A cream pie is a kind of pie filled with a rich custard or pudding that is made from milk, cream, sugar, flour and eggs. It can be made in several flavors. This Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe by Paula Deen is no exception. It includes a delicious homemade flaky crust, rich coconut flavored custard filling and fluffy whipped cream topping.
In our recipe we used a traditional round pie pan for the Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe, but it can also be made in a rectangular 9×13 baking pan and cut into squares. Nothing says that pies must be round. And if you’re making this as a crowd pleaser, the rectangle baking pan might be the way to go.
The flavors of food have a way of bringing out wonderful memories from events of the past when we’ve shared delightful experiences with family and friends. For me, a coconut cream pie reminds me of a trip to Amish country in Shipshewana Indiana. It was there that I first tried coconut cream pie and fell in love with its rich and creamy flavors. I knew that someday I’d want to perfect a recipe for coconut cream pie. What experiences or events have brought about memories of food for you?
Shopping List
Eggs
Coconut milk (canned, unsweetened)
All-purpose flour
Cornstarch
Salt
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Coconut, sweetened, flaked
Butter
Buttermilk
Whole milk
Heavy whipping cream
Powdered sugar
Why is This Coconut Pie Recipe So Great?
This coconut cream pie recipe is the best we’ve tasted. That fact alone is sufficient to make it great. But on top of that, it is easy to make. So, you’ve got the best of both worlds. Who doesn’t like an easy recipe? Just mix and cook the filling and add the delicious topping. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Professional Tips for Success Making This Recipe
Cooling is Important
After making the filling and pouring the warm mixture into the pie crust, make sure you don’t skip the cooling step. This recipe calls for allowing it to cool completely in the refrigerator for up to three hours. That step is important BEFORE adding whipped cream. If you add the whipped cream while the filling is still warm, it will simply melt into a soupy puddle. A sad (and messy) day.
How to Avoid Lumps
To avoid making lumps in the pie filling, be sure to whisk all of the dry ingredients together completely first. And then slowly add the liquid ingredients, using a thin stream and whisking well, to avoid lumps.
How to Avoid Making Butter
You might already know that if heavy whipping cream is whipped too long, its form changes and it turns into butter. Avoiding that is simple. It just requires your attentiveness to stay with the mixer the entire time it beats the cream and sugar. Don’t walk away. The 2 – 3 minutes of careful watchfulness is worth having perfected cream in the end.
Can Paula Deen’s Easy Coconut Cream Pie Be Frozen?
Yes. Coconut Cream Pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. However, I should point out that the filling of the pie will likely form crystals in the process. Those will go away if the pie has time to thaw from the freezer before it is consumed. For best results when freezing, wrap in plastic wrap or an airtight container to maintain freshness.
How To Store Paula Deen’s Easy Coconut Cream Pie
Paula Deen’s Easy Coconut Cream Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store in an airtight container or under plastic wrap. The pie will taste best when consumed in the first 24 hours while it is fresh. The crust can become soggy after the first day.
How to Make Coconut Cream Pie
The process for making a cream pie is quite simple compared to say a fruit pie where you’d have to pit cherries or peel a whole bunch of apples. It just requires a few ingredients to be cooked on the stovetop and then cooled. And the process can even be cut back further if you choose to use an already purchased pie crust, rather than making one.
Ingredients for Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe Paula Deen
Crust:
1 cup, plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
½ cup cold butter, cubed
4 tbsp whole buttermilk, chilled
Filling:
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp salt
2 cups whole milk
2 cups unsweetened, canned coconut milk
8 large egg yolks
2 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
16 oz heavy whipping cream
¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
Directions:
1. Prepare the crust by whisking together flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer or a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to fit the baking pan. Press dough to the bottom and the sides of the pan.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
5. For the filling, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk, coconut milk and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in coconut and vanilla.
6. Spread filling into prepared crust. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 3 hours.
7. For the topping, beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar at high speed until medium peaks form. Wait until filling is thoroughly cooled before adding the whipped cream.
8. For toasted coconut, prepare ¼ cup shredded coconut in a thin layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Bake at 350F until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Spread on top of the whipped topping before serving.
Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe by Paula Deen
Equipment
- stand mixer
- large saucepan
- pie plate
- baking dish
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ cup cold butter, cubed
- 4 tbsp whole buttermilk, chilled
Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups unsweetened, canned coconut milk
- 8 large egg yolks
- 2½ cups sweetened coconut flakes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
- 16 oz heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup confectioner’s sugar
Instructions
Crust
- Prepare the crust by whisking together flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer or a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in buttermilk until a dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to fit the baking pan. Press dough to the bottom and the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
Filling
- For the filling, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in milk, coconut milk and egg yolks until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in coconut and vanilla.
- Spread filling into prepared crust. Let cool for 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly on the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold and firm, about 3 hours.
Topping
- For the topping, beat heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar at high speed until medium peaks form. Wait until filling is thoroughly cooled before adding the whipped cream.
- For toasted coconut, prepare ¼ cup shredded coconut in a thin layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Bake at 350F until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Spread on top of the whipped topping before serving.
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Coconut Cream Pie Paula Deen Copycat Recipe is a recipe I came up with to replicate the real thing.
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