The sweet and nutty flavor of coconut is intense in this French Coconut Pie. It has a creamy and wonderfully rich coconut custard that is baked into a flaky, buttery pie crust.
This easy coconut pie recipe results in a simple yet delicious treat you can enjoy plain or with a spoonful of homemade whipped cream. Each bite is packed with amazing coconut flavor!
French Coconut Pie vs. Coconut Cream Pie
Have you ever had French Coconut Pie? It’s a bit different than Coconut Cream Pie in the fact that there is much more coconut packed into this dessert. While a coconut cream pie typically has a creamy, pudding-like filling, French Coconut Pie is more like a custard with shredded coconut stirred in.
In fact, our French Coconut Pie recipe features just enough coconut to get a rich and dreamy flavor. The top toasts beautifully and gives it a slightly toasted, nutty note too!
Something else we love? There’s no decorating needed with French Coconut Pie. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
If you love this pie, try our toasted coconut cream pie.
Why You Will Love This Coconut Pie Recipe:
It’s delicious, decadent, and did we mention that it’s EASY? Our All Butter Pie Crust is the base for this coconut pie recipe. If you have one ready to go, it’s even easier!
This is the pie for those last-minute holiday desserts. You can whip it up in a jif and have some extra time for everything else on your list.
There are just two simple steps required to make French Coconut Pie. And 30 minutes is all you need!
Our French Coconut Pie is:
- Simple to make
- Done in under 30 minutes
- A family-friendly dessert for any occasion
- Rich and flavorful with a lovely texture
The Ingredients:
French Coconut Pie filling requires less than 10 ingredients! Follow the recipe for our All Butter Pie Crust (or use your favorite store-bought pie crust for even more ease).
To make French Coconut Pie, you will need the following ingredients:
- A single crust pie dough
- Shredded, unsweetened coconut
- Buttermilk
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Butter, melted
- Eggs
- Egg yolk
- vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Salt
Let’s Make French Coconut Pie:
This easy coconut pie recipe is a breeze! For the full recipe and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Here’s a quick look at how it’s done:
- Prepare the pie dough: Roll it out and place it in your pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges, then freeze the pie shell until it is cold and firm. Afterward, you will pre-bake the pie crust and let it cool. We use pie weights for the best results. See our full recipe at the bottom of the page for all the details.
- Make the filling: While the pie crust is baking, combine the shredded coconut and buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Let the coconut absorb the liquid for 15 minutes. Stir the cornstarch into the sugar, then add it to the coconut mixture. Stir in the melted butter, eggs, yolk, and extracts.
- Bake the pie: Pour the filling mixture into the warm pie shell and bake for 50-60 minutes at 325°F. When it’s done, transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let it cool for 4 hours. Serve the pie at room temperature.
Tips for the best results
- Cornstarch tip: We like to mix the cornstarch with the sugar before whisking it into the liquid. This allows it to blend in smoothly and it prevents the cornstarch from clumping.
- Substitution: Unsweetened coconut shreds is pretty easy to find at the grocery store. However, you can substitute sweetened coconut for unsweetened if that’s what you have. Make sure to reduce the sugar amount to 1-1/4 cups.
- Do you refrigerate coconut pie? This French Coconut Pie is served at room temperature and can sit out on the counter for a couple of hours. Afterward, we recommend refrigerating the pie since that will help it last longer. It’s also a custard pie which is always best stored in the fridge.
- Shallow aluminum pie pans: If you are using an aluminum pie pan, be aware that many of them are often more shallow than standard pie dishes. The filling for this pie fits in a standard 9-inch pie dish but will overflow if you use a shallow aluminum pan.
This French Coconut Pie is a coconut lover’s dream! It’s rich and indulgent and coconut-y, with a slight taste of toasted coconut.
From the buttery crust to the creamy custard filling, you will savor every bite! It is perfect for any occasion, especially Easter (along with our empty tomb cookies).
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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
A light, creamy, Coconut Mango Panna Cotta made with sweet coconut milk and layered with a tropical mango puree.
Shredded coconut and chopped pecans combine for a delicious texture and flavor in these Coconut Pecan Cookies! They’re soft on the inside and have a crisp, crunchy edge. You’ll love every sweet bite!
We’re giving the old-fashioned Sweet Potato Pie an extra layer of goodness with a toasted marshmallow topping! Smooth, rich, and delicious with a velvety sweet potato filling and a buttery pecan crust.
Our most popular Chocolate Cake, this classic chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream is our go-to! Layers of bold, rich chocolate cake and a fluffy chocolate buttercream? It’s always a good idea!
French Coconut Pie
Ingredients
- 1 recipe for single crust pie dough
- 2 cups shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1-½ cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup butter melted
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1-½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick spray.
- Roll the pie dough out and place it in the pie dish. Trim and crimp the edges. Place the pie shell in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- When the pie shell is cold and hard, remove it from the freezer and place a sheet of parchment paper inside. Fill the parchment-lined pie with pie weights and bake for 15 minutes, remove pie weights and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove the pie shell from the oven and place it on a cooling rack.
- Decrease the oven temperature to 325°F.
- While the pie is baking, combine the shredded coconut and the buttermilk in a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl and let the coconut absorb the liquid for 15 minutes.
- Stir the cornstarch into the sugar until well incorporated then add it to the bowl with the coconut.
- Add the melted butter, eggs, egg yolk, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Stir well.
- Pour the mixture into the warm pie shell and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and let cool for 4 hours.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
- If you mix the cornstarch with the sugar before whisking it into the liquid, it will blend in smoothly and avoid clumping.
- If you can’t find unsweetened coconut shreds, you can substitute it with sweetened coconut and reduce the sugar to 1-1/4 cups.
angiesrecipes
Wednesday 27th of October 2021
This looks beyond delicious. I have to try this ASAP! The pie crust looks gorgeous.