This Coconut Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust Recipe is one of our top 10 dessert recipes! It's everything you love about custard pies - creamy, flavorful, made in one pot on the stove - but without the hassle of a traditional pie crust. We'll teach you the secret to creating tons of real coconut flavor (no extract needed!) plus all of our tips for making it ahead and avoiding a crumbly crust.
This is an excellent addition to our Thanksgiving Recipes and Easter recipes, but it's equally good at Christmas, summer potlucks, and more!
If you love serving homemade desserts for your favorite holidays but don't want to add extra stress to your menu, custard pies are the answer! They are a natural fit at any Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas menu.
Another custard pie with Graham cracker crust that is a breeze to make is this Creamy Lemon Pie Recipe, or for a more traditional crust I suggest this amazing Maple Pecan Pie Recipe.
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Why this recipe is great
There are a lot of coconut pie recipes out there, but this one is superior!
- It has real coconut flavor without any coconut extract thanks to the simple trick of simmering coconut in the custard as it cooks. I'm sorry, but extract just tastes.... fake. You won't go back once you try this!
- A Graham cracker crust is faster and simpler to make, and much more foolproof. Plus the flavor really complements the creamy filling.
- Like all custard pies, this one has to chill in advance, making it the perfect make ahead holiday dessert!
- It is completely homemade and ready to chill in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients for creamy coconut pie
The ingredients for this dessert are simple, but not easily substituted. I recommend following this recipe as written for best results.
- Graham crackers: Any brand is fine, but we have found that the generic Kroger brand has a great flavor and beautiful golden color!
- Granulated sugar: You will use it in the crust and filling. Don't substitute for brown sugar or powdered sugar.
- Butter: I always cook with salted butter. Some would say that's the wrong choice in baking, but I have always had stellar results.
- Coconut milk: It is normal for it to separate into solids and liquids in the can, but it will come together as you whisk the mixture. Don't substitute for coconut cream or cream of coconut. The water ratio in those products is very different and will completely change the results.
- Whole milk: The fat content in whole milk makes this extra creamy and helps the filling hold together. I don't suggest substituting with 2% or low fat milk.
- Sweetened shredded coconut: This is where all the flavor comes from!
- Salt: Salt in baking is a must. It makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
- Egg yolks: Custards are traditionally made by cooking milk with egg yolks, which thicken it and add to the pudding-like texture. For three different ways to remove the yolk from the egg white, check out this video on how to separate eggs.
- Cornstarch: This will thicken the filling enough so that it holds it's shape when you slice it.
- Vanilla: A must for the full flavor experience! I recommend using real vanilla if possible, but extract will work too.
- Heavy cream: It is also called whipping cream in the grocery store. This will be used to make the whipped cream topping, so it cannot be substituted with half n half.
Helpful kitchen tools
How to make coconut cream pie with Graham cracker crust
This recipe is not difficult to make, but it will go more smoothly if you read it all the way through before you start. Let's do it!
In a food processor, make graham cracker crumbs by pulsing the cookies until they are finely ground. Add the sugar and melted butter, pulsing until it resembles damp sand.
Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch deep dish pie plate. Bake the crust at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
In a medium pan off the heat, whisk together the coconut milk, whole milk, ½ cup of the sugar, coconut flakes, and salt. Place the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it comes to a simmer.
Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl whisk together the remaining ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
Now here is the important part. We need to temper the eggs, which means very gradually combining the egg mixture with the hot milk so that the eggs don't scramble or curdle.
Whisk 1 cup of the simmering milk mixture in the yolks, pouring it in very slowly and whisking constantly. Then slowly whisk the tempered egg mixture into the rest of the milk mixture on the stove.
Cook the custard on medium heat, whisking vigorously, until it is thick and few bubbles pop on the surface, about 1-2 minutes. It is important to make it thick enough so that each slice holds it's shape when you cut it later.
Once it is thickened, remove it from the heat. Add the vanilla and cold butter, and mix often until it is warm and thoroughly combined, about 5-8 minutes.
Pour the filling into the cooled crust, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap, making sure it is touching the surface so that a film does not form. Chill in fridge for 4-6 hours.
