Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

My mom's Coconut Cream Pie has always been one of my favorites. Her mom, like many people, used cook and serve Jello coconut pudding mix to make her pie. While my mom preferred to make her pie from scratch. And as far as I'm concerned, like most things, homemade from scratch is always infinitely better.

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Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie Save
Old-Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie

My mom's Coconut Cream Pie has always been one of my favorites. Her mom, like many people, used cook and serve Jello coconut pudding mix to make her pie. While my mom preferred to make her pie from scratch. And as far as I'm concerned, like most things, homemade from scratch is always infinitely better.

  • Preparing Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Served Person: 8
brunch desserts pie ap flour sugar salt shortening milk eggs vanilla coconut custard advance bake american south unsalted butter cream of tarter summer sweet vegetarian white meat free tree nut free nut free contains gluten red meat free shellfish free contains dairy contains eggs pescatarian
desserts

Step-by-step

  • To make Crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt.
  • Toss well, by hand, to mix.
  • Scatter butter over dry ingredients and toss to mix.
  • Using a pastry blender, 2 knives, or your fingertips, cut or rub butter into flour until it resembles coarse meal, with both large and small clumps.
  • Add the shortening and repeat.
  • Sprinkle half of water over mixture.
  • Toss well with a fork to dampen mixture.
  • Add remaining water, a tablespoons at a time, and continue to toss and mix, pulling mixture up from bottom of bowl on upstroke and gently pressing down on downstroke.
  • (Dough made by hand may need a bit more water.)
  • If necessary, add water 1 or 2 teaspoons at a time until the pastry can be packed.
  • Gather dough into ball, knead once or twice, then flatten into a 3/4-inch-thick disk on a floured work surface.
  • Wrap disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight before rolling.
  • Roll out dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to 14-inch round.
  • Transfer dough to 9-inch glass pie dish.
  • Fold overhang under.
  • Crimp edges decoratively.
  • Pierce bottom of crust all over with fork.
  • Freeze crust for 15 minutes.
  • (Can be made 1 day ahead.
  • Keep frozen.)
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line crust with aluminum foil.
  • Fill with pie weights or dried beans.
  • Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove weights and foil.
  • Bake until golden and set, about 10 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • (Crust can be made 1 day ahead.
  • Wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
  • Let stand at room temperature.)
  • To make Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, flour, salt and 1/4 cup cold milk until well blended.
  • Gradually add in scalded milk, stirring constantly.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thickened.
  • Remove pan from heat; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.
  • Temper egg yolks by whisking about one-fourth of the hot custard mixture into them.
  • Blend well.
  • Then whisk blended mixture back into hot custard mixture.
  • Return pan to heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens to custard consistency (coats back of spoon), about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and coconut extracts and butter, until butter is melted.
  • Stir in flaked coconut.
  • Let cool until just warm, then pour into pre-baked crust.
  • To make Meringue: In a a large copper, stainless-steel, or glass bowl, beat egg whites until foamy.
  • Add cream of tartar and vanilla, and gradually add sugar a tablespoonful at a time.
  • Continue beating until stiff peaks form and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
  • Spread meringue over top of cooled coconut filling, covering and sealing it right to inner edges of crust.
  • Using the back of a metal spoon, lightly tap it on top, all over, creating little spikes.
  • Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting into slices to serve.
  • Makes one 9-inch pie, or 6 to 8 servings.
  • Cooks Note: To minimize weeping, spread the meringue on the pie filling while the filling is still warm.
  • Also, meringue pies cut better with a wet knife blade.

Constructing a classic custard pie from scratch demands specific thermal control, beginning with a 15-minute freezer rest for the raw crust to prevent the butter and shortening from melting before the proteins set in the 375 degree F oven. Without this chilling window, the pastry loses its flaky architecture as escaping steam creates large voids instead of delicate layers.

Creating the stovetop filling requires careful management of dairy and egg proteins to avoid curdling. Scalding the milk beforehand accelerates the thickening process once it meets the flour and sugar base, but pouring hot liquid directly into raw yolks will scramble them. Tempering—whisking a quarter of the hot custard into the yolks before combining the two streams—safely raises the egg temperature. Cooking the mixture until it coats the back of a spoon confirms the starch has gelatinized properly.

While this recipe utilizes a combination of butter and vegetable shortening for a balanced crust flavor and texture, substituting all-butter will yield a more robust flavor profile at the expense of tenderness. Spreading the meringue onto warm filling prevents weeping, and a wet knife blade ensures clean slices through the marshmallow-like topping.

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