! It’s easy and so good. Can you substitute 1% milk for the whole milk? Or does it need to be whole milk?
Thank you!! I haven’t tried, but I think it would be fine. I know some recipes work only with the certain milk, but it’s hard to know when it would or wouldn’t. I wish I knew for sure!
The cake looks so delicious, the layer cake is attractive. Thanks for sharing this dessert.
You are so welcome!! Thanks for stopping by!
May I ask if I can make a Meringue topping instead of Whipped Cream. I know I would have too put the pie in the oven too brown the tips of the egg whites but I just love it that way.
Yes you can use egg whites I always do
I made this pie today. It is fantastic, and it’s not fussy to make. I could eat one of these pies every day. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe.
Thanks for stopping by, Leslie. I’m glad it was a hit!! I think I’ll be making it soon for Father’s Day since it’s one of the hubby’s FAVS! 😉
Oh my gosh, I hate making pies, but I might just have to make this anyway! (It’s the darn crust that always gets me!) I love how big and fluffy this pie is. It looks amazing!
Thank you, Melissa!! If you love Coconut I can guarantee you’ll love this. Let me know if you give it a try. 🙂
I am going to make this now but don’t have cream but do have half and half. Will this still work
Half and half has a lower fat content, so if it is really cold, it may still whip but will probably deflate pretty quickly if it does whip up. I’d suggest sticking with the cream if you can!
This pie looks delicious, Kellyn! I love coconut, but my husband hates it so I never get to make coconut desserts. I may just have to find an excuse when he’s not around to make this pie, though.
Let me know if you give it a try. My hubby LOVES coconut so he LOVES this pie, but I’m more of a chocolate person so he loves it when I cave and make his favorite. 🙂