Coconut Meringue Pie is easier than you think! A heavenly cloud of foolproof meringue atop sweet and creamy coconut custard in a flakey golden crust. The only “weeping” will be from your delight!

Our frozen homemade pie crust is a favorite stress saver, perfect for delicious dishes or desserts like Easy Chicken Pot Pie, Savory Broccoli Cheddar Quiche, and Spring Veggie Galette. Pick your fav Upside Down Apple Pecan Pie or a yummy Tart Cherry Crumb. For kicks (and hankering for fresh Spring berries), you gotta try Strawberry Pretzel Pie. (Yep, a pretzel crust is fantastic!)

slice of pie with meringue on top

Why Coconut Meringue Pie Is Easier Than You Think!

There isn’t a holiday or occasion that a light, creamy coconut meringue won’t fit right in! An easy coconut custard pie recipe is as delightful as it looks and even more satisfying when you’ve made it yourself! That’s the first of many reasons you’ll be so pleased with this coconut meringue pie recipe!

  • Easily create a creamy coconut-infused custard pie filling that infuses you with nostalgic flavor!
  • A pre-baked pie crust creates a golden flakey barrier from the wet ingredients; no soggy crust
  • Simple hacks and tips make it possible to turn out a great meringue every time.
  • Enjoy sharing your lightly toasted clouds of fluffy meringue pie with friends and family.
  • Reading through the instructions until you feel comfortable is more than half the challenge of a scrumptious coconut cream pie with foolproof meringue.
ingredients for coconut meringue pie on a counter

Coconut Custard Pie & No Fail Meringue Ingredients

Blind bake a 9-inch refrigerated, frozen, or homemade pie crust so you are ready for the coconut custard when it’s time. The remaining ingredients are simple pantry staples; remember to let the eggs come to room temperature for 30 minutes!

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  • Pie Shell – you’ll want to use a pre-baked* 9” pie shell made from a refrigerated, frozen, or homemade pie crust
  • Sugar – white granulated sugar is the standard, but feel free to use coconut sugar if you would like.
  • Cornstarch – used as a thickening agent for the custard.
  • Salt
  • Milk -I suggest using whole or equal parts of milk and half and half for extra richness. Canned coconut milk should work too.
  • Egg Yolks – Keep three of the whites for the meringue ( see tip below). The extra can be brushed over the pie crust to seal it.
  • Butter – You can use coconut oil (solid at room temp) for an extra layer of coconut flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract – the soft sweet essence of vanilla complements the coconut custard. 
  • Sweetened Shredded Coconut – is the flavor base of the custard. You can grind the coconut in a food processor if you don’t want a chewy texture. 

*Pre-baking a pie crust is also called blind baking. I have a section in my Broccoli Quiche recipe that explains the how & why of this simple process. Check it out~!

Ingredients For Pie Meringue:

  • Egg Whites – Fresh eggs will yield the most volume in your meringue. Remember the egg whites must be room temperature (see tip below).
  • Cream Of Tartar – is an essential acidic addition to the meringue mixture; it stabilizes the egg whites to keep the foam from collapsing. 
  • Sugar – will dissolve better if it is powdered or superfine sugar; no grittiness.

Pro Tip:  Eggs will separate best when they are cold. Separate your eggs while they are cold then allow the whites to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before whipping for the meringue

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How To Make Coconut Custard Pie With Stabilized Meringue

You’ll only need a few kitchen tools for an easy coconut meringue pie, including a prepared crust. You will need a saucepan, whisk, metal or glass mixing bowls, mixer, spatula, and cooling rack.

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

  1. Whisk milk and egg yolks, then add sugar, cornstarch, and salt to a saucepan.
  2. Stir while patiently heating to a boil; remove from heat, add vanilla, butter, and coconut, then pour the coconut pie filling into the prepared pie crust.
  3. Have your meringue whipped and ready to spread over hot coconut filling.
  4. Bake in a preheated oven until meringue turns a light golden brown and reaches 160° F
  5. Let coconut meringue pie cool for an hour, then refrigerate for at least three hours before serving.

