Coconut cream pie

A thick and sweet graham cracker and vanilla wafer crust is filled with a creamy coconut pudding and topped with a vanilla whipped cream for a coconut lover's dream come true.

I have been on a kick of recreating some of my favorite restaurant desserts at home and this is no exception. Coconut cream pie is always a favorite of mine, and my family's, to get when out to eat. But isn't it even better when you can enjoy a delicious dessert like that at home in your sweats?

A must for me with this type of pie is the perfect crust. My favorite restaurant coconut cream pie has a vanilla wafer crust but I love a graham cracker crust too so we combine them here and the texture and taste is absolute perfection. Everyone who taste tested this pie of course loved the filling - but so many said their favorite part was actually the crust!

I love this recipe because there is no baking required. You'll make your crust then fill it with your coconut pudding and top it all with whipped cream and some optional toasted cookie crumbs and coconut shreds. The pudding itself is of course the star of the show, and it comes together in a pinch in a nonstick pot on the stovetop.

If you love coconut, you have the option to add in a bit of coconut extract to your pudding to really drive the flavor home. Be careful as it's a powerful and fragrant extract, but trust me it's worth it if you truly love coconut. In the pudding you'll also stir in shredded, sweetened coconut. It not only adds an amazing texture but it ensures you get the perfect coconut flavor in every single bite.

While you can absolutely make this pie in a standard pie dish, I usually opt to make it in a springform pan so I can remove the sides completely and have big, tall slices of pie. When I tested this recipe a final time, I panicked when removing the collar of the springform pan because the crust got stuck and caused a huge crack. I thought it was ruined and then I remembered I've seen so many chefs use a kitchen torch to heat the sides of a pan like this to release a baked good. I do not have a kitchen torch, but I do have a blow dryer for my hair - and it worked like an absolute charm. So a note to you if you do use the springform pan to remove the sides, let the pie come to room temperature or carefully heat the sides of the pan with whatever tool you have so that the pie crust releases with ease!

Ingredients:

Cookie crust

• 8 (120g) graham cracker sheets

• 24 (90g) vanilla wafers

• 1/4 cup (48g) brown sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 8 tablespoons butter 

Coconut pudding

• 1/3 cup (42g) cornstarch

• 1 cup (192g) granulated sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt 

• 4 large egg yolks 

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Optional: 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract  

• 2 1/4 cup whole or 2% milk

• 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup packed (90g) sweetened coconut*  

Topping

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 2 tablespoon powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract 

• Optional: 3 vanilla wafers

• Optional: 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

*Note that I double checked this gram measurement as it differs from the packaging, but a U.S. cup is equal to 90g for the sweetened coconut

Prep time: About 45 minutes

Chill time: 2-3 hours

Servings: 12 slices

Equipment:

• Food processor or chopper (or plastic bag and heavy tool for smashing)

• Heavy bottom nonstick pan

• Medium and small heatproof bowls

• Spatula and whisk

• 9 inch springform pan or pie dish

• Optional: mesh strainer, food thermometer

Cooking instructions:

Prep your crust. Crush your vanilla wafers and graham crackers using a food processor to pulse into a crumb or in a large plastic bag with a heavy tool like a rolling pin or heavy bottom pan to crush them. Once you're done, pour your cookie crumbs into a medium bowl. If you'd prefer, you can also continue mixing in your food processor just being sure not to mix too far.

To your cookie crumbs, add in your brown sugar and salt and toss to combine.

Melt eight tablespoons of butter, and add the melted butter to your crumbs. Mix together using a spoon or spatula until your butter is evenly dispersed and your cookie crumbs are damp.

Into your springform pan or pie dish, pour in your crust. Use a flat tool, like a measuring cup or offset spatula, to press your crumble down to form a crust. I recommend starting by forming the sides of your crust and then filling in the middle. Continue to press down firmly until you've formed and even crust with no open spaces. Set aside.

Make your pudding. In a medium, heatproof bowl, whisk together to combine your cornstarch, granulated sugar, salt, egg yolks, vanilla and coconut extract if using. Continue to whisk, it will be clumpy at first and then eventually will turn into a wet mixture. Set aside.

In a nonstick heavy bottom pot over low to medium heat, add in your milk. Heat your milk until you see whisps of steam coming off of your milk (if you have a food thermometer, it should be between 140-150 degrees). Pour half of your heated milk slowly over your egg yolk mixture, and whisk it together vigorously until smooth.

Pour this mixture back into your heavy bottom pot with the rest of your heated milk and continue to whisk over a low to medium heat. Leave your mixture to heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally and keeping a close eye on it, until your mixture begins to bubble lightly (a few will pop through the surface).

Turn your heat down to low and continue to mix for another few minutes until thickened. Be sure to reach down to the bottom of your pot periodically to ensure your entire mixture gets evenly thickened, another 2 minutes or so.

Remove from the heat and stir in your room temperature butter until completely combined. Note: if you notice any lumps, I recommend running your mixture through a mesh strainer while it's still warm before you add your coconut. Then, add in your sweetened coconut and stir until evenly distributed.

Assemble and top your pie. Pour your pudding into your pie crust and spread evenly across. Cover your pudding with plastic wrap so it's clinging to the top, exposed surface of your pudding to avoid a layer of film forming. Place into the fridge to chill for at least two hours.

While your pie is chilling, you can make toasted vanilla wafer and coconut crumbs to top your pie with. Simply crush your three vanilla wafers and add it to a nonstick pan with your unsweetened coconut over a low to medium heat. Stir frequently until your coconut is golden to your liking. Set aside to cool. You can also do this in the oven at 325 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

Once your pie is fully chilled, make your whipped cream. Add your heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a bowl. Use a hand mixer at a medium to high speed to whip until you reach stiff peaks.

Remove your pie from the fridge and gently pull off the plastic wrap. If you used a springform pan, wait about 20-30 minutes before gently removing the sides of the pan (see tips below on this). Top your pie with the whipped cream and coconut cookie crumbs however you'd like. I recommend chilling for another hour before slicing in but you can also dig in right away - and enjoy!

This pie will stay fresh for a few days if stored in an airtight container for a few days. It should be served chilled right from the fridge. Note that if you used a springform pan, you may need to heat the sides of the pan before removing the collar to avoid breaking your crust, especially if you attempt to remove it right after the pie has been chilling - you can do this with a kitchen torch if you have one, or if you're like me and do not you can use a blow dryer carefully on a medium heat and low setting (of course being careful not to blow your toppings off!)

Carb and serving info:

Carbs in full recipe: 554

Carbs per serving (1 of 12 slices): 46

Carbs in coconut pudding filling: 267

Carbs from sweetened coconut in pudding: 42

Carbs in cookie crust: 208

Carbs in graham crackers: 96

Carbs in crust vanilla wafers: 62

Carbs in light brown sugar: 50

Carbs in whipped cream topping: 22

Carbs in cookie crumb topping: 14

Note: Carb information is calculated based on the specific ingredients I used to cook with to help guide my own insulin to carb ratio when dosing before I eat my home cooked recipes.