Triple Layer Gluten Free Coconut Cream Pie

This gluten free coconut cream pie has three layers!! It starts with smooth coconut milk pastry cream followed by crunchy toasted coconut-filled cream, all topped with sweetened whipped cream! It's the ultimate in coconutty creamy goodness.

It's always a no brainer for what to make my dad for his birthday dessert--anything coconut!! He LOVES coconut, which is great because so do I. When I made this pie for his birthday last year, he loved it so much he wanted it again for his birthday this year! And that's just fine with me because it's one of my favorite pies I make 😋

why this recipe works

• Three layers of coconutty goodness, which also means three layers of different textures as well. The bottom layer is a thick and smooth coconut custard, the middle layer is a lightened custard that is crunchy with loads of toasted coconut, and the top layer is a fluffy, smooth, and light whipped coconut cream layer.
• It's surprisingly easy to bring together.
• The crust is buttery and flaky.

here's what you'll need for coconut cream pie

Even though this gluten free coconut cream pie has three glorious layers, there aren't many ingredients needed to make it. A few staples are used throughout each layer:

• Gluten Free Pie Crust--if you haven't yet made my gluten free pie crust, now is the time to try it. You'll love the ease of rolling it out without cracking, but more importantly the buttery flakiness when it's baked!
• Egg Yolks--these are used in the pastry cream for thickening and richness.
• Cornstarch--also used in the pastry cream for thickening.
• Canned Coconut Milk--full fat coconut milk is used in place of cream or milk when making the pastry cream.
• Unsweetened coconut--most coconut cream pie recipes call for sweetened coconut, but I find it to be too sweet and love using unsweetened in my pie.

THE STEPS FOR MAKING GLUTEN FREE COCONUT CREAM PIE

There are a few steps to making this coconut cream pie obviously, since it's three layers, but they're very easy:

• Blind bake the pie crust -- if you've never blind baked a pie crust, it's very simple to do. See my gluten free pie crust recipe for the how-to.
• Make the pastry cream -- whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Add the hot coconut cream slowly. Place this mixture back on the heat and whisk constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add softened butter.
• Pour pastry cream through sieve over a bowl to remove any lumps.
• Pour all but one cup of the still warm pastry cream into the bottom of the pie crust and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Cover with plastic wrap right on the surface of the pastry cream in the pie, as well as the remaining pastry cream in the bowl. Chill both for one hour.
• Whip heavy cream to soft peaks. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla and continue whipping to stiff peaks.
• Add one cup of toasted coconut and coconut extract (if using) to the remaining one cup of chilled pastry cream and stir to combine. Gently fold in half of the whipped cream. With an offset spatula, spread this mixture on top of bottom layer.
• Pipe or spread remaining whipped cream on top of pie and sprinkle with the rest of the toasted coconut.

more gluten free pie recipes

• Lemon meringue pie
• Easy fresh strawberry pie
• Perfect peach pie
• Peanut butter pie
• Amazing apple pie
• The best key lime pie
• French silk pie
• Lemon cream pie

If you love coconut, or someone you know loves coconut, you should get in the kitchen now and make this pie. It'll fast become your new favorite!

Triple Layer Gluten Free Coconut Cream Pie was originally posted in August 2019 and has been updated with new pictures, new tips, and a new video.