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Coconut Cream Pie

Coconut cream pie is sweet, creamy, and full of tropical flavor. Super easy to make, this is the best Coconut Cream Pie you will ever try.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill Time 6 hours
Total Time 7 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

Crust and Toasted Coconut for Topping

  • 1 pre-made pie crust unbaked 9-inch
  • ¾ cup sweetened coconut flakes

Pie Filling

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ cup cornstarch
  • 4 large egg yolks beaten
  • 2 tablespoons salted sweet cream butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cup sweetened coconut flakes

Whipped Topping

  • 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring

Instructions
 

Pie Shell and Toasted Coconut

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
  • Place the unbaked pie crust into the prepared pie plate.
  • Line the inside of the pie crust with a piece of foil, sprayed with nonstick spray. Pour pie weights on top of the piece of foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the pie weights and the foil. Bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until golden but not brown. Allow to cool completely.
  • Using a separate pie plate, evenly spread the ¾ cup of coconut flakes.
  • Bake for 5 minutes, stir and bake an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the flakes are golden brown and toasted.

Coconut Pie Filling

  • Using a 3 to 4 quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium-high heat, whisk together the milk, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Bring the mixture to a low boil and continue whisking until the mixture thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Quickly whisk ½ cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Then whisk the tempered egg yolk mixture into the filling mixture. Continue to whisk for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Whisk in the vanilla and the butter.
  • Stir in the 1 ½ cups of sweetened coconut flakes.
  • Pour the pie filling into the cooled pie crust.
  • Allow the pie to chill in the refrigerator for 6 hours.

Whipped Topping

  • Using either a stand mixer or a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on high, beat the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla flavoring for 3 to 4 minutes until the cream mixture is stiff.
  • Evenly spread the whipped topping over the coconut pie.
  • Evenly spread the toasted coconut flakes over the top of the whipped topping. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Notes

PRO TIP: Pie weights help keep the pastry from puffing up or losing its shape in the oven. If you don’t have pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice, work just as well.
PRO TIP: Alternatively, you can toast coconut using a dry skillet on medium-high heat. Toast the coconut for 3 minutes, keeping a close eye on it the whole time.
PRO TIP: It’s essential to continually whisk the filling ingredients to keep it from scorching. Unfortunately, dairy scorches very easily.
PRO TIP: To keep your filling from turning into scrambled egg coconut pie, carefully and quickly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks and then whisk into the pie filling.
PRO TIP: You can top the pie with the whipped topping after it has been in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours.