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Desserts

‘Lazify’ Homemade Coconut Cream Pie by Skipping This Step — And It’s Even More Delicious!

Simplify this classic summertime treat.

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At summer cookouts, you come for classic dishes including BBQ ribs and potato salad — but you stay for the dessert. From banana pudding to berry cobbler, there are plenty of sweet treats to indulge in after a grilled feast. But, one favorite is sure to fulfill your sugar cravings more than the rest: Coconut cream pie. Featuring sweet coconut custard nestled into a crust and topped with mounds of fluffy whipped cream or meringue, this beloved dessert is summertime bliss.

The one caveat is that most recipes for making homemade coconut cream pie are time-consuming. Why? Because they require baking the crust beforehand so develops a crispy and flaky texture prior to being filled. The hassle-free shortcut: Opt for a graham crust that doesn’t require any baking but still acts as a steady pie base. Keep reading to learn how to whip up a “lazy” no-bake coconut cream pie for your warm weather gatherings and potlucks.

An Easy Coconut Cream Pie Recipe Your Crowd Will Love

Many coconut cream pie recipes call for partially baking, or blind-baking, the crust, especially if it contains butter and flour. Blind-baking prevents the crust from getting soggy once the filling is added, however, it’s not always necessary to do. In fact, a 15-Minute Coconut Cream Pie recipe from BiggerBolderBaking.com utilizes a homemade graham cracker crust that hardens in the fridge instead of the oven. This trick allows you to make the filling without fearing that the crust will burn. Plus, you don’t need to wait for the crust to cool before pouring in the coconut custard and allowing it to set. Follow Bigger Bolder Baking’s recipe below detailing how to make a delectable and easy no-bake coconut cream pie:

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 eggs, beaten 
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup sugar 
  • ¼ teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped cream:

1 ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

Directions:

  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 10 to 14 mins 
  • Chill: 4 hours
  • Total time: 4 hours 20 to 24 mins
  • Yield: 8 slices
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then scatter shredded coconut onto baking sheet. Place in oven to toast 5 to 7 minutes. When golden brown, remove from oven.
  2. Remove coconut from oven, and set aside to cool.

For crust: 

  1. Butter and line 9-inch pie tin with 2 layers plastic wrap; allowing some to hang off sides. This ensures you can easily lift out pie once set. Set aside.
  2. Mixing melted butter with graham crumbs in large bowl. Combine until it reaches texture of wet sand.
  3. Transfer crust mixture into prepared tin and press down using your fingertips. Once graham cracker mixture is pressed into tin, place in fridge to set. While crust is setting prepare filling. 

For filling: 

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk milk, cream, eggs, sugar, and flour until smooth. Make sure flour doesn’t get lumpy once added. 
  2. Bring to simmer over low heat, whisking constantly for 5 to 7 minutes or until thickened. Remove pan from heat and stir in salt, vanilla extract, and toasted coconut (reserving 2 tablespoons to coconut to garnish).
  3. Pour filling into pie shell and chill until firm, about 4 hours. It can be stored in fridge at this stage for up to 3 days. 

For serving:

  1. Top pie with whipped cream and sprinkle with reserved coconut flakes.
  2. Slice into 8 individual pieces and enjoy!

My Taste Test

This pie was love at first slice. The toasted coconut flakes were the start of this dessert because it added a nuttiness to the custard filling. Plus, they provided extra crunch on top of the pillowy whipped cream. The crust was firm yet crumbly, which made it easy to slice and chew each piece. Another reason why this pie blew me away was because it wasn’t overly rich or sweet. Coconut cream pie recipes usually call for adding lots of sugar to the custard, giving the dessert a cloying taste. But, this recipe used enough sugar to give the pie a pleasantly sweet flavor.

One thing worth noting about the consistency of this pie is the custard filling is thick yet slightly runny. Because of this, I dipped my knife in warm water before cutting each slice for a clean finish. Although this recipe requires a little time to allow the filling to set, it’s completely worth it. Make this no-bake coconut cream pie for an upcoming get-together, and watch your loved ones devour it without hesitation.

Looking for more summertime desserts with a “lazy” spin? Whip up this “lazy” peach cobbler, these “lazy” air fryer cinnamon rolls or a two-ingredient berry ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth in the sun!

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