Coconut Cream Pie
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Layers of creamy coconut custard, pillowy whipped cream, and heaps of toasted coconut all in a buttery shortbread crust—this coconut cream pie is pure dessert bliss!
My husband’s all-time favorite dessert is the signature coconut cream pie from The Capital Grille in Washington, DC. Hoping to surprise him, I took a chance and emailed the restaurant manager asking for the recipe. To my surprise, he sent it to me! Of course, like most restaurant recipes, it was scaled to feed an army and didn’t include the crust, so I had to do some tweaking. But it was worth every bit of effort—the result was nothing short of dreamy! Think: a coconut-scented cookie crust filled with creamy coconut custard, topped with pillowy whipped cream and heaps of toasted coconut.
If you love my coconut cake or coconut cupcakes, this coconut cream pie recipe is another must-try. It’s rich, creamy, and full of coconut flavor—perfect for any coconut lover!
“I made this for my mother-in-law’s birthday party. She almost cried! She said it was the most delicious dessert she had ever had.”
What You’ll Need To Make Coconut Cream Pie
- Shortbread cookies: Provides a buttery, crumbly base for the pie. Use homemade shortbread cookies or store-bought—whichever you prefer.
- Sweetened flaked coconut: Adds texture and coconut flavor to the crust. Typically sold in plastic bags in the baking aisle, it is the dried, shredded, and sweetened meat of the coconut. (Have extra? Make my coconut macaroons.)
- Unsalted butter: Binds the crust ingredients together and adds richness.
- Eggs: Thickens the custard and adds richness.
- Sugar: Sweetens the custard and topping.
- All-purpose flour and Cornstarch: Helps thicken the custard filling.
- Rum: Adds depth of flavor, warmth, and a tropical note to the custard and topping.
- Cream of Coconut: Sweetens the custard and enhances the coconut flavor. Cream of coconut is thicker and richer than coconut milk with a higher fat content, and it is sweetened. It is often sold with the drink/cocktail mixers at the supermarket.
- Unsweetened coconut milk: Adds creamy coconut flavor without extra sweetness.
- Whole milk: Provides a creamy base for the custard.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and a smooth texture to the custard.
- Heavy cream: Whipped to make the topping.
- Unsweetened coconut chips or flakes: Dried, shaved coconut meat, typically found in large supermarkets or organic markets. Toasted, they add a crunchy, flavorful and pretty garnish to the pie.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make The Crust
Place the shortbread cookies, coconut, and melted butter in a food processor.
Process until the coconut is finely ground.
Press the crumbs into firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan or 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. (Tip: start with the sides.)
Bake until golden, about 15 minutes, then set aside to cool. If the crust shrinks or cracks a bit, simply press it back together and up the sides while it’s still hot.
Step 2: Make the Filling
In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt.
Whisk well and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the Malibu rum, cream of coconut, coconut milk and whole milk.
Bring to a boil; then turn off the heat. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle about a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; whisk well to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add the remaining milk mixture to the egg mixture in 3 or 4 additions; whisk well to combine.
Return the mixture to the sauce pan.
Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes. The filling must boil for at least 30 seconds in order to fully thicken.
Off the heat, whisk in the butter until fully incorporated.
Pour the hot filling into the cooled pie shell and smooth the surface with a spatula; press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the filling and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours. (Any longer than 12 hours and the crust will start to soften.)
Step 3: Make the Whipped Cream
Up to 3 hours before serving, whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and rum. Continue to whip until it forms soft peaks.
Top the pie with whipped cream.
Step 4: Toast the Coconut Chips
Place the coconut in a small, dry skillet over medium heat and cook until golden.
Let the coconut chips cool, then sprinkle the pie with the toasted coconut. Refrigerate the pie until ready to serve. Use a sharp knife to slice the pie, wiping in between slices for the prettiest cuts.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The crust can be prepared a day ahead and stored at room temperature. The pie filling can be made and refrigerated in the crust for up to 12 hours (any longer and the crust may soften). Whip the cream and assemble up to 3 hours before serving.
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Layers of creamy coconut custard, pillowy whipped cream, and heaps of toasted coconut all in a buttery shortbread crust—this coconut cream pie is pure dessert bliss!
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 7½ ounces shortbread cookies, such as Walker's Pure Butter Shortbread, finely ground (if you don't have a baking scale, it's 11 Walker's rectangular cookies, from 2 boxes)
- 1¼ cups loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the Custard
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, packed
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, packed
- Pinch salt
- 1½ tablespoons Malibu Rum (coconut-flavored rum)
- 5 tablespoons Cream of Coconut (stir well before using)
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (stir well before using)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Whipped Cream and Topping
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Malibu rum or light rum
- ¾ cup unsweetened coconut chips or flakes, toasted in a skillet until golden and cooled (see note below)
Instructions
For the Crust
- Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Pulse the cookie crumbs, coconut, and melted butter in a food processor until coconut is finely ground. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (the crust should be about ¼-in thick). Bake until golden, about 15 minutes, then set aside to cool. If the crust shrinks or cracks a bit, simply press it back together and up the sides while it's still hot.
