Coconut Cream Pie. The old fashioned way!
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The Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie. Truly the absolute best! A creamy, old-fashioned coconut cream pie recipe that this avid baker has used for over 40 years. I have never tasted a better recipe.
Originally published Nov 2007.
Although I love coconut cream pie, I never order it in restaurants. That's because of decades of being served gelatinous slop that bore little resemblance to the real thing.
I have been making this pie since I was 12 years old and have yet to sample better; nor do I hope to.
This is quite an old fashioned recipe for this classic pie which is based upon a flour thickened, pudding-like custard pie filling.
I despise versions of this recipe that are thickened with corn starch. The texture just isn't right.
A proper coconut cream pie should be velvety and creamy, not jelly like at all. This recipe gets it right and the results are well worth the effort.
This recipe is continuously in our TOP 10 ever published on Rock Recipes, even after 15 years and over 1800 recipes published.
It gets many rave reviews and everyone who tries it loves it. This is the recipe you've been looking for.
2023 update.
This recipe has never wavered in popularity in all the time it has been posted on this website. I've found it still gets continuous rave reviews and is still consistently in our top ten recipes, even after 15 years online.
There's a very good reason why it's so popular. You'll thank yourself for discovering why.
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The Absolute Best Coconut Cream Pie
I really do believe this is the absolute best coconut cream pie. After decades of tasting many different pie recipes I have never had better than this luscious creamy pie... not even close.
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 1 cup very cold butter cut into small cubes
- 2 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup to ⅓ ice water, Only enough to make a dough form.
For the coconut cream filling
- 3 cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup flour
- ⅔ cup sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup unsweetened fine coconut
- 3 slightly beaten extra large egg yolks
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure almond extract
For the vanilla whipped cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoon icing sugar, powdered sugar
Instructions
For the pastry (sufficient for 2 pie shells)
- Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible.
- Pour cold water over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.
- Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes. You can freeze the second round for another time.
- You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 -20 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.
- Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a 10 inch pie plate.
- Trim and flute the edges as desired.
- Poke a few holes in the bottom of the pastry shell, rest in the refrigerator for an additional 20 minutes before baking at 400 degrees F for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool completely before adding the filling.
For the coconut cream filling
- Scald the milk in the microwave or on the stove top to almost boiling. Microwave works best as there is no chance of burning the milk.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan combine the flour, sugar, salt and coconut.
- Over medium low flame slowly add 1 cup of the scalded milk, whisking constantly.
- As you notice the filling beginning to thicken, add another cup of the scalded milk continuing to stir constantly until it begins to thicken again.
- Add the final cup of scalded milk, stirring constantly. Continue to cook over medium low heat until mixture begins to slightly thicken.
- At this point remove from heat and pour about a half cup of this mixture onto the beaten egg yolks, whisking constantly.
- Pour the egg mixture immediately back into the pot, continuing to constantly stir.
- Cook for an additional two or three until the filling reaches pudding consistency and remove from the flame. The mixture should just be beginning to boil at this point.
- Stir in the butter, vanilla and almond extract.
- Cool for about 20 minutes before pouring into the baked pie shell/s.
- Chill the pie/s completely for several hours or overnight before adding the vanilla whipped cream.
For the vanilla whipped cream
- Combine the whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat to soft peaks. Spread on top of the cooled coconut cream filling. Garnish with toasted coconut and serve.
- The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Notes
The total prep time does reflect the need to chill this pie for several hours before serving. I prefer to make it a day in advance whenever I can.
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
Recommended Products
Rock Recipes a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Our product recommendations are almost exclusively for those we currently use or have used in the past.
Nutrition Information
Yield
12Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 614Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 22gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 141mgSodium 410mgCarbohydrates 63gFiber 2gSugar 29gProtein 8g
The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.
This was amazing!!! This is my husband's favorite pie, I tried a different recipe last night, it's in the garage now. I was determined to nail this no matter how many times and recipes I tried. I followed the instructions to this one and it came out AMAZING! Even my crust was perfect!! And I hate making crust!!
