Keto Coconut Cream Pie
Published February 18, 2025 • Updated March 9, 2026
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I've made a lot of low carb pies, and this keto coconut cream pie is the one I keep coming back to. Flaky almond flour crust, silky coconut custard, sugar-free whipped cream on top.
I’ve made a lot of pies since going keto. My pecan pie, my chocolate cream pie, my pumpkin pie. They all turned out close to the originals, and I was pretty happy with my lineup. But this coconut cream pie is on another level. It doesn’t taste gluten-free or sugar-free. It just tastes like pie.
Why this pie is the best
- The crust actually flakes. I use my flaky keto pie crust, which rolls out and handles like traditional pastry dough. The cream cheese matters more than you’d think here (fat content, a little acid, and it keeps everything from crumbling when you transfer to the pan). I’ve had readers tell me their family didn’t believe the crust was almond flour.
- Arrowroot powder instead of xanthan gum. Most low carb pie recipes thicken the custard with xanthan gum or cornstarch. I chose arrowroot powder because it’s neutral in flavor and stronger than flour, so I need very little. No gummy aftertaste, no weird texture. If you’ve been disappointed by other versions, this is the difference.
- The filling sets up clean. Nut milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, butter, coconut and vanilla extracts, plus a concentrated coconut base that pulls the whole flavor forward. I tested this custard more times than I want to admit, and this combination is what finally gave me slices that hold their shape on the plate even after sitting out through dinner.
One swap I love: a reader named Rachel replaced the milk with full-fat coconut cream and said the filling went from subtle to genuinely coconutty. I’ve been doing the same thing ever since. If you want more coconut flavor, try that swap. You’ll taste the difference immediately.
Another thing: toast your shredded coconut before sprinkling it on top. I do mine in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes, watching it close because it burns fast. That toasty, almost nutty crunch on every bite makes a real difference in the finished pie.
This pie takes some time (you’re blind baking a crust, cooking a custard from scratch, and whipping a topping), but every component can be made ahead. I break that down in the sections below. What I can tell you is that the finished pie slices clean and stays firm for days in the fridge. If you’ve tried other versions and ended up with runny filling or a crust that fell apart, give this one a shot.
How to get the custard right
The custard is where most people run into trouble, and I get it. I’ve overcooked it, undercooked it, and watched it curdle on the stove more than once before I figured out the window. Cook it over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring the entire time, until it reaches the consistency of thick runny yogurt. That’s the target. If you pull it too early, the filling won’t set and you’ll cut into a runny mess. If you cook it too long or turn up the heat, the egg yolks curdle and you’ll see little scrambled bits in the custard.
Pour it into the baked crust while it’s still warm (it thickens more as it cools and bakes), and trust the jiggle. When the center wobbles like jello but the edges are slightly puffed, it’s done. Then cool at room temperature for an hour before refrigerating. I know it’s tempting to cut into it early, but the filling needs those 2-3 hours in the fridge to fully set.
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Flaky Keto Pie Crust Ingredients
1 cup almond flour -
3 tablespoons coconut flour
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1 teaspoon xanthan gum
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
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1 ounce cream cheese, softened
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1 egg
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1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Keto Coconut Cream Filling Ingredients
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1 cup milk of choice
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1 cup heavy cream
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1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
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6 large egg yolks
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1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
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1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
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1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
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1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 tablespoons coconut cream
Coconut Whipped Topping Ingredients
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1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
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2 cups heavy cream
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1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Make the pie dough
Start by making the pie crust. Add almond flour, coconut flour, xanthan gum and salt to a food processor. Give a quick pulse to combine. Add in chilled, cubed butter and cream cheese. Pulse until coarse crumbles form. Add egg and vinegar. Pulse until combined and a dough ball forms.
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled & cubed
- 1 ounce cream cheese, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white, rice, or apple cider vinegar
Flatten and chill
Flatten the dough into a circle disc in between two sheets of parchment paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll it out
To roll out the dough, place a damp paper towel on the counter and the parchment sandwiched dough on top. This will keep the parchment paper from sliding around the counter. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a pie crust about ⅛ to ¼ inch thick – enough to fit a 8-9 inch pie plate. Keep the dough sandwiched between the parchment paper as your roll it out. Start from the center of the disc and work your way out in all directions. If the parchment paper crumbles or wrinkles beneath the dough, flip and carefully remove the parchment and replace back on and continue rolling.
Place dough in pie pan
Remove the top layer of parchment paper. Place pie pan upside down over pie crust. Hold one hand on the pie pan. Slide your hand under the bottom parchment paper and flip so the pie pan is on the bottom and crust is on the top. Remove the parchment paper.
Blind bake
Gently press the pie dough into the pie plate. Flute the ends of the crust. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Add a sheet of parchment paper on top of the crust and fill with pie weights. This will keep the crust from puffing up on the bottom. Bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown.
Start making custard filling
Start making the filling as the pie crust cools. Decrease oven temperature to 325°F. Pour milk of choice, cream and sugar-free sweetener into a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil and remove immediately once boiling. Set aside.
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup sugar-free sweetener
Beat the yolks
Pour egg yolks into a large bowl. Beat yolks using an electric mixer until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Add arrowroot powder and butter, continue beating until combined. Add coconut and vanilla extracts, and coconut cream. Set the mixer to low speed and slowly pour in the warm cream mixture into the egg mixture.
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons coconut cream
Let the custard thicken
Once combined, pour the filling back into the saucepan and cook over low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard has thickened to the consistency of thick runny yogurt.
Bake the pie
Pour the coconut filling into the baked pie shell. Bake until the edges are puffed and the center is jiggly and wobbles like jello, about 20-22 minutes. Remove from the oven. Allow it to cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then stick in the fridge to cool for another 2-3 hours or overnight.
Make the whipped topping
Place coconut on a parchment lined baking sheet and toast under the broiler on high until lightly toasted. Pour whipping cream into a large bowl along with sugar-free sweetener and vanilla. Whip using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Place whipped cream in the center of the pie and create a dome shape using a spatula. Sprinkle the top with toasted coconut. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/4 cup sugar-free sweetener
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I substitute full-fat coconut cream for the milk in the filling?
I started doing this after a reader suggested it, and now I do it every time. Swap the cup of milk for the full-fat canned version and the filling goes from subtle to genuinely, deeply coconutty. The custard still sets up the same way and slices just as clean.
What sweetener works best in this pie?
I've tested erythritol, allulose, and monk fruit blends in this custard. Erythritol works and measures 1:1, but it can have a slight cooling aftertaste. Allulose is my favorite here because it dissolves completely and the custard tastes closest to the real thing. One of my readers, Dana, used allulose in the whipped cream too and bumped the amount up slightly, which I thought was smart. Monk fruit blends work fine, just check the conversion on the package since they vary by brand.
How do I know when the custard is thick enough?
I look for the consistency of thick runny yogurt. When I drag a spoon through it and the trail holds for a second before closing, it's ready. Mine takes a full 10-12 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly. Don't rush it.
Can I make this dairy-free?
I've swapped individual dairy components in this recipe enough times to know the path. Use coconut oil in place of butter (both in the crust and filling), full-fat canned coconut instead of heavy cream, and skip the cream cheese in the dough (an extra tablespoon of coconut oil works). The crust won't be quite as flaky without the cream cheese structure, but it holds together. For the whipped topping, I chill a can of full-fat canned coconut overnight and whip just the thick part that rises to the top.
Why did my filling come out runny?
I've had this happen to me too, and the fix is almost always the same: the custard wasn't cooked long enough on the stove. I cook mine for the full 10-12 minutes, stirring constantly, until it coats a spoon and holds a trail. If yours was thinner than that when you poured it in, that's the issue. The other thing I see is cutting too early. I cool mine at room temperature for an hour, then refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before slicing. Without that fridge time, the custard won't fully set.
Can I use a different crust for this pie?