Once it is cold, whip up the whipped cream to stiff peaks and pile it on top!
Hint: Since this filling has shredded coconut in it, it won't be perfectly smooth. However it should have no curdled egg or grainy texture if the eggs are properly tempered.
How to toast shredded coconut
I highly recommend adding toasted coconut to the top of the pie! Heat a skillet over medium heat on the stove. Add 1-2 tablespoons of coconut and cook, stirring regularly until it turns a light golden brown. Then remove from the heat immediately - careful, it goes from brown to burned very quickly.
Make ahead tips
This is a perfect make ahead dessert because it's required to chill before serving. My top suggestion is to wait to make the whipped cream until the day you are serving, preferably within 1-2 hours at most. Keep the pie in the fridge until right before serving.
FAQ
Store the pie in the fridge for 2-3 days with a piece of plastic wrap pressed tightly onto the top to avoid a film from forming on the custard.
There are two aspects to thickening a custard filling. The first key is to add a little cornstarch. The second is to simmer the filling, allowing the cornstarch to react to the heat and thicken.
There are two reasons your pie might get watery on top. First, if you put the warm pie in the fridge without plastic wrap tightly on the top, it will steam and form condensation. Secondly, if you put the whipped cream on before the pie is completely cool, heat will get trapped on the surface of the custard and form watery drops.
Tips and tricks
- My top tip: Read through the whole recipe first and have all the ingredients ready. The timing, heat levels, and mixing frequency are important in this recipe.
- Use medium to firm pressure on the crust so it isn't crumbly.
- Place a damp washcloth under the tempering bowl to keep it from sliding around. This should make it easier to pour and mix at the same time.
- Don't have a deep dish pie plate? Just reserve about ⅓ of the crust and filling for parfait cups!
More dessert recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Easy Coconut Cream Pie with Graham Cracker Crust Recipe
Equipment
- Tamper or measuring cup
- hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Crust
- 12 sheets graham crackers (or 1.5 cups of crumbs)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon butter melted
Pie Filling
- 1 13.5 oz can coconut milk
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup sugar divided
- ¾ cup coconut
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 egg yolks
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoon butter cold and cut into 3 pieces
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoon shredded coconut toasted
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until they are fine crumbs. Add the sugar and butter, then pulse until it resembles damp sand. Press the mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom and sides of a 9 inch deep dish pie plate (see notes for tips).12 sheets graham crackers, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 6 tablespoon butter
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Filling
- In a medium pan off the heat, add the coconut milk, whole milk, ½ cup of sugar, coconut flakes, and salt. Whisk well. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.1 13.5 oz can coconut milk, 2 cups whole milk, 1 cup sugar, ¾ cup coconut, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining ½ cup sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch.8 egg yolks, 6 tablespoon cornstarch
- Whisk 1 cup of the simmering milk mixture in the yolks, pouring it in very slowly and whisking constantly. Then slowly whisk the tempered egg mixture into the rest of the milk mixture on the stove.
- Cook on medium heat, whisking vigorously, until it is thick and few bubbles pop on the surface, about 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Add the vanilla and cold butter, and mix often until it is warm, about 5-8 minutes.3 tablespoon butter, 2 teaspoon vanilla
- Pour into the cooled crust, cover with plastic wrap on the surface, and chill in fridge for 4-6 hours.
Topping and Assembly
- Once the pie is cool, combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a hand mixer on high speed until soft peaks form, 6-7 minutes.1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Pile the whipped cream on top of the pie, then sprinkle with toasted coconut.1-2 tablespoon shredded coconut
Notes
- My top tip: Read through the whole recipe first and have all the ingredients ready. The timing, heat levels, and mixing frequency are important in this recipe.
- Use medium to firm pressure on the crust so it isn't crumbly.
- Place a damp washcloth under the tempering bowl to keep it from sliding around. This should make it easier to pour and mix at the same time.
- Don't have a deep dish pie plate? Just reserve about ⅓ of the crust and filling for parfait cups!
Add Your Own Notes
Nutrition
All nutrition information is provided by a third party and is an estimate only. Use your own nutritional calculator for more specific measurements.
Lee says
Really incredible flavor!