Fluffy Coconut Cream Pie
This Fluffy Coconut Cream Pie is simply divine! The custard filling is rich and smooth, and using coconut milk and coconut extract gives it an extra creamy burst of coconut flavor. Topped with homemade whipped cream, this pie is a must make any time of the year.
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To be honest, I always thought I was more of a cake person rather than a pie person – well, unless you count Simple Cherry Cheesecake Pie. Otherwise, I’m more of a piña colada poke cake or a strawberry cheesecake lush kind of girl.
As it turns out, I like pie quite a bit.
Since I’m in full-on spring baking mode, I felt like trying out my mom’s friend Sondra’s recipe for this Fluffy Coconut Cream Pie. If you want to know the truth, I believe this recipe came out of an old edition of the Betty Crocker cookbook, but Sondra makes the all time best ever pies – so I knew wherever the recipe originated, it had to be good.
And this Fluffy Coconut Cream Pie?
It’s really, really good.
The custard cream filling is velvety smooth, sweet and light, and comes together just perfectly with a double punch of coconut – three cups of coconut milk and some coconut extract. Vanilla extract works okay if you don’t have coconut – but use the coconut if you can.
This is by far the best pie I’ve ever made, bar none. The absolute best part about it was that it was so simple to make. The custard filling takes just a few minutes to cook on the stove top, and then you just pour it into your pie pastry shell to chill. I have to admit, I just took the easy route and baked a Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust and then allowed it to cool. But if you want to make your own crust from scratch – go for it.
Once the filling is chilled, make your whipped topping by whipping together some heavy cream, powdered sugar, and a bit more coconut extract. Or, if you want to use Cool Whip, you can do that, too. I won’t tell. 😉
- 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pastry shell
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups coconut milk
- 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1½ teaspoon coconut extract
- ¾ cup shredded coconut, divided
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
- ¼ cup toasted coconut (optional)
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
- Boil one minute and remove from heat.
- Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Carefully blend the egg mixture into the milk mixture in the saucepan.
- Boil one minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the butter and the coconut extract. Fold in ¼ cup shredded coconut. Pour immediately into the baked pie shell.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add in powdered sugar and extract and continue whipping until stiff peaks form.
- Spread whipped cream on top of pie. Topped with ½ cup toasted coconut, if desired.
- Keep pie refrigerated.
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Does the 3/4 cup coconut get mixed into the filling before you put it in the pie shell?
It does, Kathy – thank you for catching that. It’s fixed now!
Coconut and cream, two of my favorite ingredients. Love that I can see the coconut flakes in the layers of the pie, delicious.
Do you use canned or boxed coconut milk?
I used boxed coconut milk.