A rich, creamy coconut custard filling in a crumbly coconut cookie crust topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with toasted coconut.
We were in Vegas visiting family over Easter break this year and I couldn’t resist stopping at Trader Joes. Tiffany and Heather tweeted me their Trader Joe’s favorites to check out. I like just wandering around and exploring the store, but since I was out number by boys 3 to 1, I was limited to a quick shopping trip.
One of the things I did manage to buy, was Trader Joe’s Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins. Apparently, they’re a new item at Trader Joes and have only 130 calories for 8 cookies. Now that I know that, I wish I’d bought the Meyer Lemon Thins and Triple Ginger Thins too.
On the six hour drive home, I kept my little box of cookies unopened in the front of the car with me (cookies in the backseat with the boys probably wouldn’t have made it home.) Along the way, I started to think of fun ways to bake with the cookie thins On the top of the list was coconut cream pie. Then the song Put the Lime in the Coconut popped into my head and just wouldn’t leave.
So when I got home I Googled Coconut Lime Pie and found Cooks Illustrated’s Lime-Coconut Cream Pie recipe.
I had family over for a BBQ Sunday night, so it was the perfect excuse to make coconut cream pie. My husband wasn’t too sure about Lime in his Coconut pie so I left it out.
This pie was a hit at the party, but next time I think I’ll crank up the sound and throw a little lime in my coconut.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins (1 1/2 sleeves)
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk
- 1 cup whole milk*
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 2 pieces
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sweetened dried shredded coconut, toasted in small dry skillet until golden brown
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325º. In food processor, pulse cookies and 2 tablespoons of sugar in to fine crumbs.Transfer crumbs to medium bowl and add butter; stir until well combined.
- Press crumbs evenly/firmly into bottom and up sides of a 9" pie plate. Bake until about 10 minutes until crust starts to brown. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.
- In a medium saucepan, bring coconut milk, whole milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt to simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
- Whisk yolks, cornstarch and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Whisking constantly, gradually pour 1 cup hot milk mixture into egg yolk mixture; whisk well to combine. Whisking constantly, gradually add yolk mixture to milk in saucepan.
- Whisking constantly, cook until it begins to boil and thicken.
- Remove from heat and whisk in butter and 1 teaspoons of vanilla until butter in fully incorporated. Stir in coconut. Pour hot filling into cooled pie crust and smooth surface; press plastic wrap directly against surface of filling and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Just before serving, beat cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla with electric mixer until soft peaks form, 1 1/2-2 minutes. Top pie with whipped cream and then sprinkle with coconut. Cut pie into wedges and serve.
- *I didn't have whole milk, so I mixed a little heavy cream in with my 1% milk.
Notes
Adapted from Cooks Illustrated
More Coconut Pie Recipes:
Almond Joy Pie, Barbara Bakes
Toasted Coconut Cream Pie, Baked Bree
Coconut Cream Pie with Mascarpone-Cream Topping, Judy’s Kitchen
Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie, Everyday Insanity
Sweet Potato Coconut Pie with Marshmallow Meringue, Taste & Tell
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
A luscious pie! What a wonderful filling.
Cheers,
Rosa
Yummy!!!! Anything coconut gets a thumbs up from me. I saw those cookies last time and didn’t get them. I’ve had the meyer lemon thins before and the are delicious!!!
I wish we had a Trader JOe’s here!! I have a weakness for coconut, and pie, so tihs is a dangerous combination for me! (and thanks for the link love!)
The use of coconut cookie thins for the crust is a great idea. Sound delicious.
This is the perfect pie in my opinion, I love coconut and never can have enough, and here it is in the crust, the filling, it sounds amazing!
What a delicious pie! I love the photographs!
hmmm by its looks it is surely delicious. I love it and I will try this at home. thanks for sharing.
You must know how much I love coconut!
This is one of my two favorite pies. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It looks delicious.
Perfect pie for a summer bbq!
Love this!! I think Trader Joe’s is one of the best grocery stores on the planet- I WISH we had one on Canada. My mom is lucky enough to have two stores within 10 miles of her house (lucky girl). Whenever I am back home I must shop there at least twice a week and my suitcase is usually filled halfway with their products when I come back to Calgary. I have 10 jars of their cookie butter in the closet right now (wait- we have eaten 2 jars!)…
Oh my goodness..this sounds awesome =)
What a yummy pie….I need to look for these cookies the next time i go shopping. Yummy!
This pie is absolutely lovely looking! Awesome idea!
What a PERFECT pie for family gathering (I think I would eat the whole thing if left by myself with such a pie!!). I am looking forward to treating my family with this (I’m sure I will leave the lime out too).
I am in love with these Trader Joe’s cookies as well and you pie looks fabulous!
Great idea. I love using cookies in crust because they impart so much flavor. TJ’s is a fun place to shop. Thanks for sharing your beautiful creation with us.
I will have to look for these next time I go to TJ’s. Your coconut cream pie sounds wonderful and I love the idea of the cookie crust. I think the lime would be fabulous in here.
I LOVE coconut! That had to be delicious
Will def make it in the future! Thank you for a great recipe!
Pozdrawiam, Anula.
the topping looks like something from a dream ! so beautiful…
A fantastic pie! I love anything coconut!
I must try this for my son! He would be all over this. Hope you’re well! Excited to see you in a few months
Coconut Cream was my dad’s all time favorite pie and he would have loved this one. Your baking creations are amazing.
How did you know I was dreaming of a vacation? This is a beautiful coconut cream pie. I love your coconut cookie crust.
My husband is on the cream pie side of the “cream pie vs fruit pie” dessert debate. So, I think this will be his new favorite. Me? I’m on both sides, of coarse
This looks wonderful! I always stop at a Trader Joe’s when I travel and stock up. A friend told me that she heard they were considering building one in SLC! Wouldn’t that be wonderful???
Oh Barbara, this pie looks great with everything coconut
I will look for these cookies at Trader Joes…
Thanks for this delicious recipe and hope you are having a nice week!
*Whimper* I need this pie…
TJ’s is the BEST! Those cookies are amazing and what a fun idea to use them in this pie! Looks delicious!
I wish we had a trader joes. my little brother love to shop there. What a dreamy pie!
I personally would not have made it home with the box of those cookies still closed, but seeing what you did with them was worth the self restraint. Love coconut cream pie and this is gorgeous! And so much better with that crust!
Trader Joes is such a fun place to shop! I’ll have to look for those cookies on my next visit. What an amazing pie. I love coconut!
ever since my son got hooked on “Gilligans Island” dvd’s his dad brought home, he has wanted me to make coconut cream pies, just like Mary Ann. Now I have no excuse not to. Thanks. (I think).
Oh, my mouth is watering just reading this recipe. It has to be delicious. Whenever I visit my kids out of state we find a Trader Joes. I do love that store. Have you ever tried their graham crackers?? They are not just for kids.
leave it up to you to add that special touch to an already amazing pie! I love coconut cookies- genius to use them as the crust. Oh that I could have a slice of this!
I feel like you should tell me how you would have incorporated lime if your husband wasn’t a scaredy cat, so I can do it. <3
Hi Aimee! The original recipe added lime zest to the pudding before cooking it.
Gosh, I love anything with coconut. I bet this is amazing.
Hoe you’re enjoying your day, dear.
Kristy