Mini Coconut Cream Pies (Easy!)

This Mini Coconut Cream Pie recipe with creamy coconut filling in crispy mini pie crusts is a delicious, fast and easy dessert, perfect for entertaining and holiday parties.

Lay out a full mini-pie dessert spread with Mini Cannoli Tarts and Mini Pumpkin Pies with Graham Cracker Crust. 

These bite-sized coconut cream pies might be one of my favorite desserts. The creamy, toasted coconut filling has the sweet, nutty flavor of a classic coconut cream pie, and the crisp phyllo cups add just the right crunch. And because they're so tiny, you can have as many as you want and they'll never add up to one big slice of pie. (I don't make the rules 🤷‍♀️).  

Best of all, they're easy to make and whisk together in minutes.

🥛Ingredients

See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.

• Instant pudding mix. I use vanilla pudding mix, but you can use coconut cream, white chocolate, or cheesecake pudding mix. 
• Milk. For best results, use regular dairy milk -- 2% or whole milk. See testing notes for the other types of milk I tried. 
• Toasted coconut. Toasted coconut adds delicious, natural coconut flavor without coconut extract. You can make it at home (in 5 minutes!) or buy it pre-toasted. 
• Cool Whip. If you're not a fan, but like the convenience, Truwhip, a "better for you whipped topping," is great.  
• Phyllo shells.  Phyllo shells are flaky crusts made with thin layers of phyllo dough. They are fully baked; you just need to crisp them up. 

🥧Substitutions or Variations

• Coconut. You can also use regular sweetened coconut -- untoasted. 
• Pudding flavors. Try chocolate pudding, butterscotch pudding, or pistachio pudding mix. 
• Pie crusts. Bake storebought mini pie crusts or homemade crust cut-outs. Or make mini graham cracker pie crusts or mini tart crusts.
• Whipped cream. Instead of whipped topping, whip 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream with ⅓ cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. 

📋Testing Notes

• It may be tempting to try coconut milk, but when I tried it, the texture was grainy. 
• I also tried almond milk. Knowing I would need to use less to get the same consistency as dairy milk, I used ¾ cup + 1 T almond milk and got just about the right thickness, but it was really lumpy.

🥣How to Make Mini Coconut Cream Pies

Step 1: Bake phyllo shells on a cookie sheet at 350 for 3-5 minutes until crispy.  Cool on a wire rack. 

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until smooth. Fold in the toasted coconut and Cool Whip. 

Step 3: Spoon or pipe the coconut pudding mixture into the cooled crusts. You may have some filling left over. No one needs to know about it -- enjoy it as a treat later :). 

Step 4: Top with the remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle the tops with a little bit of toasted coconut. Serve within 1-2 hours. 

🥥How to Toast Coconut

To toast coconut, heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the coconut and stir for 3-4 minutes or until the coconut is golden brown. Do not step away -- it only takes a few minutes. Once the coconut is brown, immediately remove it from the heat and transfer the coconut to a cool plate to stop the cooking process. Let it cool completely. 

🍰Serving Suggestions

• Top with a small dollop of plain or chocolate whipped cream and a sprinkle of toasted coconut just before serving.
• Add fresh berries for color and contrast.
• Pair with coffee, espresso, or iced coffee for a simple dessert course.
• Include them on a dessert board with Mini Banana Cream Pie, Mini Apple Pies, brownies, cookies, and mini cheesecakes.

🎁Storage

Store filled pies in the refrigerator. Mini coconut cream pies are best served the same day. Once filled, the phyllo shells will soften over time, so for the best texture, assemble just before serving.

📅Make Ahead

This coconut cream mini pie recipe is quick and easy to make ahead of time. Just make the coconut pudding filling up to one full day ahead of time, cover it in plastic wrap, and chill. The next day, bake, cool, and fill the phyllo cups.  

❓FAQs

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