I really think you should try this flaky almond flour crust first because it's the best keto crust I've made. But if you want something closer to a graham cracker base, a simple mix of almond flour, melted butter, and a tablespoon of sweetener pressed into the pan and baked for 8-10 minutes works. I've done it when I'm short on time. My no-bake peanut butter pie uses that style of crust and it holds filling well.
What can I substitute for arrowroot powder?
Cornstarch works. I use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in place of the arrowroot and the custard thickens the same way. I chose arrowroot for this recipe because it's flavor-neutral and a little stronger, so I need less of it. But if cornstarch is what you have, go with it. I'd skip xanthan gum here because it can give custard a slightly gummy texture that I don't love in pie filling.
I almost skipped the xanthan gum, convinced I could just sub something or leave it out. Glad I didn't. The crust is actually flaky, in a way I had to stop and look at before eating, not crumbly or cardboard-like the way almond flour crusts usually go for me. The coconut custard set overnight and the texture by morning was silky, much closer to what I remember from the real thing than I expected. I kept waiting for the aftertaste that shows up in most keto desserts. It never came. Made this on a Sunday, gone by Monday night, and I've already got ingredients for a second one sitting on my counter.
Gone by Monday night. The xanthan gum is the reason that crust actually flakes instead of crumbling. Second one will be even better now that you know what to expect.
Tried two other keto coconut cream pie recipes before this one, both had that loose custard problem where it never sets. This one actually holds and the coconut flavor tastes real. The almond flour crust blind bake made me nervous (first time) but it came out in one piece. Done with the others.
Fourth time making this pie in two months. First couple of rounds I was using almond milk and the custard set fine but came out thin, almost watery under the whipped cream. Switched to full-fat canned coconut milk and it completely changed, thick custard with coconut flavor running all the way through instead of just sitting on top. The almond flour crust blind-baked so flaky I actually stopped and looked at it before adding the filling. Started toasting the shredded coconut in a dry pan first too, and the smell when it hits is genuinely something. Spring entertaining has kicked off and this is on every menu I have coming up.
Full-fat coconut milk, yes. I switched a while back and haven't used almond milk in this recipe since. And toasting the shredded coconut first in a dry pan, that smell carries into the whole custard. Spring entertaining with this on the menu is a good call.
My sister is dairy-free and she's been begging me to make her something keto that doesn't taste like cardboard, and this pie keeps coming up. I'm just not sure how to handle the cream cheese in the crust and the heavy cream in the custard. Would full-fat coconut cream swap in for both, or does cream cheese do something specific to the texture that coconut cream just can't?
Made this last Sunday because my daughter has been on a coconut kick lately and I figured a keto coconut cream pie was worth a shot. The custard set up way nicer than I expected, that silky texture you usually only get from full-sugar versions. My daughter took one bite and immediately started explaining to her mom why this one was different from the other keto desserts I make (her words were something like 'it actually tastes like dessert, not like a diet thing'), which coming from a 12-year-old who critiques everything I put in front of her, felt significant. The crust held together better than my usual almond flour attempts too, I think the coconut flour in there does something to the structure that keeps it from crumbling when you cut a slice. Already have a second one chilling in the fridge.
Yes on the crust - coconut flour is what keeps it from going crumbly when you slice. Almond flour alone falls apart. A 12-year-old saying it 'tastes like dessert, not a diet thing' made my day.
Figured the xanthan gum step was going to wreck me, but the dough actually came together and the crust held up after blind baking. Custard set up clean after four hours. Four stars because I rushed the chill time, but that's on me.
Getting that dough to cooperate is the hard part. Try overnight next time - the custard after 8 hours is in a different place than 4.
My daughter has been anti-coconut her entire life, picks the shreds out of every macaroon I've ever put in front of her. Made this mostly for myself and she walked through while it was setting in the fridge, grabbed a spoonful of custard off the spatula, and showed up at dinner with a full plate. That was my review right there. The almond flour crust was the other surprise, rolled out without cracking and held every cut clean, which is not something I expect from low carb doughs. Only thing I'd tweak is a bit more vanilla in the filling, but that's an easy fix. Not quite a five from me, but for a keto coconut cream pie this is the one I'd send anyone to.
