Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
A whole pumpkin pie with one slice cut out with toasted coconut on top and pandan leaves on the side.

Coconut Pumpkin Pie

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Pailin Chongchitnant
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 1.5 hours + 2 hours cooling time
  • Yield: 8-10 servings

Description

This recipe takes the traditional Thanksgiving pumpkin pie and combines it with some of the iconic flavours of Thai desserts: coconut, palm sugar, and pandan leaves. The result is an incredibly tasty pie with a unique touch that still gives you the rich, creamy, silky pie experience you want for the holidays.


Ingredients

  • 1 single pie crust, unbaked (see this recipe for my easy pie crust)
  • 1 ½ cup coconut milk 
  • 1 pandan leaf (18 inches), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 225g finely chopped palm sugar 
  •  ¾  tsp fine salt
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree, canned
  • 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • ~¼ cup shaved coconut for garnish, or another garnish of your choice
  • Optional: whipped cream or coconut whipped cream for serving

Kitchen Tools and Ingredients I Use


Instructions

Parbake the Crust: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and set the rack on the lowest rung. 
  2. Line the pie plate with your pie dough, dock (poke) it all over with a fork to prevent puffing, and then chill for 2 hours or freeze for 30 minutes. 
  3. Cut a piece of parchment paper so it’s at least 2 inches bigger than the pie plate on all sides. Crumple it up well and then smooth out and place it on top of the pie crust. Fill the parchment / pie crust with your "pie weight" of choice (ex. sugar, dry rice, or dry beans) and then place the pie plate onto a baking sheet.
  4. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the edges look cooked but have very little to no colour on them (make the filling while this bakes).
  5. Remove from the oven, grab the parchment on all corners and lift the pie weight off and rest it in a bowl. Then put the crust back into the oven for another 4-5 minutes to dry up the bottom. (If using rice or beans for weight you can save them up for future pie crusts, but they will not cook up the same otherwise. If using sugar, you can cook with it again, though some of the sugar at the bottom might harden a bit due to the absorbed moisture. )

Make the Filling:

  1. Add coconut milk and chopped pandan leaf to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for about 10 minutes or until reduced by exactly half (you will need to measure it). Keep an eye on it so it does not boil over (if the sides are burning your flame is too high and is licking the sides of the pot).
  2. Once reduced, strain the coconut milk into a measuring cup and see if you have ¾ of a cup (180 ml) left. If you have a little less, that’s okay. If it’s a lot less just add a bit of water back in to get it to ¾ cup. But if you have more you want to keep reducing it, otherwise your filling might be too soft.
  3. Discard the pandan leaves and return the ¾ cup of coconut milk to the pot. Add salt and palm sugar and cook over medium heat for 1-2 more minutes, just until the sugar is dissolved.
  4. Remove from heat and whisk in pumpkin puree until combined.
  5. Add the eggs and stir until well combined, making sure to scrape the edges and bottom of the pot with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is mixed in.
  6. Pour the filling into the parbaked crust and bake on the bottom rack for about 1 hour, or until it reaches an internal temp of about 170°F. It should look puffed up, and when you jiggle the pan the center should jiggle a bit like jello but it should not “ripple” like liquid. You can always stick a knife into the center and pry it open slightly to see whether it has set.
  7. Let cool completely (at least 2 hours) before garnishing and slicing. 
  8. While the pie cools, you can toast the coconut for garnish by spreading it out on a sheet pan, leaving an empty space in the middle for more even baking. Bake in the same oven (350°F) for 5-7 minutes or until the coconut has a deep golden brown colour. (It may take less time if using a different shape of coconut - and keep an eye on it as the coconut burns quick!). If you want you can mix the toasted coconut with a little bit of untoasted for a more colourful garnish. 
  9. Once the pie is cool, sprinkle the toasted coconut on top of the pie. This pie will keep at room temp for 1 day, but will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Join us on Patreon for Bonus Content!