Coconut Cream Pie
Coconut Cream Pie is a sweet and creamy, homemade vanilla pudding with lots of coconut, in a graham cracker crust. A from-scratch recipe, and easy to make! No tempering eggs!
Servings: 8
Calories: 509kcal
Equipment
- wire whisk
- 9-inch pie plate
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (120 grams, packed)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133 grams)
- ¼ cup cornstarch (32 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups milk (781 grams / 24 ounces) (1%, 2%, whole dairy milk all work equally fine)
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- 2 tablespoons butter (28 grams, melted)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (10 grams)
- homemade graham cracker crust (9-inch) (store-bought is fine too)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream (227 grams/8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (13 grams)
Topping
- sweetened shredded coconut (optional)
Instructions
- Roughly chop the coconut with a big knife. This will give your pie a better texture.
- Mix together sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucepan. Add eggs and whisk well to combine, until everything is mixed.
- Add the milk and the salt, and stir well to combine.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring often with a wire whisk. The mixture on the bottom will start to stick to the whisk. The filling will steam, the bubbles will disappear, and the milk will start to thicken.
- Pause for a few seconds to see if the mixture is bubbling in the center. When it does, set a timer for 2 minutes. Continue to cook, whisking constantly.
- After the filling has cooked for 2 minutes, remove it from heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla, and coconut.
- Scrape the filling into the graham cracker crust. Place a layer of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the filling to prevent a crust from forming.
- Cool the pie briefly at room temperature, then refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours.
- Make and top with whipped cream immediately before serving.
Whipped Cream
- Place heavy cream and sugar in a large bowl. It will expand as you whip it and cream spatters, so choose a larger bowl than you think you need.
- Use an electric mixer or a wire whisk to mix together the cream and sugar. Beat until medium or stiff peaks form.
- To check, pull the beater straight up from the cream. Turn it over so that the peak faces up. If the peak doesn't droop or only droops a little, it's ready. Otherwise, beat a few more seconds at a time until the whipped cream is ready.
- Top the pie with the whipped cream, then sprinkle with extra shredded coconut.
- Serve immediately. Promptly store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Eat within a couple of days.
Notes
I use sweetened shredded coconut that you easily find at a grocery store. Use a fresh package, as old coconut can dry out and be less flavorful. Unsweetened coconut will likely work, but your pie won't be as sweet.
I have used both 1% and 2% milk in this recipe. Both work well. I have never used non-dairy milk in this recipe.
You can make this in a 2-quart saucepan, but I find that I slosh milk out and onto the stove when I do. Using a 3-quart saucepan is cleaner.
All stoves heat and cook differently. To be sure that your pie is cooked and sets properly, follow the visual cues for how the filling is (bubbles in the middle, thickened). This may take longer on your stovetop than it does on mine. However, cooking time once it bubbles in the middle should still be 2-3 minutes.
Scrape the bottom of the pan well from the beginning, and turn the heat down if the filling seems to stick or cook too quickly. Constant whisking will help prevent issues.
Recipe updated 3/10/2025
Calorie count is calculated in MyNetDiary and is an estimate based on pie made with 2% milk, whipped cream recipe that is attached, and with my Homemade Graham Cracker Crust. Actual calorie count, of course, will vary.
Adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook
Nutrition
Calories: 509kcal
