Creamy Coconut-Lemon Pie
Updated July 18, 2024
- Total Time
- About 45 minutes, plus cooling and overnight chilling
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:One 9-inch pie
- ½cup plus 1 tablespoon/48 grams unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1½cups/177 grams graham cracker crumbs (about 11 sheets)
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- 3large lemons, plus 1 more for garnishing with zest
- 5large egg yolks
- 1(14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- ¾cup/180 milliliters well shaken, full-fat coconut milk
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt ( such as Diamond Crystal)
- 1(13.5-ounce can) coconut cream, chilled overnight (preferably Thai Kitchen, Savoy or Taste of Thai), for topping
- 2tablespoons granulated sugar, for topping
For the Coconut-graham Cracker Crust
For the Creamy Coconut-lemon Filling
Preparation
- Step 1
Make the crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack set in the center. Sprinkle the shredded coconut on a sheet pan. Toast in oven until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reserve 1 tablespoon toasted coconut for garnishing. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees.
- Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, salt and the remaining ½ cup toasted coconut. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
- Step 3
(If using a glass pie dish, lightly coat with nonstick spray.) Press the mixture very firmly and evenly into the bottom and up the sides of a metal, nonstick, 9-inch pie dish. Set the dish on a sheet pan and bake until the crust is golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool on the pan.
- Step 4
While the crust is baking and cooling, make the filling: Zest 3 lemons into a large bowl. Into a separate measuring cup, juice the lemons. Add ½ cup of juice to the bowl, followed by the egg yolks, condensed milk, coconut milk and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust, still on the pan, and slide the pie into the oven. Bake until just set around the edges and still a bit jiggly in the center, about 15 minutes. Set the pie on a rack to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 3 hours.
- Step 5
Just before serving, open the can of coconut cream and scrape off the top layer of hardened cream into a medium bowl, leaving any liquid behind. Add the sugar and, using an electric mixer or whisk, whip to soft peaks, about 7 minutes. Top the cooled pie with the coconut cream, the remaining toasted coconut and a bit of lemon zest.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
MLee
This pie’s flavor is perfection! Big hit at my dinner party, and agree it tastes even better the next day. However, the pie mixture was very soupy and after baking it for 15 minutes at 325, it was nowhere near set at the edges. I kept checking it every five minutes but the pie filling was still like soup. I finally gave up after 30 minutes and put it in the refrigerator overnight. It had firmed up overnight but I’m still unsure why the filling never set?
Kelky
Filling set perfectly for me. Coconut cream topping was grainy. I ditched that and made a whipped cream topping with heavy cream, coconut extract, sugar and vanilla. It was delicious and a big hit for my BBQ.
Kelly
Filling set perfectly for me but could use more lemon punch. I’d add more zest next time. Coconut cream topping was problematic. Too grainy and didn’t really fluff. I ditched that and made a whipped topping with heavy cream, sugar, vanilla and coconut extract.
Marni
My pie is in the oven and after 45 minutes it’s still not set. Anyone have this issue? I wonder if it’s because the coconut milk didn’t have sufficient fat to bind with the condensed milk and egg yolks.
Maddy
So how much lemon juice as a measurement?
Angela
i think this recipe needs about 3 tablespoons of all purpose flour. try adding that to the coconut milk, egg yolks + condensed milk mixture. i would mix those ingredients in a blender. tell me what happens! I have a similar recipe and thought this one was missing something. I think the flour in this recipe was inadvertently left out.
Foote notes
I did. it still didn't set and sort of separated?
Casper Pike
Whipping the coconut cream is problematic. Since I was whipping small amounts for individual portions I experimented. Best results Thai Kitchen left in the fridge for TWO days to get a thick block of solid cream/butter. Other brands of CC just did not whip. Overall a great pie, the coconut is a great addition to the crust and it tones down the sharpness of the lemon.:yum: PS. I used some toasted coconut chips for the topping. Warning chips burn much, much faster than shredded coconut.
great pie, topping was a bust
Don’t even try to make the coconut cream topping, what a waste of 6 bucks on a can. Made a regular whipped topping instead when the first attempt failed
k
Fewer crackers needed for crust Crust too sweet All else perfect Tiny amount of coconut extract in whipped cream. Drop in a teaspoon then emptied it and stirred cream with spoon
EKSanfilippo
Was in a hurry and didn’t read the comments but made as is and can echo what others have said about extending cook time!
skip tomato
Needs more lemon juice to make it less sweet and more tangy. Kill the extra sugar in the crust - the graham crackers are sweet enough. As others posted I cooked it for 30-40 mins vs the 15 as instructed and it set up well.
Mirest
I enjoyed this, although the instructions are a bit wonky; I agree with everyone who said to bake the pie about 40-45 min to set. I was able to whip the coconut cream, but you have to be sure you're just using the hardened cream at the top of the can, and I used the max speed of my stand mixer. I can't say I tasted much coconut flavor but the lemon was pretty strong. I used sweetened shredded coconut instead of unsweetened; it worked fine--just watch the oven so it doesn't burn.
bacon
It is excellent great crust. Make sure you press it in i used a flat bottom juice glass. Pie must be cooked at least 40 minutes at 325°F. 15 minutes has to be a typo. Topping worked great must be cold used vanilla sugar
Hannah
What happened? I followed the recipe exactly, and this baby’s been in the oven for 35 minutes and is still totally liquid.
lb1234
The flavor is pretty good, but after 45 minutes at 325, it never really set. I put it in the fridge overnight and it came out with a loose pudding consistency. And after cutting it, there’s oil seeping out into the pie plate, which is kind of gross. I didn’t bother trying to make the cream after reading the comments. I wish I had read the comments earlier and just not made it.
Don O
Yossy Arefi's Creamy Coconut-Lemon Pie offers a delightful balance of tangy lemon and rich coconut flavors. The buttery graham cracker crust pairs perfectly with the smooth filling. However, the coconut cream topping didn't whip as expected, resulting in a looser texture. While the flavor was still spot-on, the lack of a fluffy topping detracted from the presentation. Overall, the pie is a refreshing and tasty treat, but the topping issue might require a tweak or two.
anna frances!
this is a delicious pie, but i had a similar problem to the other commenters - even after the allotted 15min bake time the center was quite jiggly. i cooked it in five-minute intervals, giving it an extra 15 min before giving up & pulling it out. thankfully, after setting up in the fridge - it became firm & luxurious. my only other complaint is that it was unclear to me that i'd need TWO cans of coconut cream - even though I read the recipe over multiple times. i used whipped cream instead.
texas redhead
My son’s amazing partner made this for me at a family birthday party. Wowza, what fabulous flavors and a deliciously different take on the combo of coconut and lemon. Highly recommend.
Nell
This pie is delicious! I goofed when making it and accidentally added the entire can of coconut milk instead of just 3/4 cup. I was worried it might dilute the lemony flavor, but it was still tangy and citrusy. Not as sharp as a lemon merengue pie, but also not as eggy as LMP (or lemon curd) can be. The coconut background is perfect imho. Like others, I added 3 Tbsp of flour to the filling, and I replaced the topping with Italian merengue - everything set beautifully and a lovely creamy texture.
MeB
Maybe 3 Tb of cornstarch.
bacon
The crust is great. Love the coconut. The pie must be baked at least 40 minutes at 325°F i used a glass pie plate and it firmed up nicely. 15 minutes must be a typo. The whipped coconut cream topping needs work my can of coconut cream must have been shaken so it didn’t separate like normal
Carol G
My crust would not brown, even with more time. Still soft and doughy to the touch. There should be a note in the recipe as to what to expect for the result of the crust and the set of the pie, what it will look like, after the recommended time, if it is different from other recipes. Ingredients are expensive, especially nowadays, and time is valuable, too. Now, I will have to go out to buy something store bought for my company - yuck!
Diana in Austin
Delicious pie. I did add 2 tbsps of flour to the filling and had to bake it at least 5 minutes longer than listed for the edges to set.
Don
I too found the topping was gritty. Ended up draining excess liquid through a sieve and mixing until smooth. Never got fluffy peaks though. Does the author have suggestions on this issue?
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