This Lime-Coconut Pie is part of a long tradition of Southern-style baked custard pies. The filling is baked until it’s firm enough to slice, but it still has a creamy, custardy texture with a chewy top layer from the shredded coconut.
When we last met, I was torturing you with atrocious teenybopper/internet meme song lyrics. Considering that history, and taking into account the fact that I am making a superhuman effort to avoid any “put the lime in the coconut” jokes with this pie post, I think I deserve some snaps, don’t you?
Thanks very much. And now for the dessert portion of the proceedings.
I didn’t think far enough ahead to actually plan on posting a green-themed dessert on St. Patrick’s Day, but sometimes I stumble into good timing in spite of myself. So…yay! Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Let’s eat some lime-coconut pie with green things on top to celebrate!
This pie is part of a long tradition of Southern-style baked custard pies, like pecan, buttermilk, and chess pies. The filling is baked until it’s firm enough to slice, but it still has a creamy, custardy texture with a chewy top layer from the shredded coconut. Often those Southern pies are too sweet for me, but I added lots of lime juice and lime zest, so it’s actually quite tangy and refreshing. You’ll want to check out my detailed blog post about the difference between regular limes and key limes so that you are fully informed when selecting the right lime!
If I can be completely superficial for a moment, how great are those pearlescent balls in between the lime slices? I was at a candy supply store the day before making the pie, and as soon as I saw them I knew they needed to make an appearance on this pie. They’re actually Sixlets, so they’re candy-coated chocolate balls, which, as you might imagine, add absolutely nothing to the taste of this pie. But they’re beautiful, and sometimes that’s enough for me!
💚More Lime and Coconut Desserts!
Pistachio Pie with Lemon Whipped Cream
Pear Pistachio Tart with Rosemary Crust
Lime-Coconut Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 4 tsp lime zest, from 2 large limes
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Optional Topping:
- Whipped cream
- Fresh lime slices
- Toasted shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the pie crust with foil and add pie weights, beans, or rice. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, until it is set around the edges. Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 5-8 minutes, until it loses the raw look in the middle and takes on a little bit of a golden color around the edges. Let cool while you prepare the filling, but keep the oven warm.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, yolks, and salt, and beat on medium speed with a whisk for 1 minute. Add the sugar and beat for an additional minute, until the mixture is thick. Now add the coconut, cream, lime zest, lime juice, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and beat until everything is combined.
- Pour the filling into the par-baked crust, and bake it at 350 for about 40 minutes. When it’s done, it should feel set in the center but still have a little give, and it should be golden brown on top. If the outer edges and crust start to get too dark before the center is set, cover the outer edges with a ring of foil.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least 4 hours to get it firm enough to slice cleanly. Decorate the pie with whipped cream, fresh lime slices, or toasted coconut.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
Nutrition
ST. PATRICK’S DAY DESSERTS 🍀
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YUM!! this came at the perfect timing as I have a bag of limes and shredded coconut leftover and don’t know what to do with them!
Doooo it! Then tell me how it turns out!
This looks amazing! Looks similar to a pie my mom made a lot when I was a kid, except she never put citrus in hers – bet it is amazing with lime! 🙂
I think it would also be awesome with lemon…or grapefruit…okay, or any citrus fruit. Tangerine, anyone?
Oooh, I had to pin this! Citrus and coconut are two of my favorite ingredients to bake with. I think that your pie is absolutely beautiful 🙂
Thanks Courtney! I am so addicted to pinterest…glad that i’m not the only one. 🙂
P.S. I visited your blog and tried to comment, but I’m either too tired or too dense, because I couldn’t find a way to comment on recent posts…?
YES, those little green pearls are amazing! Such a pretty, pretty pie.
lovely pie, sounds delish!
Looks great – but it’s hard to come by sweetened, flaked coconut here in the Netherlands – it’s almost always unsweetened, and more often than not very finely grated.
Would you change anything to accomodate the lower sweetness? Or do you know a trick to sweeten coconut?
Hi Jim, honestly I think you’re probably fine using unsweetened coconut and not changing anything. Sweetened is easier to come by in the US, and it does tend to get nice and caramelized on top (b/c of the sugar) when it bakes, so it’s my first choice for this recipe, but taste-wise I think unsweetened should work just as well. If you’re worried about the pie being too tart you could swipe a taste of the filling before you pour it into the shell and add a few extra spoonfuls of sugar if the tartness is overpowering–but I doubt you’ll really need to. Let me know how it goes!
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow…how did you get such a nice top layer of toasted coconut? Just add it in afterwards or did you toast some of it in the oven with the pie?
I didn’t do anything special–the coconut in the filling rises to the top during baking and gets nice and golden brown! Hope you enjoy the pie!
Hi Elizabeth,
I was looking for something lime and coconut to try for Easter. I’m thinking the family will really like this. Can’t believe I hadn’t seen your yummy recipes sooner. But then again I still suck at this whole internet thing. Happy Easter.
-Gina-
I know, what’s the deal with the internet, anyhow? Pretty sure it’s just a fad that will pass soon. 🙂 Hope your family loves the pie, happy Easter to you all!
Delicious! Not too sweet and not too tart.
Hi Tracie! So glad you enjoyed the Lime-Coconut Pie. It’s definitely the perfect blend.