The Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie is a truly divine dessert that will impress your friends and family with its luscious texture and perfectly balanced sweetness. This recipe is your guide to achieving bakery-quality coconut cream pie right in your own kitchen, making it incredibly useful for any occasion.
Key Ingredients for Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie
- 1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, divided
- ½ cup cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups whole milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut (plus extra for topping)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon coconut extract (optional, for intensified flavor)
How to Make Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie
This Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie recipe delivers a velvety smooth custard with intense coconut flavor in every bite. It’s surprisingly simple to make, featuring a rich, creamy filling that sets beautifully. The preparation time is approximately 30 minutes, plus chilling time.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Pie Crust: Ensure your 9-inch pie crust is pre-baked and cooled completely. You can use a store-bought, ready-to-bake crust or bake your favorite homemade recipe ahead of time. A perfectly golden-brown crust provides the ideal foundation for the creamy filling.
- Make the Coconut Custard Base: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Let it simmer gently for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Temper the Egg Yolks: In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously. This process, called tempering, gently heats the yolks to prevent them from scrambling.
- Combine and Cook the Custard: Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is very thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not boil.
- Add Flavor and Coconut: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the unsalted butter and pure vanilla extract until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Gently fold in the 1 ½ cups of sweetened shredded coconut. For an extra burst of coconut flavor, you can add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract at this stage.
- Assemble the Pie: Pour the warm coconut custard into the pre-baked pie crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Gently press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.
- Chill the Pie: Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the custard is completely set and firm.
- Prepare the Whipped Cream Topping: Just before serving, in a chilled bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract (and coconut extract, if using) until stiff peaks form.
- Decorate and Serve: Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pie. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream topping generously over the set coconut custard. Sprinkle with additional sweetened shredded coconut for a beautiful finish. Slice and serve immediately.
Why You’ll Love This Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie
You’ll fall head over heels for the Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie primarily because of its impossibly smooth and creamy custard, infused with the warm, sweet essence of real shredded coconut. Unlike store-bought versions that can taste artificial, this homemade pie offers an authentic, rich coconut flavor that will transport you straight to a tropical paradise. Furthermore, making this pie at home can be surprisingly cost-effective, allowing you to avoid expensive bakery markups while still enjoying a dessert that tastes like a million dollars. The combination of luscious coconut filling, a perfectly flaky crust, and a cloud-like whipped cream topping makes it an absolute showstopper.
Imagine sinking your fork into that velvety filling, the delicate crunch of the crust, and the sweet, airy cream. It’s a sensory experience that rivals any fine dining dessert, and it’s all achievable in your own kitchen. If you’ve ever enjoyed a classic vanilla cream pie, you’ll find this coconut variation to be an equally delightful, yet more exotic, cousin. It’s the perfect comforting treat after a long day or the star of any holiday gathering. Don’t wait – gather your ingredients and treat yourself to the Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie today!
Storing and Reheating Tips
- Refrigeration: Store any leftover Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie in the refrigerator. It should be covered tightly with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container.
- Freshness: The pie will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The whipped cream topping may begin to deflate slightly over time, but the custard will remain delicious.
- Freezing: This pie is best enjoyed fresh and is not ideal for freezing, especially with the whipped cream topping. If you must freeze it, it’s recommended to freeze only the custard-filled crust before adding the whipped cream topping. Wrap the unadorned pie tightly in several layers of plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before topping with freshly made whipped cream and serving.
- Reheating: This pie is meant to be served chilled. There is no need to reheat it. Simply allow it to come to room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before serving if it has been refrigerated for a long time.
Final Thoughts
The Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie is a testament to simple ingredients creating extraordinary flavor. Dive into the creamy, dreamy goodness and experience a slice of pure bliss! Make this pie a part of your dessert repertoire and share the joy with loved ones.
Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Ensure your 9-inch pie crust is pre-baked and cooled completely. You can use a store-bought, ready-to-bake crust or bake your favorite homemade recipe ahead of time. A perfectly golden-brown crust provides the ideal foundation for the creamy filling.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup of the granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to thicken and bubble. Let it simmer gently for 1 minute, stirring continuously.1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ½ cup cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt, 4 cups whole milk
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining ½ cup of granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking vigorously. This process, called tempering, gently heats the yolks to prevent them from scrambling.4 large egg yolks, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard is very thick and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 to 7 minutes. Do not boil.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the unsalted butter and pure vanilla extract until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Gently fold in the 1 ½ cups of sweetened shredded coconut. For an extra burst of coconut flavor, you can add ½ teaspoon of coconut extract at this stage.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- Pour the warm coconut custard into the pre-baked pie crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Gently press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming as it cools.1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust
- Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, until the custard is completely set and firm.
- Just before serving, in a chilled bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream with the powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract (and coconut extract, if using) until stiff peaks form.1 cup heavy whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon coconut extract
- Remove the plastic wrap from the chilled pie. Spoon or pipe the whipped cream topping generously over the set coconut custard. Sprinkle with additional sweetened shredded coconut for a beautiful finish. Slice and serve immediately.1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut