Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe
One of my dad’s favorite pies is coconut cream pie. Every time I have a slice of one or make one, I think of him. He adores this homemade coconut cream pie, which is just brimming with coconut flavor since coconut is used four different ways: shredded coconut, coconut milk, coconut rum, and coconut extract! If you have a coconut fan in your life, they’ll go nuts for this super creamy, decadent, and luscious pie. To save time, feel free to use a store-bought pie crust or you can make my easy, flaky, all-butter homemade pie crust. One thing I really love about this pie is that after you blind bake the pie crust, the filling for my coconut cream pie is no-bake. Simply just refrigerate it to set up!
Ingredients in Homemade Coconut Cream Pie
To make a scrumptious coconut cream pie with coconut milk, you’ll need the following basic and commonly found ingredients:
Pie crust – Use your favorite homemade pie crust or buy a refrigerated crust Granulated sugar Cornstarch Salt Canned coconut milk (shelf stable, full fat recommended) Coconut rum — I used Malibu (Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur) Egg yolks Butter — Unsalted and cold Coconut extract — Gives extra coconut flavor to the cream filling Shredded coconut Heavy whipping cream Confectioners’ sugar
How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
This may be a homemade pie, but it’s an EASY coconut cream pie recipe. If making scratch crusts isn’t your forte, just use a store-bought crust. Here’s an overview of the baking process:
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers of this homemade coconut pie will keep up to three days in the fridge. I recommend gently wrapping it in plastic wrap to keep out the fridge smells and prevent the crust from drying out.
Can You Freeze Coconut Cream Pie?
Yes, homemade coconut cream pie may be frozen for up to three months. To freeze the pie, prepare the recipe as written just until the filling is added to the pie crust. Do NOT freeze the pie with the whipped cream on top. Wait until you’ve thawed the pie before adding the whipped cream.
Do I Have to Make Homemade Pie Crust?
No, you don’t. For this pie, I was in a rush and used a refrigerated pie crust. But if you’re inclined to make your own crust, I recommend my Homemade All-Butter Pie Crust which is just truly so flaky and buttery.
Can the Coconut Extract Be Omitted?
The recipe calls for coconut extract, and I recommend buying it for the pie. It’s generally much less expensive than vanilla extract because it’s an imitation or artificial extract. I recommend checking the baking aisle of your grocery store for a tiny bottle of a store-brand. Although if you really don’t want to purchase it, you can use vanilla extract instead, but take note that your pie won’t be as intensely coconut flavored.
What Type of Coconut Milk Should I Buy?
For the homemade coconut pie, you want to use canned coconut milk, not refrigerated. I strongly recommend using full fat rather than lite versions because the extra fat in the coconut milk will not only make for a richer tasting pie, the filling will also set up better. Do not accidentally grab coconut cream or cream of coconut milk. This is sweetened, even thicker, and is what you’d use to make pina coladas not pie. If for some reason you don’t want to use coconut milk in coconut cream pie, you technically can use regular cow’s milk. I recommend whole milk and definitely nothing less than 2% fat.
Is Coconut Rum Necessary?
Technically rum, or more specifically coconut rum, isn’t absolutely necessary. I used Malibu, which is rum with coconut liqueur and there are only 3 tablespoons of it in the whole pie but it adds a nice extra layer of coconut flavor. The alcohol burns off during the baking process. However, if there’s a reason why you don’t consume alcohol, you can simply omit it. Perhaps bump up the amount of coconut extract you use instead.
Tips for the Best Coconut Cream Pie
The filling in this easy coconut cream pie is silky and on the looser side. It’s mandatory to observe the three times you are instructed to chill the pie — the filling alone in a bowl, the filling after it’s in the pie crust, and after you top the pie with the whipped cream. Even after chilling, you can see from the photos it still loses some of its shape but would be far more pronounced if you don’t chill the pie first. It’s a no-bake filling and this just goes with the territory.
Rather than buying a whole full size bottle of Malibu for this pie if you don’t already have it on hand, look for a mini bottle. Or buy the big bottle anyway and then make lots of Malibu Sunsets! I use sweetened shredded coconut because this is dessert after all, but unsweetened is theoretically fine. You don’t have to top the pie with toasted shredded coconut at the end, but it’s a wonderful touch.
Be careful though when you are broiling the coconut and keep a watchful eye on it. Coconut is so prone to burning and it can happen very fast, especially in such a hot oven. Basically don’t turn your back on the oven since it will only likely need 2 to 3 minutes, but stir it after a minute. Make sure the coconut is completely cooled before sprinkling it on the topping so you don’t melt your homemade whipped cream. To save time, feel free to use store bought whipped topping like Cool Whip rather than whipping your own cream.
More Coconut Dessert Recipes:
Coconut Custard Pie — A one-bowl, no-mixer pie with a short ingredients list that is SO easy to make and forms three different LAYERS while it bakes!! Mindlessly easy, goofproof, and coconut lovers will go crazy for this MAGIC pie!! Tried this recipe? Leave a review! Consider leaving a 5 star rating if you’ve made and loved one of my recipes!
Samoas Cookie Pie — This Samoa pie tastes even better than the Girl Scout cookies you grew up eating! It’s layered with caramel sauce, chocolate, and shredded coconut. YUM!
Better-Than-Girl-Scout Samoas Cookie Bars – Resembles Samoas but BETTER!! An Oreo crust topped with coconut, chocolate chips, and drenched in salted caramel!! Chewy, rich, decadent, and EASY!!
Salted Caramel Magic Bars – A fun twist on the classic bars because everything is better with salted caramel! Fast, easy, no-mixer recipe that’ll be a hit with everyone!
Rolo Seven Layer Bars – The classic bar tastes even better with Rolos!
Chocolate Chip Cookie Magic Bars – The classic recipe made even better with a chocolate chip cookie crust! One bowl, no mixer, fast and easy! Soft, chewy, gooey and so good!
Pineapple Coconut Bars — Eat your piña colada rather than drinking one with these fast, EASY, no-mixer bars that taste TROPICAL!! Pineapple, coconut, white chocolate, and cherries!!
Mounds Bar Chocolate Coconut Brownies — Like eating a Mounds candy bar that’s on top of rich, fudgy brownies!! Easy and oh so good!!
Loaded Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies — Soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate! Sinking your teeth into a thick, hearty cookie is the best!! So good!
Coconut White Chocolate Chip Cookies — Soft, chewy, and so moist thanks to the coconut and browned butter with the PERFECT amount of white chocolate!! If you like white chocolate, you will LOVE these spring and summery-tasting EASY cookies!!
