This post may contain affiliate links. Please see disclosure policy here.
This classic coconut cream pie is made with a delicious creamy coconut filling and topped with sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
When I was in college and dating my husband one of his roommates worked at Marie Callenders Pie Shop. One of the perks of working there was he was able to bring home the leftover cream pies at the end of the day. Lucky for us he shared and I developed a love for cream pies that year! One of the favorite cream pies that always seems to disappear first at our Wilkes family Thanksgivings is the coconut cream pies.
I love making my coconut cream pie with a graham cracker crust and have an easy tutorial on how to make a graham cracker crust for you here. You can also use a pastry crust if you prefer, just be sure and blind bake the crust before filling it. The instructions for my perfect pie crust and blind baking can be found here.
Ingredients Needed
- 9 inch graham cracker crust or a baked, cooled pastry crust.
- Vanilla instant pudding, not the cook and serve pudding. Use coconut pudding for even more flavor.
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut extract
- Sweetened shredded coconut
- Whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
How to Make a Coconut Cream Pie
- In a large bowl, combine dry pudding, milk, and extracts and whisk until thickened. You can also use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment.
- Fold in 1 cup of sweetened flaked coconut into the pudding mixture.
- Add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp of powdered sugar to the whipping cream and whip until firm.
- Fold half of the whipped whipping cream into pudding mixture.
- Add coconut custard into prepared crust.
- Top with remaining sweetened whipped cream and toasted coconut.
- Chill for several hours over overnight.
- Sprinkle the top with the toasted coconut right before serving so it doesn’t get soft in the refrigerator.
Tips & Tricks
- Use instant vanilla pudding mix. Add in a combination of vanilla and coconut extract. Instant pudding is different than the Cook & Serve variety of pudding. I think you get better coconut flavor by using vanilla pudding with coconut extract better than using coconut pudding.
- Always use whole milk when making pudding, you get a richer, fuller flavor.
- Use sweetened coconut but you can also use unsweetened. Toast 1/4 cup of the coconut to sprinkle on top, the rest is folded in with the pudding mixture. Follow my How to Toast Coconut tutorial here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will coconut cream pie last?
If by some chance you have leftover coconut cream pie, you will want to make sure to store it properly. Coconut cream pie will keep for three to four days in the fridge. Just cover the pie loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. If you want to make the pie ahead of time, I recommend storing the covered pie in the fridge before you add the whipped cream and toasted coconut to the top and adding them right before you serve the pie.
Check out more of my favorite easy pie recipes:
Be sure and follow me over on You Tube for weekly cooking demos.
Coconut Cream Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9 inch graham cracker crust
- 2 3.4 oz. vanilla instant pudding
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp coconut extract
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine pudding, milk, and extracts and stir until thickened.
- Fold in 1 cup of sweetened flaked coconut into the pudding mixture.
- Add 1 tsp vanilla and 2 tsp of powdered sugar to the whipping cream and whip until firm.
- Fold half of the whipped whipping cream into pudding mixture.
- Add pudding mixture into prepared crust. Top with remaining 1 cup of whipped cream and toasted coconut.
- Chill for several hours over overnight. Serve chilled.
Tips & Notes:
- Use instant vanilla pudding mix. Add in a combination of vanilla and coconut extract. Instant pudding is different than the Cook & Serve variety of pudding. I like the flavor of using vanilla pudding with extract much better than using coconut pudding.
- Always use whole milk when making pudding, you get a richer, fuller flavor.
- Use sweetened coconut but you can also use unsweetened. Toast 1/4 cup of the coconut to sprinkle on top, the rest is folded in with the pudding mixture. Follow my How to Toast Coconut tutorial here.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Facts:
Leave a Review