Cherry Coconut Cream Pie

Luscious, creamy, and divine are the first words that come to mind when describing this cherry coconut cream pie. With a graham cracker crust, coconut custard, cream cheese whipped cream, and honey-macerated cherries, you won't be able to resist a slice or two!

Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Cherry Coconut Cream Pie

Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pie

Servings: 10

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Graham cracker crust

• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs (180 grams)
• 6 tablespoons melted butter (85 grams)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar (36 grams)

Coconut cream filling

• 14 ounces canned coconut cream
• 1 ½ cups milk (375 ml)
• 4 large egg yolks
• ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
• ¼ cup cornstarch (36 grams)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes (75 grams)
• 2 tablespoons butter (28 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Remaining ingredients

• 2 cups pitted and halved cherries (300 grams)
• 3 tablespoons honey (63 grams)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• ¼ cup powdered sugar (33 grams)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray 10-inch pie pan with cooking spray.
• Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and brown sugar, mixing until well combined. Pour crumb mixture into prepared pie pan and press into the bottom of the pan and up the sides to create a crust. Bake graham cracker crust for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make coconut cream filling. Combine egg yolks with sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl.
• Add coconut cream and milk in a medium saucepot. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Once warm, slowly pour milk into egg yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Pour cream filling back into the pot and heat over medium-low heat. Continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until custard is thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut flakes, butter, and vanilla, stirring until butter is melted. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Pour coconut custard into graham cracker crust into an even layer. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and let cool in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
• Combine halved cherries with honey and lemon juice in a large bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Slowly add heavy cream and continue to whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Top coconut cream pie with whipped cream cheese. Spoon cherries on top, discarding any liquid. Slice and serve immediately.

Video

Notes

You can bake the graham cracker crust the day before.

Use fresh cherries for best results.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Bake the crust

To start, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and spray a 10-inch pie pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and brown sugar.

Mix the ingredients until they are well combined, making sure the graham cracker crumbs get a nice coating of butter.

Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pie pan and press it firmly onto the bottom and up the sides to create a crust. I used a 10-inch pie pan, but if you're using a 9-inch pie pan, you may have a little extra crumb mixture.

Bake the graham cracker crust for 10-12 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

You can also bake the pie crust the day before if you prefer.

Step 2: Cook coconut custard

While the crust is cooling, it's time to prepare the delicious coconut cream filling. In a large bowl, combine egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt.

In a medium saucepot, warm canned coconut cream and milk over low heat until it simmers.

Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while stirring constantly. When I was a student at the Culinary Institute of America, my dessert chef instructor would emphasize how important it is to take your time with this step.

If you add the warm milk too quickly, it can cook the eggs and make them scramble.

Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepot and heat it over medium-low heat. Stir the custard constantly until it thickens, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add sweetened coconut flakes, butter, and vanilla extract. Stir the mixture until the butter is completely melted. Then, let the custard cool for about 10 minutes.

Once the graham cracker crust has cooled completely, pour the coconut cream filling into the crust, spreading it into an even layer. To prevent skin from forming, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard.

Chill the pie in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow it to set.

Step 3: Assemble the pie

When the pie is set, get the remaining toppings ready. In a large bowl, combine pitted and halved cherries with honey and lemon juice.

It's going to look like too much honey, but don't worry, the cherries will absorb it all.

Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Over the twenty minutes, you'll notice that the cherries will start to release their juices. Isn't it amazing how just a bit of sugar can transform fruit?

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.

Instead of making plain whipped cream, we're making cream cheese whipped cream. The slight tang from the cream cheese will complement the sweet coconut custard beautifully.

Slowly add heavy cream while continuing to whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream cheese on top of the coconut cream filling in the pie.

Then, spoon the marinated cherries on the whipped cream cheese, discarding any excess liquid. You can also save that liquid to drizzle a bit on top of the pie or just enjoy it as a little beverage!

Slice the pie and serve immediately. Since the cherries will bleed, you want to serve the cherry coconut cream pie as soon as you finish topping it.

Take a bite of that delicious pie and enjoy the delightful combination of flavors and textures. The buttery graham cracker crust, rich coconut cream filling, and sweet-tart cherries create a harmonious dessert that will impress your family and friends. Whether for a special occasion or a casual gathering, this pie is a perfect choice to satisfy your sweet cravings.

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: The pie needs time to set, so it's best to prepare it the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More cherry dessert recipes

Looking for more cherry desserts? Try these: