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Murielle Banackissa

Coconut Rum Cream Pie

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7 hours 30 mins Prep: 10 mins Cook: 20 mins Refrigeration Time: 7 hours
Serves 10

Light, fluffy and deliciously creamy, this Coconut Rum Cream Pie features coconut in every single one of its elements: from crust to filling, whipped topping and even garnish. It is perfect on a hot summer day or when you are craving tropical flavors.

Ingredients

Crust

  • ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 22 Biscoff cookies (175g)
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • 6 tbsp melted vegan unsalted butter

Coconut Cream Filling

  • 1 14oz can of full fat coconut milk
  • ½ cup unsweetened coconut beverage from a carton, or another non-dairy milk
  • cup cornstarch
  • ¼ cup organic cane sugar
  • 2-4 tbsp dark rum
  • ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Coconut Whipped Cream

  • 2 14oz cans of full fat coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar , plus more to taste
  • 1 tbsp dark rum
  • Toasted shredded coconut or coconut flakes , for serving

Prepare the Crust:

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350ºF.

  2. Step 2

    Place the unsweetened shredded coconut in a dry nonstick pan. Spread the coconut into a thin layer and toast over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until it’s golden brown and smells nutty, stirring every minute or so. Remove from the heat and let cool while you crush the Biscoff cookies in the food processor.

  3. Step 3

    Add the Biscoff cookies and sea salt to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the toasted coconut and pulse until combined . Be careful not to over process—you are not looking for the crust to resemble a flour texture, more like almond meal.

  4. Step 4

    Pour the melted vegan butter into the food processor and pulse until the mixture slightly sticks together when pinched, about fifteen seconds. Transfer into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate.

  5. Step 5

    Using the bottom of a measuring cup or a flat-bottomed glass, press the crust mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie dish, using your fingers to assist as needed. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the crust darkens slightly in color.

  6. Step 6

    Remove from the oven and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Prepare the Filling:

  1. Step 1

    Combine the 1 can of coconut milk, coconut beverage, cornstarch, sugar, and 2 to 4 tablespoons rum in a medium saucepan. Whisk the mixture until the cornstarch is dissolved. 

  2. Step 2

    Bring the mixture to a low boil over medium-high heat, whisking  regularly. Once the mixture starts thickening , continue cooking for two more minutes, whisking  constantly until the mixture resembles a runny pudding. Turn off the heat and fold in the shredded coconut and vanilla extract using a silicone spatula.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and spread into an even layer with the spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it lightly to touch the surface of the filling and covering the crust as well. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 7 hours, and up to 24, before serving. Place the 2 cans of coconut milk for the whipped cream in the refrigerator, too.

  4. Step 4

    When you’re ready to serve, prepare the coconut whipped cream: Scoop out the solidified coconut cream from the top of the 2 chilled coconut milk cans into a medium bowl. (Save the liquid coconut water from these cans to use in other recipes, like smoothies.) Whip the coconut cream using an electric hand mixer on high speed until fluffy. Stir in the confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon rum, adding more sugar to taste.

  5. Step 5

    Remove the plastic wrap from the pie. Garnish with the whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.

Common Questions & Swaps

  • Can I use other cookies than Biscoff cookies? Absolutely! Vegan graham cookies would work great here or any other non chocolatey crunchy cookies are another great alternative.
  • Can I used salted vegan butter? Yes, just skip the added salt in the crust.

  • I do not have a carton of unsweetened coconut milk beverage, can I use something else? Yes, you can swap it out with light coconut milk or any other non dairy unsweetened milk such as oat, cashew, soy etc. Just note that if you use something other than a coconut milk beverage, it will make the pie’s overall coconut flavor a little less pronounced.

  • I only have the basic unsweetened shredded coconut on hand, can I still make this recipe? YES! You can use unsweetened shredded coconut in every element instead. If you do, use ⅓ cup of sugar in the coconut cream filling (instead of ¼ cup) and garnish your pie with a handful of toasted shredded coconut (which you can do in a pan as in step 2).

  • Can I omit the rum in this recipe? Yes, absolutely! Use as much or a little rum as you want in this recipe.

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Slice of coconut rum cream pie from above on a plate
Bite taken out of coconut rum cream pie slice.
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What I have noticed over the past couple of months is that when I discover flavors or ingredients I love, they very quickly become part of many other recipes.

It all started with my early spring obsession with stone fruits that resulted in 3 different stone fruit-based recipes:

Now that this ship has sailed (of course I still love stone fruits, I just am less obsessed with them!), coconut has taken its place.

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You probably know from my Vegan Coconut Lovers’ Cake and my Vegan Dutch Oven Coconut & Lime Brioche Buns (with Cream Cheese Icing) that coconut has had a special place in my heart for a little while. To me coconut feels like the tropics. It is such a comforting flavor that pairs well with so many different ingredients.

Through this pie, I wanted to continue the celebration of coconut, while sharing with you a dessert that is perfect for the summer and that has an extra tropical touch: brown rum!

The crust of this cream pie is made out of ground up Biscoff cookies and toasted shredded coconut. The cookies bring a nice sweetness to the pie, while the toasted coconut adds texture and a touch of smokiness.

The filling itself is relatively simple: a simple coconut milk based custard, flavored with sugar, rum, and vanilla extract. But rest assured, that is not all. Folded into the rich cream is sweetened shredded coconut, which adds extra texture to the custard and helps it hold together wonderfully well.

Finally the garnish: a simple coconut whipped cream and toasted coconut flakes. The whipped cream adds even more lightness to the pie, while the toasted flakes add a nice crunch to this creamy delight.

Well, this cream pie has won the heart of many of my family members and was devoured within minutes on multiple occasions!

If you are a person who loves coconut and have a soft spot for creamy, rich, and melt in your mouth desserts, this one could very much be for you! If you do end up making this recipe, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me (@muriellebanackissa).

Have a wonderful week my friends!

Discover more coconut lovers’ recipes: