Skip to main content

Original Coconut Cream Pie

Image may contain Cutlery Fork Pottery and Saucer
Photo by Chelsea Kyle

This is the most popular dessert at Mrs. Rowe’s Restaurant and Bakery. Enough said.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

1/2 recipe Plain Pie Pastry (page 17) or Vinegar Pie Crust (page 19), prebaked
3 eggs yolks
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
3 cups milk
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 recipe Mrs. Rowe’s Meringue (page 24)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 325°F.

    Step 2

    Stir together the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and just enough of the water to make a smooth paste. Heat the milk in a double boiler set over simmering water. When the milk begins to steam, gradually whisk in the egg mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until very thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut, the butter, and the vanilla.

    Step 3

    Pour the filling into the crust and top with the meringue, sealing the edges well. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup coconut over the meringue.

    Step 4

    Bake for about 30 minutes, until the meringue is golden brown and it’s firm to the careful touch (it’s easy to poke a hole in the meringue). Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours before slicing. Serve the pie at room temperature or, for a special treat, serve it warm—pop a slice in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies
Read More
Like potato pea chowder and green goddess grain bowls.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Chopped kimchi and soy sauce transform mellow tuna salad into your new favorite riff on the classic diner sandwich.
This lasagna soup delivers rich, baked-pasta flavor without an oven. Made with Italian sausage and spinach, it’s a fast, weeknight-friendly take on the classic.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
The most efficient method takes less than an hour, but you might not even need it.