Some recipes come and go. Some come and stay. Thankfully, this falls into the latter category. It’s simple and it’s nostalgic because it holds more than coconut and creamy goodness in its layers, it holds memories. Read on to find out why this recipe is more than just pie to me.
It’s pie, it’s magic. It’s magic pie!
I was not cooking or baking yet when the “magic crust/impossible pie” craze occurred in the 70s and 80s but Grandma soon changed that when she taught me how to make this pie. Maybe you already know about those kinds of recipes where all the ingredients were blitzed in the blender, poured into the baking dish, baked, and magically, a crust formed. It is not your quintessential flaky, buttery pie crust, but since this civilian struggles HARDCORE to roll out anything, bring on the magic crust. Please and thank you.
Easy peasy pie perfection, so easy a child can make it
My grandma taught me how to make it when I was pretty young because my grandpa loved it. It is probably the easiest pie recipe I have ever seen or made (to be fair, that isn’t saying much since I don’t make very many pies). Note to self…make more pies! They are delicious and way better than cake, in my opinion. (I’ll duck while you throw something at me). So when I was younger, I spent summers with my grandparents in Indiana because my parents were divorced. Anyhow, my grandpa was not a man of many words but all his words about this pie were positive. So I made it often. And then life happened. I grew up and summers were no longer spent in Indiana. And this recipe, from a stained page in old Mennonite cookbook, quietly slid out of my life. Until one fateful Pie Night. My daughter loves coconut so I added this to my usual offering (the ever-not-so-humble Crumb-topped Apple Pie) and the rest is history.
How to eat this pie, civilian-style
Chilled. Cold. Snuck straight from the fridge (or eaten openly). That is the best way to eat this creamy, dreamy pie. Regular cream pies are not my jam. I’d rather eat pudding. And even though I like whipped cream, this pie needs nothing besides a fork (a plate is bonus) to transport me back to simpler times. In the meantime, I am adding this into a regular week on our menu plan. I don’t usually make dessert but sometimes, you just need something slightly sweet & coconutty in your life!
7-6-2025 Today is the day. It’s a regular day. Not a holiday or someone’s birthday or Pie Night and I am making pie. Granted, I did just commit to making sure all the recipes have real-life pictures and didn’t have any for this recipe yet…but I also wanted to try adding in some chocolate chips. This recipe can be baked in 2-8 inch pie pans or 1-10 inch deeper pan. So I opted for the 2 smaller ones and took out half before adding the chocolate chips. Rookie mistake…I blended the chocolate chips in but only needed to stir them into the blender. It’s all good, I made the mistake so you know not to from the get-go and I will know better for next time. Yes, I am predicting that there WILL be a next time. I am not even sure the “smaller” pans are any smaller. They are not as deep, but I think they are still 10″ pans. Live and learn!
If loving a no-crust pie is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Real food. Real kitchens. Real love. –The Food Civilian
Coconut-Custard Pie
Equipment
- 1 blender
Ingredients
Combine in blender:
- 4 eggs
- 6 TBS butter
- ½ c flour
- 2 c milk
- ¾ c sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Add:
- 1 c coconut
Instructions
- Blend several seconds.
- Pour into a greased and floured 10” pie pan, or two 8” pans.
- Bake 50-60 minutes at 350 °F