Coconut Cream Pie

If you love coconut, you’re in luck. This delicate coconut cream pie is melt-in-your-mouth creamy, dreamy, light tasting, and absolutely delicious. It was love at first bite with this one for me.

By Audrey, Unconventional Baker.
Best of all, I’m so pleased that this recipe, though very simple to make, requires no baking or freezing, and that it fits a very wide variety of dietary needs, as it’s vegan (and therefore dairy-free and eggless), refined sugar-free, nut-free, gluten and grain-free, soy-free, and free from added oils, etc.

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On that note, because there’s always someone asking — no, coconuts aren’t considered a nut. This recipe is truly nut-free.

A few last little notes: I kept the sweetener in the filling here quite low (compared to my usual sweetness standards, anyhow). Somehow it seemed fitting to keep this not overly sweet. But feel free to adjust the sweetness level by tasting the blended filling. You can always add a bit more if you prefer something on the sweeter side.

Also please see the recipe notes for the specific type of chips I used here and the other recipe alternatives (as what you use might make a difference in quantity for the crust).

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 ¼ cups toasted coconut chips* (194 gr)
• 5 soft medjool dates, pitted
• 2 ½ tbsp coconut butter (manna), slightly warmed so that it’s softened**
• 2 ½ tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp water

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Filling:

• 1 ½ cups coconut cream (the solid white stuff from chilled full fat coconut milk)***
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp raw ground vanilla bean****
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup coconut water (leftover from the cans that the cream got removed from)
• 1 tbsp agar agar flakes (or 1 tsp powder)

Instructions

1. Process all crust ingredients in a food processor into a sticky crumble. Transfer to a 7″ pie plate with a removable bottom and press down into a crust along the base and edges. Place in the fridge while working on next step.

2. Blend all filling ingredients, except coconut water and agar agar flakes, in a high power blender until completely smooth. Set aside.

3. Place coconut water and agar agar flakes into a small sauce pan. Warm on medium heat until the mixture begins to bubble lightly, stirring all the while to help the agar agar dissolve. Simmer for another 1-2 mins, stirring, to let the mixture thicken a little. Remove from heat. Add this mixture to the filling mixture in the blender and blend once again to incorporate it into the filling.

4. Transfer the filling into the prepared pie crust. Tap the pan lightly on the counter several times to release air bubbles. Place in the fridge for 5-6 hours (or overnight) to set. Slice and enjoy! (Keep leftovers refrigerated).
Notes
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*For the coconut chips, you’ll want to use ones that are as similar to these in texture and consistency (crisp, thick, and nicely toasted). I used these (you’ll need about 194 gr). You can usually find them at health food shops and the natural aisle of many grocery stores, or online (amazon or iherb etc.).  If you can’t find those, look for something similar, just keep in mind that if you’re using finer chips, for example, you might need to make a bit more of the crust as they’ll process into a finer consistency. Alternatively, if you prefer, you can use almonds or other nuts / seeds of your choice (just keep in mind whatever you’re using will probably require a smaller quantity, more like 2 cups).

**Can also use coconut oil instead, if you prefer.

***For this recipe I chilled five 160 ml / 5.4 oz cans of full fat coconut milk (I used the really small Thai Kitchen brand ones). Note: it’s important the cans are chilled first, usually I chill mine overnight, but give them at least 4-5 hours for best results — the chilling helps the white cream solids separate more fully from the coconut water, which you don’t want getting into the filling here.

****Can scrape half a vanilla bean pod in as an alternative.