These homemade Coconut Cream Pie Bars start with an easy pie crust, filled with a thick creamy filling and topped with fresh whipped cream!
A DELICIOUS COCONUT DESSERT
I love coconut! I love it in pies, cakes and coconut-flavored drinks. My absolute favorite way to eat it is in pie. So I thought I would take the traditional pie and turn it in these delicious Coconut Cream Pie Bars.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE COOL WHIP FOR WHIPPED CREAM?
I am using my famous (and crazy easy!) pie crust, WHAM BAM PIE CRUST. Then topping it with a creamy, coconut-y filling. And topping that with whipped cream. You could definitely use Cool Whip instead of the fresh whipped cream. It all depends on how much time and energy you want to put into this. Y'all know I don't judge when folks want to use short cuts since I do it all the time myself!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- vegetable oil
- water
- sugar
- corn starch
- half and half
- egg yolks
- butter
- sweetened flaked coconut
- coconut extract
- heavy whipping cream
- vanilla extract
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE COCONUT CREAM PIE BARS:
Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Combine crust ingredients and spread into a 9x13 baking dish.
Note: for more detailed directions on making this crust, click HERE. Poke dough all over with a fork. This keeps the dough from puffing up too much while baking. Bake. Crust should be a light golden brown and not doughy.
Let the crust cool. Then prepare the filling. In a bowl, whisk together half and half and egg yolks.In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Then slowly stir in half and half mixture while continuing to whisk.
Bring heat up to high and continue to whisk. Do not leave your pot. Pudding is so easy to make but the minute you walk away, it can thicken up on ya and you have a globby mess. So just hang in there and keep whisking while the mixture comes up to a boil. After a few minutes you will notice it has thickened.
Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in butter, coconut and coconut extract. Stir well.
Then spread pudding mixture over crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
Cover with plastic wrap. And pop it in your fridge to cool for about an hour.
For the whipped cream, you will need to use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (or a bowl and a whisk if doing it by hand). Pour 2 cups heavy whipping cream and turn mixer on to medium-high.
Slowly add in sugar and then vanilla. Mix until whipped cream forms soft peaks.
Then spread whipped cream over coconut pudding layer.
Now for the toasted coconut topping (if you prefer it toasted). Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Put about a cup of coconut on a baking pan.
Place it in the oven and bake. Stir every couple of minutes and don't walk away from oven because it has a tendency to burn the second you walk away. Let toasted coconut cool.
Sprinkle bars with toasted coconut then slice and serve.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Coconut Cream Pie Bars (+Video)
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons water
For the filling:
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup corn starch
- 2 cups half and half
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
- 1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract
For the topping:
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- sweetened coconut toasted
Instructions
To make the crust:
- Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Combine crust ingredients and spread into a 9 x 13 baking dish.
- Poke dough all over with a fork.
- Bake at 400F degrees for about 10-15 minutes. Crust should be a light golden brown and not "doughy." Let the crust cool.
To make the filling:
- In a bowl, whisk together half and half and egg yolks.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and cornstarch. Then slowly stir in half and half mixture while continuing to whisk.
- Bring heat up to high and continue to whisk. Do not leave your pot. After a few minutes you will notice it has thickened.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in 3 tbsp. butter, 1 cup coconut and coconut extract. Stir well.
- Then spread pudding mixture over crust. Allow to cool for a few minutes.
- Then cover with plastic wrap. Put it in the fridge to cool for about an hour.
To make the whipped cream topping:
- You will need to use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer (or a bowl and a whisk if doing it by hand.) Pour 2 cups heavy whipping cream and turn mixer on to medium-high.
- Slowly add in sugar and then vanilla. Mix until whipped cream forms soft peaks.
- Then spread whipped cream over coconut pudding layer.
Optional toasted coconut topping:
- Preheat oven to 325F degrees. Put about a cup of sweetened shredded coconut on a baking pan. Place it in the oven and bake for about 5-10 minutes.
- Stir every couple of minutes and don't walk away from oven because it has a tendency to burn the second you walk away. Let toasted coconut cool.
- Sprinkle bars with toasted coconut then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published: May 2013
Updated & republished: June 2020
Karen Anderson
Could I sub coconut flour for the AP flour?
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Hi Karen, I wish I could give you a good answer here. I am honestly not that experienced with cooking with coconut flour so I just can't say for sure. Perhaps someone on here will have an answer for you! 🙂