Easy Coconut Cream Pie Bars recipe

Coconut Cream Pie Bars are everything you love about a classic coconut cream pie, layered into easy, shareable bars. We're talking a buttery vanilla wafer crust, a thick and silky coconut custard filling made with real coconut milk, and a cloud of fluffy whipped cream piled on top with golden toasted Coconut Cream Pie Bars . The first time I made these for a summer get-together, they were gone before I even got a Coconut Cream Pie Bars for myself. What I love most is how approachable these are. You don't need any special equipment or pastry skills.

If you've ever made a stovetop pudding or a simple no-bake dessert, you can absolutely pull this Easy Cinnamon Baked Peaches recipe And if you're a fan of our easy Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe or Easy Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding recipe, you're going to want this one in your regular rotation too.

Why You'll love this Coconut Cream Pie Bars

• Tastes like a bakery-style coconut cream pie without the fuss of making a Coconut Cream Pie Bars shell
• The custard is rich, creamy, and deeply coconutty thanks to real Coconut Cream Pie Bars milk AND toasted coconut flakes
• Simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store
• Great for potlucks, holidays, or just because Tuesday needed something special
• Makes 24 bars so there's plenty to share

Coconut Cream Pie Bars Ingredients

Here's everything that goes into these bars, plus a little note on why each one matters.

See Recipe Card Below This Post For Ingredients Quantities

For the Crust

• vanilla wafers: Blended into crumbs, these create a tender, lightly sweet crust that holds together beautifully without baking.
• salted butter, melted: Binds the crumbs and adds rich, buttery flavor. Salted butter works perfectly here.
• pinch salt: Sharpens the sweetness of the crust and keeps it from tasting flat.

For the Filling and Topping

• unsweetened flaked coconut, divided: Half gets toasted and steeped into the custard for flavor. The other half is reserved for the topping, giving a golden, chewy finish.
• can sweetened condensed milk: Adds deep sweetness and contributes to the thick, creamy texture of the custard.
• can evaporated milk: Provides a rich dairy base without making the custard too heavy.
• cans coconut milk: The backbone of this recipe. Full-fat Coconut Cream Pie Bars milk delivers that tropical, creamy flavor that makes every bite taste like a vacation.
• salt: Balances all the sweetness in the filling.
• brown sugar: Adds a warm, slightly caramel note that pairs beautifully with coconut.
• granulated sugar: Rounds out the sweetness alongside the brown sugar.
• all-purpose flour: Acts as a thickener alongside the cornstarch to give the custard its pudding-like body.
• cornstarch + 2 tablespoon water: Combined into a slurry, this is what transforms the mixture into a true, spoonable custard. Don't skip it.
• large egg yolks, beaten: Give the custard richness, color, and a silky smooth consistency.
• salted butter: Stirred in at the end for glossiness and that melt-in-your-mouth finish.
• vanilla extract: A warm, classic note that ties all the flavors together.
• whipped cream: The light, fluffy topping that contrasts beautifully with the dense custard below. Store-bought or homemade both work great.

How to Make Coconut Cream Pie Bars

Step 1 - Make the Crust

Blend the wafers: In a blender or food processor, pulse the vanilla wafers until they reach a sandy, fine crumb consistency. You don't want big chunks.

Mix with butter: Stir in the melted butter and pinch of salt until all the crumbs are fully coated and darkened in color. It should feel like wet sand.

Press and freeze: Press the mixture firmly and evenly into an 11x7-inch baking dish. Pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up while you work on the filling.

Step 2 - Prepare the Filling

Toast the coconut: In a large saucepan over medium heat, toast the Coconut Cream Pie Bars flakes, stirring often, until they turn golden brown and fragrant. Watch them closely. They go from golden to burned fast. Remove from heat and set aside.

Steep and thicken: Add 1 cup of the toasted coconut to the saucepan along with the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, Coconut Cream Pie Bars milk, salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.

Steep and strain: Remove from heat and let the mixture steep for 20 minutes so the Coconut Cream Pie Bars can infuse its flavor into the liquid. Then strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing gently. Discard the solids.

Step 3 - Cook the Custard

Make the slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together the water and beaten egg yolks, then mix in the cornstarch until smooth. Stir this slurry into the milk mixture in the pan.

Cook to thicken: Return the pan to medium heat and stir constantly until the custard thickens and starts to bubble in thick, slow spurts. This means it's done. Remove from heat immediately.