How To Make Homemade Meringue

  1. For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form (about 1 minute). 
  2. Gradually beat in one tablespoon of sugar at a time, until it has dissolved and the meringue forms stiff peaks (about 4 minutes).
  3. Spread evenly over hot coconut custard filling, sealing meringue to the edges of the crust. Sprinkle with coconut.

Tips For Coconut Custard Meringue Pie Made Easy

A separate section below contains excellent tips to avoid a weepy meringue.

  • When making the meringue, use a clean metal or glass mixing bowl – avoid plastic bowls, as they have an oily residue. Oil or fats can drastically reduce the volume of air bubbles* and affect the ability of the sugar to absorb egg white liquid. 
  • Make sure all of your tools are impeccably clean and absolutely dry.
  • For the best results, use superfine or confectioners sugar for the pie meringue. It dissolves easier for a sturdier meringue and reduces the chance of destabilizing your meringue foam by overmixing. 
  • If you only have white granulated sugar, make your own superfine sugar using a food processor, blender, or Nutri Bullet to pulverize the sugar 1:1 into a finer powder.
  • Add the sugar to the whipped eggs and cream of tartar mixture in steady increments, one tablespoon at a time.
  • Be careful not to overbake your meringue! Overbaking causes egg whites to shrink and squeeze out moisture droplets. 
  • Use a spoon to create decorative swirls on the meringue for even browning. 
  • High peaks or crests can cause excessive browning on the tips. 
  • To pre-bake/blind bake a pie crust, line a frozen crust with foil and fill it with pie weights, dry beans or sugar. Start with a fully frozen crust and bake for about 45-60 minutes at 350F.
  • Allow the pie to cool completely at room temp or chill in the refrigerator before serving. If it’s at all warm you will have a runny pie when you cut into it.
Coconut cream pie with meringue on top

Tips To Keep Meringue From Weeping

  1. Humidity! Avoid preparing a pie meringue on a rainy day if your kitchen gets overly warm and humid. OR, pull a dehumidifier into the room or temporarily crank down the A/C to control humidity. (Also, avoid running the dishwasher!)
  2. Temperature! Room-temperature egg whites are a must! Cold egg whites inhibit sugar dissolving and cause gritty, overwhipped meringue that collapses more easily from large air bubbles.
  3. Sugars! Superfine or powdered sugar dissolves easily and absorbs the egg white liquids faster. The dissolved sugar unfolds the proteins to create a glossy and smooth foam.
  4. Beating! Avoid overmixing pie meringue because it creates larger trapped air bubbles that want to merge/collapse and escape, destabilizing the meringue.  
  5. Residual Heat! Place freshly made dollops of meringue on the entire area of piping hot filling; the cooking process starts immediately.
  6. “Bonding!” Try not to disturb the bottom layers of meringue that are initially in contact with the hot coconut pie filling. (It started cooking/bonding when it hit the hot pie filling).
  7. Sealing! Smooth only the upper layers when spreading the meringue to the edges of the crust to fully seal the coconut custard. This keeps steam from escaping and weeping.
  8. Refrigeration! Make sure the meringue is completely cool before placing the pie in the refrigerator
  9. No Fail Meringue! Following the coconut meringue pie recipe and adhering to these rules will make you as “golden” as your crust!
coconut pie with one serving on a plate with a fork

Refrigerating Coconut Meringue Pie

Coconut Meringue Pie is best enjoyed the day it’s made.

If you have leftovers keep the meringue pie in the fridge for up to 3 days loosely covered with plastic wrap or an airtight container. However, be mindful of weeping when exposed to humidity. Place a paper towel in the airtight container to absorb extra moisture.

Fresh baked coconut pie on a cooling rack with a pie server

Coconut Meringue Pie Recipe FAQs

What is cream of tarter?

Cream of tartar is a white, crystalline residue that forms inside wine barrels when exposed to potassium hydroxide during wine-making. Many fruits contain tartaric acid, which has various uses in foods as an acidifying agent. Notably, cream of tartar is a go-to for stabilized meringue foam because it keeps egg proteins from sticking together, holding tiny air bubbles in place.

Do I have to use cream of tarter in a coconut meringue pie?

No, cream of tartar isn’t a required ingredient, although this natural fruit acid by-product serves several purposes in a meringue. Cream of Tarter is a leavening agent, an egg white stabilizer, and keeps sugar from crystallizing. Use a 1:2 ratio of cream of tarter to lemon juice or white vinegar for light and airy foam. Without a stabilizing agent, meringue foam can release air bubbles, become watery, and collapse more quickly.

What is the difference between a meringue pie and a cream pie?

That’s an easy one! The difference is whether the pie is covered in whipped egg or cream topping.

Can you add flavoring to an egg meringue?

You can add various extracts to meringues for a delicately nuanced foam. The most common addition is vanilla extract. Feel free to experiment with flavors, like coconut, pineapple, or rum extract, with a coconut meringue pie recipe.

coconut cream pie with meringue photo collage
coconut pie with one serving on a plate with a fork

Coconut Meringue Pie

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Cool & Chill Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes

Indulge in a slice of heaven with this homemade coconut meringue pie! This classic dessert features a creamy coconut custard filling topped with fluffy meringue and baked to perfection in a flaky crust. Perfect for summer gatherings or a special treat anytime, this pie is sure to impress your guests and leave them asking for seconds.

Ingredients

  • 9-inch baked pie shell
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup sweetened shredded coconut

For meringue:

  • 3 egg whites, room temperature
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ⅓ cup sugar

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
  2. Using a mixing bowl, whisk milk and egg yolks and add to the saucepan.
  3. Cook over medium heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute.
  4. Remove from heat and add vanilla, butter, and coconut. Pour into cooled pie crust.
  5. Preheat oven to 400° F.
  6. For meringue, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, on medium speed until soft peaks form (about 1 minute). Gradually beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved (about 4 minutes) you want it glossy and super firm, stiff peaks. If it still seems soft, beat a little longer. Spread evenly over hot filling, sealing meringue to edges of the crust. Sprinkle with coconut.
  7. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator.

Notes

  • Humidity! Avoid preparing a pie meringue on a rainy day if your kitchen gets overly warm and humid. OR, pull a dehumidifier into the room or temporarily crank down the A/C to control humidity. (Also, avoid running the dishwasher!)
  • Temperature! Room-temperature egg whites are a must! Cold egg whites inhibit sugar dissolving and cause gritty, overwhipped meringue that collapses more easily from large air bubbles.
  • Sugars! Superfine or powdered sugar dissolves easily and absorbs the egg white liquids faster. The dissolved sugar unfolds the proteins to create a glossy and smooth foam.
  • Beating! Avoid overmixing pie meringue because it creates larger trapped air bubbles that want to merge/collapse and escape, destabilizing the meringue.  
  • Residual Heat! Place freshly made dollops of meringue on the entire area of piping hot filling; the cooking process starts immediately.
  • “Bonding!” Try not to disturb the bottom layers of meringue that are initially in contact with the hot coconut pie filling. (It started cooking/bonding when it hit the hot pie filling).
  • Sealing! Smooth only the upper layers when spreading the meringue to the edges of the crust to fully seal the coconut custard. This keeps steam from escaping and weeping.
  • Refrigeration! Make sure the meringue is completely cool before placing the pie in the refrigerator.
  • Serving! Don’t try to cut and serve until the pie has chilled for at least 3 hours.
  • Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 131mgSodium: 310mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 1gSugar: 35gProtein: 9g

    Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

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    cream pie with one serving removed