This is the best Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie recipe ever! A flakey, buttery crust is filled with a creamy coconut center and baked until golden. Gooey in the center with a crisp crust, it’s utterly irresistible, especially when topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
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Pin RecipeIf you’ve never had coconut pie, you’re in for a treat! The soft center and crisp edges are truly what make this dessert recipe so incredible. Bursting with sweet, coconut flavor, every bite is a little bit of heaven.
Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie Recipe
My family demands I make coconut pie for Christmas, and I happily oblige because I love this easy recipe too! However, it’s also perfect for Thanksgiving. A slice of old-fashioned coconut pie next to a piece of chocolate pecan pie during the holidays is pure heaven!
I like to use homemade pie crust for this recipe, but you can definitely use a frozen or refrigerated store bought pie crust to save a little time. I also add a little bit of almond extract to my pie filling to give it extra depth and a subtle nutty, sweet flavor.
A coconut lover’s dream, this homemade coconut pie recipe is even better than your local bakery. Sweet and gooey, it’s sure to put a smile on everyone’s face and a dessert you’ll want to make year after year.
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Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full step-by-step instructions.
- 9” Pie Crust – Use a homemade flaky pie crust or a frozen pie crust. Both will work!
- Sweetened shredded coconut – Unsweetened coconut flakes will not work as well in this recipe. You need the sweetened coconut to achieve a sweet dessert-like taste and a beautiful golden color.
- Whole milk – Nondairy milk will also work well in this recipe. Use coconut milk, almond milk, or soy milk to make the coconut pie filling. Heavy cream can also replace milk for a very decadent pie.
- Sugar
- Flour
- Unsalted butter – Salted butter can be used if that’s what you have, but you’ll want to adjust the amount of extra salt included.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract – Almond extract is optional in this recipe, but I love the extra depth of flavor it adds. It really makes this coconut pie taste homemade, just like Grandma used to make!
- Salt
Variations
- Add some Cool Whip or whipped cream and toasted coconut on top of the chilled pie for a picture-worthy presentation. A lot of people love that creamy, light topping!
- You can add coconut extract instead of almond extract if you want a super intense, yummy coconut flavor.
- I like to use whole eggs for my cream pies, but you can also use 6 egg yolks in place of the three whole eggs if you want an even richer filling.
Quick Tip
I have also made this pie using a graham cracker crust. This is an easy way to put a modern twist on this old-fashioned recipe. Use a premade graham cracker crust, or make your own! Bake the pie as directed in the recipe card below.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350ºF. Press your pie crust into a 9” pie dish, and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Add the shredded coconut, sugar, and all-purpose flour to a bowl, and mix to combine. This will coat the coconut in flour and help the pie bake evenly.
- Mix the wets: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract.
- Combine: Slowly whisk the dry and wet ingredients together.
- Bake: Pour the coconut cream pie filling into the unbaked pie crust, and bake for about 35 minutes. When fully baked, the top of the pie will be golden brown and no longer look wet in the center.
- Cool: Let the pie cool and come to room temperature for about 1-2 hours before serving to let the coconut custard filling set. Serve with homemade whipped cream, cool whip, or vanilla ice cream! I also like to add a sprinkle of extra coconut or a chocolate drizzle for good measure.
How to Store Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie
Once cooled, leftover pie can be covered loosely with plastic wrap or transferred to an airtight container. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing this coconut pie. The filling tends to separate when thawed, giving it a very wet, liquid texture. Fresh is definitely best when it comes to this simple coconut pie recipe!
FAQs
If this easy coconut pie looks a little runny, it probably is not cooked enough. This pie really needs time to bake and set in the oven. To make sure the pie is fully baked, insert a knife into the center of the pie. It should come out clean or with just a few crumbs. If the knife looks wet and gooey, the pie needs to bake longer.
This really is the best coconut pie recipe, because the crust doesn’t get soggy! However, if you want to take extra precautions, you can par-bake the crust using pie weights before adding the filling.
I would not recommend freezing this coconut pie. The filling does not thaw very well, and the texture of the pie will be runny and a little chunky. Grandma’s old-fashioned coconut pies are meant to be made fresh!
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Old Fashioned Coconut Pie
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Pie dish
- whisk
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 9 Inch Pie crust, unbaked
- whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sweetened shredded coconut, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt.1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole milk, melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using).2 cups whole milk, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted, 3 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined.
- Pour the mixture into the unbaked 9-inch pie crust, spreading it out evenly.1 9 Inch Pie crust, unbaked
- Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is set. You can check for doneness by inserting a knife into the center; it should come out clean when the pie is ready.
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 1-2 hours before serving.
- Slice and serve the Old-Fashioned Coconut Pie as-is or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving (optional)
I made this coconut pie and it is really very delish!! The egg custard and coconut pair together well. I used coconut milk and frozen coconut because that is what I had on hand. I also added a dash of fresh nutmeg. It seemed to go with it. It made me think of eggnog at Christmas.
Thank you, Susie! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. 😊