Classic coconut cream pie, made for everyone.
A few weeks ago I put up a poll on Instagram asking what kind of pies you guys would like to see us make. There was a plethora of options, but it turns out what you guys want to shovel into your mouth is: coconut cream pie, chocolate cream pie, lemon meringue pie, and pecan pie.
“Why I do I want to make more pies?” asks the imaginary reader. I’m glad you asked imaginary reader, the main reason is because I don’t want to make more pies. Pies scare me. They’re big, nailing a good filling consistency is difficult without sugar & eggs, and pie crusts may just be the most horrific item in all of pastry making. So, to answer your question, I want to make pies to become better at making pies; I want to conquer my fear of pie crusts and nail a few classic fillings.
Knowing my love for coconut, it should be no surprise that my first pie of choice to tackle is Coconut Cream Pie. To keep matters simple, I decided to go with a crust that requires no rolling or baking. Instead, this is a coconut flour based crust that’s lightly crunchy, lightly chewy, and ever so slightly crumbly. This pie crust is adapted from the crust of our mini mint chocolate ice cream pies, and I think it’s a great, easy pie crust that doesn’t require tedious methods. It’s no Martha Stewart shit, but as Alton Brown once said, “we can’t all be Martha Stewart.”
The filling is essentially a full-fat coconut custard laced with sweetened shredded coconut. Tapioca starch & xanthan gum thicken the custard, while shredded coconut sweetened with a simple erythritol syrup adds substance and gives the filling a “bite.” As if this pie wasn’t already full of enough healthy fats, we top it off with coconut whipped cream, made from heavy coconut whipping cream (go figure) and a touch of toasted coconut flakes.
Every component of this pie – crust, filling, and topping – is constructed from coconut. Now, that’s a true coconut cream pie if I’ve ever seen one.
All in all, this pie is:
- Easy to make
- Rich in creaminess
- Full of coconut flavor
- Requires no baking
- Keto, Paleo, and Plant-Paradox friendly
- Vegan, Gluten-Free, & Sugar-Free
- A refreshing sweet for a warm Spring day
If you like what your taste buds are tellin’ ya, leave behind a nice rating, share your thoughts with us in the comments, or show us your creations by tagging @noeggsorham on Instagram.
Go Forth & Devour,
Ryan
Plant Paradox-friendly Coconut Cream Pie (sugar-free, lectin-free, vegan, keto-friendly & paleo-friendly)
It doesn't get more coconut-y than this. Crunchy coconut flour crust is filled with rich & sweet coconut custard topped with coconut whipped cream & toasted coconut flakes.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 c + 2 tbsp (182 g) coconut flour
- 1/2 c + 1 tbsp (126 g) melted buttery coconut oil or coconut oil
- 1/3 c + 2 tbsp (88 g) erythritol
- 1/4 tsp salt
Filling
- 1 1/4 c shredded coconut (plus 2 tbsp erythritol + 1/4 c water)
- 2 1/2 c (20 oz) full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 c (96 g) erythritol
- 1/4 c + 2 tbsp (60 g) tapioca starch
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp liquid stevia
- pinch of salt
Topping
- 1 can coconut whipping cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp liquid stevia
- 1/2 c toasted coconut*
- optional: dash of cinnamon
Directions
- Melt 2 tbsp erythritol and 1/4 c water together in a small sauce pot over medium-high heat. As soon as erythritol dissolves, stir in 1 1/4 c shredded coconut until its evenly coated in syrup. Set aside.
- In a mason jar or airtight container, shake together 1 1/2 c full fat coconut milk with tapioca starch until smooth. Transfer to a medium pot along with erythritol, stevia, and the remaining cup of coconut milk.
- Bring to a boil over medium-high – stirring constantly – until mixture bubbles and thickens. Turn off the heat, transfer to a medium-sized bowl, and stir in vanilla, xanthan gum, and sweetened shredded coconut from above.
- Allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard and place it in the fridge for 6 hours.
- While custard cools, combine all of the crust ingredients in a food processor and blend on high for 10-15 seconds or until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Crust should be crumbly but wet enough to stick together if pressed together in the palm of your hand. If it’s too dry, add a touch more coconut oil. If it’s too wet, add a touch more coconut flour.
- Lightly oil a 9 inch pie pan with coconut oil spray or a thin layer of coconut oil, then place in the contents of your crust. Use your hands to spread crust out as thin as possible, pushing it up the sides as high as it will go.
- Note: the thinner you can get the crust – without seeing the bottom of the pie pan – the better. You can also use the bottom of a clean glass to spread out the crust if that’s more your style.
- Place crust in fridge until custard is ready; 6 hours. Also place your can of heavy coconut whipping cream in fridge at this time.
- After 6 hours, spoon coconut custard into pie crust and place back in fridge for 2 more hours.
- Once two hours is almost up, whip together coconut cream, vanilla, and stevia in the bowl of a stand-up mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or in a metal bowl using an electric hand whisk. Whisk until stiff peas are formed; about 5 minutes.
- Dollop coconut whipped cream on top of pie or simply evenly spread it across the surface. Top with toasted coconut and a touch of cinnamon if desired and cut into 6-8 slices!
- Note: removing the first slice of pie is a bit of a challenge, so just know that you may end up with a slice that looks more like a pie casserole than a perfect slice. (It still tastes good though.)
- Serve immediately or store in the fridge, covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap, for up to 5 days.
*To toast coconut, place 1/2 c coconut flakes on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350° F until edges are browned; about 4 minutes.
NO EGGS OR HAM 
3 thoughts on “ Plant Paradox-Friendly Coconut Cream Pie (sugar-free, lectin-free, vegan, keto & paleo) ”