A lifelong coconut skeptic showing up at dinner with a full plate. She didn't even realize she was won over. Go up to 2 teaspoons on the vanilla, the custard handles it fine.
Made this for Easter Sunday (first try on a holiday, bold move) and the detail that got me was watching my wife eat the coconut custard filling separately with a spoon. She scraped it right off the crust because she said the texture was 'too good to rush through.' I was a little offended and also completely understood at the same time. The crust held together better than I expected after how nervous I got rolling out the dough (xanthan gum dough is new territory for me), and my kids who don't know or care about keto walked right past the regular pie my mother-in-law brought and came back to this one instead. That was the moment I knew this was going in the spring rotation.
Your wife eating the custard straight off the crust with a spoon is the best review this recipe has gotten. Kids skipping real pie for this one says everything.
One tip if the crust is giving you trouble: chill the shaped dough (still in the parchment) for 20 minutes before you try to flip it into the pan. Made this twice and the first time the edge crumbled when I transferred it. Second time I waited and it lifted almost clean. Also swapped the milk for full-fat coconut milk and the custard set noticeably firmer, which made slicing a lot cleaner.
The parchment chill trick is genius, I've had that crumbly edge moment more than once. And yes to full-fat coconut milk, a reader talked me into it a while back and I haven't used regular milk since. The custard slices so much cleaner.
My grandmother made coconut cream pie every Easter and I gave it up when I went keto three years ago, figured that was just gone. The silky custard in this one stopped me cold on the first bite. Something about the way it sets up with the heavy cream, it has that same cool, almost wiggly texture I remembered. I wasn't expecting to feel anything, and then there I was in my kitchen having a moment over a slice of pie.
The texture thing is everything with this one. Heavy cream sets differently than milk, it gets that wobble without going rubbery. Three years is a long time to miss something.
Went in skeptical about the xanthan gum dough. Figured it would be rubbery or dense. It flakes like an actual crust, and the coconut filling sets up firm enough to slice clean. Didn't see that coming.
Xanthan gum in cold butter dough is not what most people expect. The filling sets because I cook mine the full 10-12 minutes on the stove. Most people pull it too early.
Made at least four keto cream pies this year and none of them had a crust that actually flaked. This one did. Didn't expect that from keto baking anymore.
The rice vinegar. Most keto crust recipes skip it and that's why they come out dense. Same reason regular pie crust uses cold butter and acid.
Never made a real pie in my life and here I am rolling out almond flour dough like I know what I'm doing. Somehow it worked and now I'm the person who makes homemade keto coconut cream pie.
The almond flour dough throws people off but it's actually pretty forgiving. You're the pie person now.
My daughter asked me point blank if I ordered this from a bakery because she couldn't believe I made the crust myself. I'd never used xanthan gum before and was half-convinced the whole thing was going to crack apart when I tried to transfer it to the pie pan, but it rolled out like actual pastry dough and blind baked into this perfectly flaky shell that holds together when you cut it. She kept eating the crust edge first before getting to the coconut filling, like she was saving the best part, and I thought okay, this is the one. Made it on a Sunday afternoon when it was freezing outside and the coconut filling set up so clean that the slices held their shape on the plate even after sitting out while we ate dinner. I've tried a couple other keto pie crusts and they either crumble or taste too almond-forward, but this one (with the cream cheese in the dough, I think that's doing something) tastes like it should. Already planning a second one for her birthday in March.
Yeah, the cream cheese is doing a lot in that dough (fat content, a little acid, keeps it from crumbling when you transfer). Crust first before the filling is the actual compliment here. Hope March goes just as well.
Brought this to a Sunday dinner in January and my cousin, who makes a traditional coconut cream pie every Christmas and takes real pride in it, said she'd probably just make this one going forward. Coming from her, that's saying something. Filling could be a touch sweeter, but the almond flour crust held together after two hours out, which I honestly wasn't counting on.
A scratch coconut cream baker making the switch permanently, that's not nothing. For a bit more sweetness, bump the powdered sweetener by a tablespoon in the filling. Doesn't change the custard texture at all.