Conjuring up an exotic taste of the tropics, this French coconut pie boasts so much flavor. It’s also incredibly simple to make. There are only 8 ingredients and all you have to do is combine the filling ingredients, spoon them into a pie shell, and bake!
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A little vanilla added to the filling mixture complements and brings out the taste of coconut. So, close your eyes, take a bite of this pie, and imagine you’re relaxing in a hammock in the tropics! We can all dream, right?
This is a very simple recipe, so even if you’re relatively new to baking, you won’t have any problems. It’s one of the first recipes I ever baked and it came out amazing, so try this recipe for yourself. If you like coconut, you’re going to be delighted with how good this is.
Frozen cream puffs and this amazing French chocolate silk pie are two of my other favorite French recipes that I love to bake!
Main Ingredients
Wondering what you need to make your own coconut custard pie? Here are some of the main ingredients called for:
- Coconut: For exotic flavor. Use sweetened or unsweetened coconut, as you prefer. You will need to use coconut flakes or coconut shreds, not coconut flour which is much too fine for this recipe, or desiccated coconut which is too dry.
- Vinegar: An unusual ingredient! Despite vinegar having a sharp flavor, it’s a great addition to French coconut pie because its acidity helps the filling to set and have a great texture. You won’t taste it in the finished recipe.
- Vanilla: A contrasting flavor. A lot of coconut recipes call for pineapple because these two pair so well (pina colada cake, anyone?) but here we are using vanilla which is also a great pairing for coconut.
- Pie shell: To hold the delicious custard filling. Although you can always make your own crust, using a readymade pie shell makes this recipe super quick and easy. I always keep readymade pie shells in the pantry in case I want to make homemade pie in a hurry.
- Eggs: For flavor as well as texture. You will need eggs to make the custard filling for this coconut pie. There isn’t really a replacement for eggs in custard since it’s the key component.
- Salt: To prevent over-sweetness. You might be curious why we are using both salt and vinegar in this pie, but they do have their own purposes! The salt actually helps bring out the sweetness of the custard filling and adds more depth to the flavor. You only need a tiny pinch.
Instructions Overview
This recipe is so easy! First, you will beat the eggs and then mix in sugar, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix in the melted butter and salt, and then the coconut flakes.
Pour this mixture into a pie shell and cook for 50 to 60 minutes or until done. Once it’s cool you can slice and serve the pie.
Common Questions
Custard pie has a baked filling while cream pie doesn’t. Coconut custard pie is made with egg and it thickens and sets in the oven. Cream pie, on the other hand, includes a custard that is cooked on the stove. Technically, this French coconut pie belongs in the category of custard pie, since it’s baked and includes eggs.
You might have had to read that ingredient twice, but yes, the custard filling calls for vinegar! It’s used for its acidity which improves the filling consistency. You will also see vinegar in some pastry recipes because it helps stop gluten from forming and making the pastry tough.
The center should jiggle ever so slightly when it’s done. The pie finishes cooking as it cools, so it will firm up then. If it’s more than a little jiggly, give it more time then check again.
Coconut pie is a French dessert. The taste is coconutty with a rich and satisfyingly sweet texture that is lightly crisp on the top and heavenly inside.
Unfortunately, with eggs in the recipe, coconut pie isn’t vegan. You can use a vegan egg replacer or blend ¼ cup of either silken tofu, soy yogurt, or coconut yogurt instead. As for the pie crust, many brands are vegan so check the labels when shopping.
Because of the coconut, it’s best not to plan on freezing your coconut pie. It will wind up watery when you thaw it.
Making coconut pie from scratch is easy. You’ll only need 8 ingredients and 10 minutes of active prep time. You’ll preheat the oven, make the coconut filling, pour it into the pie crust, and bake.
While you’ll want to serve your coconut pie at room temperature, any leftovers should be covered and kept in the fridge. We recommend eating it within a few days.
Chopnotch Tips
- Using sweetened coconut in this recipe will give a very sweet result. If you don’t want that you can use unsweetened coconut instead. It’s totally up to you.
- You might like to cover the edges of the pie with foil halfway through baking to stop them from burning in the oven.
- Make sure you use coconut strips or flakes. You don’t want desiccated coconut because that’s too fine and it’s also dryer.
French coconut pie pairs the flavor of coconut with vanilla for a sweet and classy dessert. It doesn’t need to be summer to enjoy coconut desserts. This one is great served anytime.
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Recipe
How to Make
French Coconut Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie shell
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups coconut flakes, shredded
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Beat eggs in a bowl, add sugar, vinegar, and vanilla, mix well.
- Slowly add melted butter and salt, mix again.
- Add coconut flakes and stir well to combine. Pour the mixture into the cake pan and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Let cool to room temperature and serve.
Notes
- Using sweetened coconut in this recipe will give a very sweet result. If you don’t want that you can use unsweetened coconut instead. It’s totally up to you.
- You might like to cover the edges of the pie with foil halfway through baking to stop them from burning in the oven.
- Make sure you use coconut strips or flakes. You don’t want desiccated coconut because that’s too fine and it’s also dryer.