Thanks! I'll be making this many more times in my future!
So glad it was a big success. It's a recipe that I have been making since I was a kid. I've never tried another recipe. Why would I? 🙂
Coconut Cream Pie is a favorite of a close family friend. So, I made this pie last week, however, I do not see where you could get 2 pie crusts out of this recipe. What was left over will make a much smaller pie crust instead of a 12 inch pie crust. This pie crust was soooooo flaky!! I can’t wait to use the leftover pie crust which I placed in the freezer until ready to use. Could you double the crust recipe? Then whatever is leftover you could make some sugar and cinnamon pinwheels. I can remember growing up and when my mom was making a pie and she had leftover pie crust she would make these pinwheels – DELICIOUS!! The pie was a hit with my family friend and she enjoyed every last bite ALL to herself! LOL I’m unable to eat due to having cancer and having my tongue removed in June 2014; however that hasn’t stopped my LOVE for being in the kitchen! This recipe is a KEEPER!!
The pie crust recipe is pretty standard for two 9 to 10 inch pie shells. A 12 inch pie is quite large.
Best coconut pie I've ever made. Must confess that I also added 1/2 tsp coconut extract. Would have been a 5 star pie without it !!
This recipe always gets a great response. So Glad you like it.
Hi there! Is the butter salted or unsalted? Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I almost always use salted butter, except sometimes for frosting.
Can the whole pie be made the before? Planning for Thanksgiving. Thanks!
If you mean a day ahead, then yes. It is best chilled overnight anyway for the best set on the custard.
Should I measure the flour packed down or loose? I made the pie filling but it came out runny and I had to scrap it. I'm trying again tomrw night. Good thing thanksgiving is still a week away
Slightly packed should be fine but I don't think that's your issue. You may not be cooking the filling long enough. Low and slow is best here. It will take 15 minutes or so to get the filling to the proper consistency. Make sure that the filling shows that it is beginning to thicken between additions of milk. For heavens sake don't use anything but real butter at the end. Anything else can cause a filling to collapse.
How long do you actually cook it?
There are a few variables that would affect that. Until it is a pudding like consistency is mt best answer. On my stove, perhaps 15 minutes or more. Don't walk away, it has to be attended to.
My family likes meringue on top. Would this pie work with meringue instead of the original topping? Thanks!!
Oh yes, I know several people who do this but I never have myself.
Awesome. But next time I'm leaving out the almond extract.
I want to make this tomorrow for Valentine's Day! Can you tell me exactly what coconut you use? The packaged type is usually really moist. The bulk section at Whole Foods has a very dry unsweened coconut and it's pretty fine. Which one would you suggest? Thanks!
The dry, unsweetened is what you want.
I made this tonight and so far, the nibble I tasted is amazing. However is the whipping cream actually whipped cream or heavy whipping cream? Probably a silly question but I want to be sure before ruining my pie.
Here whipping cream is 35% milk fat, anything over that is fine, as long as it can be whipped.
I've been looking everywhere for a coconut cream pie recipe. Here we have one. Except I have EVERY OTHER INGREDIENT except whole milk. Would half and half suffice or should I get the whole milk?
Can't answer that. I've only ever used whole milk.
My husband has been asking me to make a coconut cream pie. I made it on the weekend & the filling was amazing. Not happy with the pastry. It was very tough. Next time Ii will use my regular Crisco pie crust.
Great recipe. Thanks.
Sounds like you worked the pastry too much or added too much water. Butter is not as forgiving as shortening. Glad you enjoyed the pie filling.
I made this last night and had trouble getting it to thicken can any one help me with a reason why. Could weather affect it?
Humidity could affect the measurement of the flour which thickness the custard but honestly I don't think that much. How long did you cook it?
Wondering if using coconut milk instead of whole milk would work? Loooove the flavor of coconut!
I've never tried but wondered too if the extra fat would affect the thickening action .