For the Filling
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the rum, cream of coconut, coconut milk and whole milk. Bring to a boil; then turn off the heat. Whisking constantly, slowly ladle about a cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture; whisk well to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add the remaining milk mixture to the egg mixture in 3 or 4 additions; whisk well to combine. Return the mixture to the sauce pan. Cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture reaches a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes. The filling must boil for at least 30 seconds in order to fully thicken. Off the heat, whisk in the butter until fully incorporated.
- Pour the hot filling into the cooled pie shell and smooth the surface with a spatula; press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the filling and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours and up to 12 hours. (Any longer than 12 hours and the crust will start to soften.)
For the Topping & To Serve
- Up to 3 hours before serving, whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar and rum. Continue to whip until it forms soft peaks. Top the pie with the whipped cream and sprinkle with cooled toasted coconut chips.
- Slice the pie into wedges, wiping your knife clean between slices, and serve cold.
- Note: Unsweetened coconut flakes can usually be found at Whole Foods or organic markets. If you can't find them, feel free to substitute ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut (the stuff in the blue bag available everywhere). Simply toast it in a 350°F oven, stirring often so it browns evenly, until lightly golden.
- Note: For an even prettier presentation, this pie can be made in a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Note that the crust won't be quite as thick.
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The crust can be prepared a day ahead and stored at room temperature. The pie filling can be made and refrigerated in the crust for up to 12 hours (any longer and the crust may soften). Whip the cream and assemble up to 3 hours before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (10 servings)
- Calories: 563
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Sugar: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Cholesterol: 131 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Do you think you could prepare the filling ahead of time and wait until the day of to assemble so the pie crust doesn’t soften? Basically make the filling a day in advance and put in Tupperware and when it’s the day of add that to the crust?
Yes, definitely – that’ll work!
I’m curious about this, too. Is the chilled pie filling like pudding that can simply be scooped into the pie shell the next day, or will scooping kind of change the solidified texture and soften it up? One site said that the filling needs to be warm when placed into the cooled crust, but it doesn’t explain why. Thoughts?
Hi Peter, the reason the other recipe you looked at said that the filling needs to be warm, is that it can stiffen up a little as it sits. If you’d like to make the filling ahead, it’s fine. Just whisk it before you put it into the crust as that will loosen it up a bit. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn,
Love your site and the collection of recipes – thank you!
I have a question about the cream of coconut. I cannot find the Goya brand that you referenced in any of my local stores. The only cream of coconut I can find is Coco Lopez brand cream of coconut.
I have used Coco Lopez in the past for cocktails, but never when cooking or baking and I am concerned it may be different than the Goya brand. . .don’t want it to “throw off’ the recipe and be too sweet, etc.
Have you ever tried the Coco Lopez brand? Do you think it’s safe to use in place of the Goya brand?
Thanks much! Mike
Hi Mike, Yep Coco Lopez is fine. Enjoy…and so glad you like the recipes!
I made this for a friend since it’s her favorite. She said it was the best she’s ever had! Thank u for sharing your recipes with us!
What temp do you bake the crust at I can’t seem to find it in the recipe ?
The oven should be preheated to 350°F. Hope you enjoy!
So delicious! Next time I may use shredded coconut vs chips. I found the chips to be a little tough. Also, is there a technique to use to prevent the crust from sticking to the pie pan? I used a glass pie pan and struggled to cut and remove slices from the pan.
Hi Noele, Glad you liked it but I’m sorry you had a problem with the crust sticking. While I never need it, you could spray the pan with a little cooking spray before you add the crust next time.
Hello,
I was wondering if I could use Bacardi coconut rum, since that’s all I have? If I can use that instead, could you please tell me the measurements? I know that rum is stronger then Malibu. Thanks so much!!
Hi Dominique, I think you can use an equal amount. Hope you enjoy!
Capital Grill Coconut Cream Pie is my FAVORITE EVER! I was SO EXCITED to see this shared to me over email – I am an AVID OnceUponAChef follower – I have never tried a recipe that hasn’t turned our fabulously! I have never been able to place exactly what makes the filling and cream taste so darn good – I think it is the rum! I CANNOT wait to try this recipe!
Jenn, I’m going to be making this for a local pie auction. How soon ahead can I make it and it still be good? Thanks!
Hi Cindy, The crust will soften a bit, but you can get away with making it 1 day ahead. (You can keep all of the components separate and combine them before serving, but I wouldn’t bother.) Hope that helps!
I made this pie last summer and it came out wonderful! I’d like to make this for a backyard party in a couple weeks and was thinking I’d adapt the recipe to make cookie cups so I can serve to folks individually. If I divided the crust into a muffin tin and bake, would you recommend the same temp/time? Thanks for the recipe!
Glad you liked it! I think you can keep the time and temperature the same for mini versions. Hope everyone enjoys. 🙂
What do you think of using your recipe of Toffee Almond Sandies in place of the bought shortbread cookies?
Sure, that should work. Enjoy!