Add butter and vanilla: Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until fully melted and combined. The custard should look glossy and smooth.

Step 4 - Assemble

Strain into crust: Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve one more time directly into the chilled crust. This is your insurance for a silky smooth filling.

Refrigerate: Cover loosely and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, until the custard is fully set and firm enough to slice cleanly.

Whipped cream and coconut: Spread the whipped cream evenly over the chilled bars. Sprinkle the remaining toasted Coconut Cream Pie Bars flakes generously over the top. Slice and serve.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Vanilla wafers: Swap for graham crackers or shortbread cookies for a slightly different flavor. Both work great.
• Unsweetened flaked coconut: Sweetened Coconut Cream Pie Bars can be used, but reduce the granulated sugar slightly so the bars aren't too sweet.
• Whipped cream: Coconut Cream Pie Bars whipped cream is a fantastic swap here and doubles down on that tropical flavor.
• Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine. Just add an extra small pinch of salt to compensate.
• All-purpose flour: A 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend should work as a substitute if needed.

Equipment for Coconut Cream Pie Bars

• Blender or food processor (for the crust crumbs)
• Medium saucepan with a heavy bottom
• Small bowl (for the egg yolk slurry)
• Fine mesh sieve (used twice, don't skip this!)
• 11x7-inch baking dish or any dish with a 10-cup capacity

How to Store Coconut Cream Pie Bars

Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The crust will soften slightly over time, which some people actually love. The filling holds up beautifully. These bars are best served cold straight from the fridge.

Freezing isn't recommended once the whipped cream topping is added, as it tends to separate and get watery when thawed. If you want to freeze them, do so before adding the whipped cream and toasted Coconut Cream Pie Bars topping. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add the topping fresh before serving..

FAQ

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Pairing

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Coconut Cream Pie Bars

These Coconut Cream Pie Bars are the perfect blend of creamy coconut filling, buttery cookie crust, and fluffy whipped cream - an irresistible treat!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Rest 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 234

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• Crust:
• 8 oz. vanilla wafers Crushed into crumbs
• 8 tablespoon salted butter melted (Adds richness and binds the crust)
• 1 pinch salt Enhances flavor of the crust
• Filling & Topping:
• 1.5 cups unsweetened flaked coconut divided (Toasted coconut adds flavor and texture)
• 1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (Provides sweetness and creaminess)
• 1 12oz can evaporated milk (Adds creaminess)
• 2 13.5oz cans coconut milk (Gives the pie a rich coconut flavor)
• ¼ teaspoon salt Balances sweetness
• ¼ cup brown sugar Adds depth of flavor
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar Provides additional sweetness
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour Thickens the custard filling
• ¼ cup cornstarch Helps set the custard filling
• 2 tablespoon water Used to mix with cornstarch for slurry
• 3 large egg yolks beaten (Adds richness and color to the filling)
• 4 tablespoon salted butter For smoothness and richness
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Enhances flavor
• 2 cups whipped cream Topping to add fluffiness and creaminess

Method

 

1. Blend the vanilla wafers into a sandy consistency using a blender or food processor. prep
2. Mix in the melted butter and salt until the cookie crumbs are fully saturated and deepened in color. mix
3. Press the cookie crust evenly into an 11x7-inch baking dish and freeze for 15 minutes. prep
4. Toast the unsweetened coconut flakes in a large saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. prep
5. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine 1 cup of toasted coconut, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk, salt, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and flour. Stir until thickened, about 5 minutes. mix
6. Take the milk mixture off the heat and let it steep for 20 minutes. Strain the coconut flakes out using a fine-mesh sieve and discard. prep
7. In a small bowl, create a slurry by mixing water and egg yolks, then stir in the cornstarch. Add the slurry to the milk mixture in the pan. prep
8. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the custard bubbles in spurts. bake
9. Remove the pan from the heat and add butter and vanilla extract. Stir until the butter dissolves. mix
10. Strain the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into the chilled crust. assemble
11. Top the bars with whipped cream and sprinkle the remaining toasted coconut flakes over the whipped cream. finish

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingCalories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 3gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 150mgFiber: 1gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 6IUCalcium: 4mgIron: 4mg

Notes

These Coconut Cream Pie Bars are perfect for a special occasion or as a treat to satisfy your sweet tooth. The buttery crust paired with the creamy coconut filling makes each bite heavenly!

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