Coconut Meringue Pie

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade), fully baked and cooled
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Method

1. Whisk the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks together in a saucepan.
2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and bubbling, about 8 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the coconut, butter, and vanilla.
4. Pour the hot filling into the baked crust.
5. Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with a mixer on medium until soft peaks form, then add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
6. Spread the meringue over the hot filling, making sure it touches the crust all the way around to prevent shrinking.
7. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 12–15 minutes, until the meringue peaks are golden brown.
8. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate at least 3 hours before slicing.

The Tale of Coconut Meringue Pie

Story updated September 19, 2026

Coconut was a costly, hard-to-prepare import for much of the nineteenth century, so early coconut desserts were novelties. That began to change in the 1890s, when shredded, dried coconut became commercially available in America; Philadelphia's Franklin Baker began selling it in 1894. Home bakers could then buy it by the tin, and coconut cream pies became common in American kitchens through the early twentieth century. Topped with a tall meringue, the pie was a familiar sight at diners, church suppers, and family tables by mid-century. No single inventor of the meringue-topped version is documented; it most likely developed gradually in home kitchens.