Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Prepare yourself for a journey into the heart of nostalgia with our old-fashioned Coconut Cream Pie recipe. This creamy delight has been a beloved tradition in my family for four generations. Simplicity and deliciousness are at the core of this recipe, making it a perfect addition to your table for any special occasion. Whether crowned with a fluffy meringue or a dollop of whipped topping, this pie is destined to become a treasured favorite for your family. Make this old fashioned coconut cream pie today and enjoy pure creamy comfort in every bite!

Coconut Cream Pie

This delightful coconut cream pie recipe holds a special place in our hearts. It’s a symbol of love, as it was one of the first pies I ever baked for my husband. He often jokes that this pie was the deal-sealer that led him to marry me, and it remains his all-time favorite.

One of the charming aspects of coconut cream pie is the debate over whether it’s best enjoyed warm or chilled. We appreciate both variations, which led to a compromise in our household. The first slice is always enjoyed when it’s still warm, bringing a sense of comfort, and the rest is served chilled.

At The Farmer’s Lamp, we only use organic, non-GMO ingredients. It’s our way of ensuring that each bite is not only delicious but also wholesome. If you’re accustomed to conventional ingredients, you can certainly use those.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of crafting a homemade, old-fashioned coconut cream pie using organic, non-GMO ingredients, you may not discern the distinction.

For an extra special touch, consider making your own homemade pie crust. It’s the perfect way to elevate this pie to the next level, turning it into a true culinary masterpiece. You can use our recipe for old fashioned pie crust made with vinegar or if you Einkorn flour as we do, you can use our recipe for Einkorn Pie Crust.

You can learn about GMOs in our posts about them. Start with this one.

FAQs about Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

Should coconut cream pie be refrigerated?

Yes, absolutely. Once your coconut cream pie has cooled on a rack for 1-2 hours to set the filling, it’s a good practice to refrigerate it for at least 2 more hours before serving. While you can enjoy it warm, the filling will be a bit runnier. However, for a fully set and more delicious pie, refrigerating it is recommended. Any leftover pie should also be stored in the fridge.

How long will Coconut Cream Pie keep in the fridge?

To be honest, at our house, it’s quite rare for a coconut cream pie to last more than two days! However, typically, you can store it in the fridge for a maximum of 4 to 5 days. Just remember to enjoy it all by the 5th day for the best taste.

What do I do if my coconut cream pie won’t set?

If you find that your coconut cream pie hasn’t set as it should, there could be a couple of reasons. Firstly, it might be due to not allowing it to cool sufficiently before cutting into it.

More likely, though, the filling may not have cooked long enough. It’s important that the filling comes to a good boil and thickens properly during the cooking process.

1. The best way to fix a runny filling is to return the filling to the pot, bring it to a boil on medium-high heat, and continue cooking until it thickens.
2. If it’s still not thickening up, dissolve one tablespoon of cornstarch in a quarter-cup of milk and add it to the pot. Continue cooking the filling until it thickens and then return it to your crust to chill.
3. As an alternative, you can try adding some gelatin to the filling and mix it thoroughly. While this won’t give you the same creamy coconut custard, it will make the pie servable.

Why does my coconut cream pie weep?

If your coconut cream pie is topped with a meringue and it’s weeping, it’s likely due to overbaking the meringue. Overbaking causes the egg whites to shrink, squeezing out small moisture droplets. To prevent this, try these tips:

1. Don’t overbake the meringue. Check it at the minimum baking time and keep a close eye on it. It can quickly overbake or burn if left unattended.
2. Make certain the sugar in your egg whites is completely dissolved when mixing. Start at low speed until the mixture loses its graininess before whipping up those perfect peaks. Consider using caster sugar or superfine granular sugar.
3. Prepare the meringue before starting on the pie crust and filling. This allows it plenty of time to chill making it easier to spread and less likely to shrink during cooking.
4. Make sure to spread the meringue to the crust’s edge to create a seal, ensuring it touches the edges of the pie crust.

Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• Baked 9” deep dish pie crust
• 6 eggs – separated
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups grass fed A2A2 whole milk, whole milk, or coconut milk
• 3 Tablespoons softened butter
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract or coconut extract
• 1 1/2 cups fresh coconut flakes or dry unsweetened coconut flakes

For Meringue

• Egg whites (separated from yolks used in the pie filling)
• 5 Tbs fine grain sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring

For Whipped Cream Topping: Yields 2 1/3 cups of whipped topping

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbs fine grain sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring

Instructions

1. Prepare and bake your pie crust or you can skip the homemade crust for a store-bought unbaked pie shell.
2. Separate the eggs and put the egg whites in the refrigerator for the meringue
3. Beat egg yolks well in a large bowl.
4. In a 2-quart medium bowl or medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and real salt.
5. Gradually stir in the milk combining well.
6. Cook over medium heat on your stovetop until the mixture thickens and begins to boil.
7. Let boil for 1 minute. *Stir the mixture continuously! It burns quickly.*
8. Once the filling has boiled for one minute, slowly stir 3/4 of the hot mixture into your well-beaten egg yolks.
9. Then immediately stir the egg mixture back into the pot with the rest of your pie filling.
10. Return the pie filling to a boil over medium heat. Let boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.
11. Add butter, coconut, and vanilla to the pot and combine well.
12. Pour your custard filling into your prepared crust.

If you are topping with whipped topping:

• Lay a piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap directly onto the pie’s surface to prevent any unwanted skin formation.
• Let the pie cool for two hours on a wire rack. This period allows the filling to achieve a desirable level of firmness.
• You have the choice to serve it warm, though be prepared for a slightly more fluid filling than its cold-set counterpart.
• Alternatively, if you prefer the pie chilled, let it cool on the wire rack for an hour, then slide it into the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours to ensure a well-set filling.

When it’s time to enjoy your coconut cream pie, peel back the parchment paper or plastic wrap and add as much whipped topping as you would like.

To make the whipped cream topping

• Put 1 cup of heavy cream into a chilled bowl. Using the whisk attachment on your mixer, whip at the highest speed of your electric mixer in a large mixing bowl until the cream begins to stiffen.
• Gradually add 3 Tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon at a time. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Store in refrigerator until ready to use. I put mine in a glass jar or bowl with a tight-fitting lid.
• Of course, you can buy ready-made cool whip.

If you are topping with Meringue:

• Once you have your coconut cream filling poured into the crust, let’s make the meringue.
• Begin by beating the egg whites until they are fluffy.
• Gradually add 5 tablespoons of sugar to the egg whites while continuously beating on high speed in the bowl of a stand mixer, your hand mixer, or as fast as you can by hand.
  • By hand takes forever and isn’t as efficient – trust me.
• Once stiff peaks form, spread the meringue over the top of your pie filling being careful to seal it to the edges of the crust.
• Sprinkle the top with a little coconut. Cook under your oven broiler until golden brown for that toasted coconut taste. **It will burn quickly so watch closely.**
• Let the pie sit on the counter for a couple of hours to set and serve warm.
  • A warm filling will be runnier than a cold set pie.

OR

• Let sit on the counter at room temperature for an hour then refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until the pie filling is set well.

Now, it’s time to serve and savor this delicious masterpiece—enjoy!

WRAP UP

Some folks initially thought that the notion of an easy-to-make coconut pie was impossible. Often dismissed as the “impossible pie” in the realm of their beloved dessert recipes, this coconut cream pie has emerged as the ultimate coconut lover’s delight.

For all you coconut enthusiasts out there, it’s as simple as heeding the recipe to create this delectable masterpiece. And if coconut desserts happen to hold a special place in your heart, our delightful old fashioned layered coconut cake recipe could be a new favorite.

For those who use Einkorn flour as we do, you will love our old fashioned layered coconut cake made with Einkorn.

I think I’m going to go make one now! I like this pie almost as much as the Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie Recipe.

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