Coconut Cream Pie the Old-fashioned Way

This is one of our family's favorite pies! It's delicious in the summer since it is chilled, but we will eat it any time of year.
I so rarely make a single size pie anymore around here so I have included my adjustments so you can fill a 9x13 pan. Enjoy!


For a single 9" deep crust pie

1½ cups coconut milk (do not use light)

1½ cups half and half

2 eggs

¾ cups sugar

⅓ cup+1 Tbsp cornstarch

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp coconut extract

1¼ cups flaked coconut, divided

1 cup heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar

Vanilla

For a 9x13 pan company-sized pie

2 cans coconut milk (do not use light)

4 cups half and half

5 eggs

1⅞ cups sugar

1 cup cornstarch

½ tsp salt, heaping

2½ tsp coconut extract

3 cups flaked coconut, divided

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Powdered sugar

Vanilla

Use your favorite pie crust recipe and pre-bake your shell or skip the pie crust all together and just make a delicious, very thick custard. Toast the coconut by spreading it out into a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes until lightly browned. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine coconut milk, half and half, eggs, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk together well. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in coconut extract and most of the toasted coconut. Reserve enough coconut to sprinkle across the top of the pie. Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie shell and chill. Whip the heaving whipping cream, adding a little powdered sugar and vanilla to sweeten it up just right. Spread across the top of your pie just before serving and sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut. We slice the 9" pie into 8 regular triangle pieces, but the 9x13 pan we slice into 24 squares.