Coconut Cream Pie with a Coconut Cookie Crust

April 24, 2012

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.

Coconut Cream Pie with a Coconut Cookie Crust

Yield: 8 Servings

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

Crust

  • 6 ounces Toasted Coconut Cookie Thins (1 1/2 sleeves)
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

  • 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

Topping

  • 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.

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