Sweet and creamy Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie. An easy coconut macaroon crust with a vanilla and coconut custard filling topped with fresh whipped cream.
Recipe originally posted April 2017, photos updated April 2018. Post updated April 2019 to include the dairy-free option.
Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie
Who likes pie? Especially a cream pie!
Years ago, when we lived in Santa Fe, NM there was a restaurant that served a gluten-free coconut cream pie that was divine. It brought me back to my college days when I waited tables at the Silver Diner in Baltimore, MD.
Desserts, especially cream pies, at diners are world famous.
Have you ever been to a diner and not been able to keep from staring at the gorgeous pies and cakes in the dessert case?
Yup, me neither. Being gluten-free, those diner dessert delights were off limits…until now!
I was able to figure out how to make an easy gluten-free coconut cream pie.
Seriously, this recipe does not involve making a complicated, from scratch, gluten-free dough crust (been there, done that).
Think of the crust as a giant coconut macaroon.
The pie filling is a sweet vanilla and creamy coconut custard. The pie is finished with a homemade, whipped cream topping.
How To Make Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie
- Mix the egg whites, shredded coconut and melted butter in a large bowl.
- Pat the coconut mixture into a greased pie pan to make the crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.
- In a medium saucepan, mix gluten-free flour, sugar, milk (or dairy-free milk) and egg yolks.
- Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute (use timer).
- Remove from heat and add coconut, vanilla, and butter (or dairy-free butter).
- Pour the custard filling into the baked coconut crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- Make the homemade whipped cream (or dairy-free whipped topping) to spread or pipe on top of the pie before serving.
- Enjoy!
Dairy-Free Option
This gluten-free coconut cream pie can also be made dairy-free. There are three of us in my family (including myself) that are also dairy-free, so I always try and have a dairy-free option to my gluten-free recipes.
For this recipe, I use either unsweetened almond, cashew or coconut milk and Smart Balance buttery spread for the custard filling. For the crust, I substituted Smart Balance buttery spread for the butter in the recipe.
To make the whipped topping dairy-free I used a can of cream of coconut that I refrigerated overnight. I scraped out the top of the chilled and thickened coconut cream (leaving the liquid behind) and used the hardened coconut cream. The coconut cream makes for a lovely dairy-free whipped topping.
So now you can enjoy a gluten-free and dairy-free coconut cream pie!
This gluten-free coconut cream pie is sweet, creamy and dreamy. It is perfect for any occasion or no occasion at all!
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes To Try!
Gluten-Free Coconut Cream Pie {Dairy-Free Option}
Ingredients
CRUST
- 2 2/3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 3 tablespoons melted butter , dairy-free use Smart Balance butter
- 2 large egg whites
FILLING
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I like Pillsbury gluten-free)
- 2 cups milk dairy-free use almond, cashew or coconut milk
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon butter , dairy-free use Smart Balance butter
TOPPING
- 16 ounces heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar I like my whipped cream sweet. Adjust to your liking
- If you want your whipped cream to be stabilized add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Dairy-Free Topping
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut cream ,refrigerated overnight
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Instructions
CRUST
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 9-inch pie pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine egg whites, shredded coconut and melted butter (or dairy-free butter) in a bowl
- Pat coconut mixture into pie pan to make the crust.
- Bake crust for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Please watch your crust because all ovens are different.
FILLING
- In a medium saucepan, mix gluten-free flour, sugar, milk (or dairy-free milk) and egg yolks.
- Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute (use timer).
- Remove from heat and add shredded coconut, vanilla, and butter (or dairy-free butter).
- Pour the custard filling into crust. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
TOPPING
- Combine heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
- Use a mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form and it becomes firm. This pie works best with really firm whipped topping.
- Before serving, either spread or pipe the whipped cream on top of the pie.
- Optional: sprinkle with toasted coconut. To toast coconut, spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Sprinkle shredded coconut on pan and toast in the oven at 350 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes.
Dairy-Free Topping
- To make the topping: chill a large mixing bowl and whisk attachments of a mixer in the freezer for 10 minutes. Scrape out the top of the chilled and thickened coconut cream (leaving the liquid behind) and place the hardened coconut cream in your chilled mixing bowl. Beat for 30 seconds with a mixer until creamy. Then add vanilla, confectioners’ sugar, and corn starch and mix for 1 minute until creamy and smooth. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate. Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate the coconut whip for up to 3 days. Before serving the pie, spread the coconut whip on top of the pie.
Robin Gagnon says
I love the use of coconut as a crust!
Audrey says
Thank you Robin! It’s almost like a giant macaroon.
Jenn says
This is my neighbor’s favorite pie and I’m so excited to make it for them! Great recipe!
Audrey says
Hi Jenn. Thank you. I hope your neighbors enjoy it!
Tricia says
Can I use something in place of sugar? Or will it not work?
Audrey says
Hi Tricia! I have not tried a sugar substitute with this recipe, but I know that a lot of people bake successfully with Stevia. If you try it please let me know who it turns out.
Diane Adams says
Can I substitute coconut milk for regular milk?
Audrey says
Hi Diane! I have never tried it with coconut milk before. I have done a lot of dairy-free baking, but not with this recipe. If you try it please let me know how it turns out.
Tarri says
OMG!!!Hosting Thanksgiving this year I was in search for a desert for me( celiac disease) Googled for such and your site came up!,,, so to make a long story short!,, I had to try it now , made this pie yesterday and would not change a thing!,,I’m gonna be making this and hope I get a piece!,
Thank you !!! Will be try more recipes!!! Especially chicken and dumplings
Audrey says
Thank you so much for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! It makes my heart so happy to hear that you enjoyed the pie! I made it for Thanksgiving one year to bring to a friend’s house and no one even knew it was gluten-free. It’s one of my family’s favorite pies. I hope you enjoy other recipes you try. My family LOVES the gluten-free chicken and dumplings too! You are so welcome I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again.
Pat says
will this work with lactose free milk?? coconut or almond milk?
Audrey says
Hi Pat! I have not tried this recipe with lactose-free milk, coconut or almond milk. I am planning on working on a dairy-free option using coconut milk after the New Year. If you try before then, it will you please let me know how it turns out?
Denise K says
Will coconut flour rather than Pillsbury gluten free work as a substitute?
Audrey says
Hi Denise! I have not tried this recipe with coconut flour. It probably will not have the same results because coconut flour is much denser than rice flour.
Judy says
Can you make the topping ahead or will it get melty?
Audrey says
Hi Judy! You can make the fresh whipped cream ahead of time just cover the bowl with plastic wrap or put in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator. I hope you enjoy the coconut cream pie!
Amy A. says
Went a step further and made this dairy free, by using almond milk (unsweetened) and making an Italian meringue for the topping. It made a great birthday pie for the husband and gave me an excuse to use the blow torch. 😀
Audrey says
Thank you Amy for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! Wow…an Italian meringue sounds amazing! I have made the pie dairy-free as well. I need to update the recipe to include a dairy-free option. Happy Birthday to your husband! I am so happy that you enjoyed the pie. Thank you again!
Pam says
I want to try this recipe this week for a friend’s birthday. He has celiacs and said coconut cream pie is his favorite …and he hasn’t had it for years. I see someone used Almond milk and it turned out ok, fingers crossed for this option. Wondering if you can use a traditional meringue and bake it in the oven to brown the peaks?
Audrey says
Hi Pam! I have not tried making this recipe with a traditional meringue. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out. I hope you both enjoy the pie!
Amanda says
This year for Thanksgiving I decided to make homemade gluten free pies! Thank you so much for this recipe! I love your blog!! My family loves coconut cream pie and I was thrilled when I found this recipe! The pie is delicious, perfect amount of sweetness and the custard is creamy and the whipped topping was amazing, love the tip about putting corn starch in to make the cream stay firm. Worked like a charm! My family loved this pie.
The only thing I would do different, and this is truly just a preference thing, is I would give it a regular gf pie crust (I can’t wait to try your recipe!). The coconut macaroon crust was almost a little too much coconut for me. And I would also double the amount of cream in the center, or at least 1 1/2 the recipe for the custard, but this is only my preference as the custard is my favorite part. Thank you for this recipe, I love your blog and can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Audrey says
Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe review and your kind words about my blog! I am so happy that you enjoyed the coconut cream pie. The custard is my favorite part of the pie too. I am glad that the tip about the starch was helpful. I hope you enjoy my traditional crust recipe as well. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy other recipes that you try!