Vegan Coconut Meringue Pie

This vegan coconut meringue pie is the creamiest pie ever. Because It’s made with coconut milk, every bite is rich, creamy, and delicious. It’s a beautiful and delicious dessert recipe that you’ll love serving at holiday dinners and special occasions.

A slice of vegan coconut meringue pie sits on a plate. Another slice is on a plate behind it.

This vegan coconut meringue pie is a celebration of all things coconut. I have a passion for coconut desserts, such as this vegan coconut cake,  these chocolate coconut macaroons, and toasted coconut donuts.

That’s why making this coconut meringue pie vegan is such a favorite accomplishment!

Ingredient Spotlight

Ingredients for vegan meringue on a counter, including chickpeas, sugar, and vanilla.

What is aquafaba?

The liquid from a can of chickpeas (referred to as aquafaba) has the perfect starchy consistency to allow it to whip up, just like egg whites, into a meringue. We’ll add cream of tartar because it’s acidic and acts as a stabilizer, helping create a foam. Then adding powdered sugar allows the meringue to develop stiff, glossy peaks. I recommend chickpea liquid from a regular can of chickpeas (not the “no salt” or “low sodium” variety).

What Makes This Recipe Shine?

  • Using full fat coconut milk creates a creamy pudding base that’s infused with coconut flavor
  • Silken tofu is added to the filling to create a texture that holds its shape, even after cutting into it
  • An aquafaba meringue is made without eggs but creates a light and fluffy meringue that’s perfect for this pie.
Looking down on the ingredients for making a pie, including tofu in a food processor, a baked pie crust, and the pudding in a saucepan.

Key Ingredients

You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.

Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:

  • Vegan Pie Crust — My go-to favorite is my foolproof vegan pie crust, but you can also use an oatmeal pie crust or even a vegan graham cracker crust.
  • Sugar — I used granulated sugar for this recipe.
  • Cornstarch — This is a great thickener and is readily available. If you prefer an alternative, you can use arrowroot powder.
  • Salt — You can use plain table salt or sea salt.
  • Coconut Milk — You’ll need a 15-ounce can of full-fat coconut milk. To ensure it’s full fat, look at the ingredients. It should list 12+ grams of fat.
  • Tofu —  See my tofu buying guide for information on where to find silken tofu in the store. I buy this at my local grocery store, health food stores, or online
  • Vanilla extract — vanilla extract is great, or you can boost the coconut flavor by substituting coconut extract.
  • Shredded coconut — You can use sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes.
  • Vegan butter — For storebought, I recommend Earth Balance or Miyokos. Or you can make homemade vegan butter
  • Food coloring — To make a nice yellow color to the filling, you can use a drop or two of yellow food coloring, or add a bit of ground turmeric (my preference).
  • Aquafaba — For the vegan meringue we’ll need the liquid from one can of chickpeas. I know it sounds like an unusual ingredient, but it works! Learn more about making vegan meringue, including options for making it without chickpeas.
  • Powdered Sugar — We’ll add some powdered sugar to the vegan meringue for flavor and lightness.
  • Cream of Tartar — We’ll stabilize the vegan meringue with a bit of cream of tartar.

How to Make Vegan Coconut Meringue Pie

I love making vegan Coconut Meringue Pie recipes. First, it’s an easy pie to make. Second, it’s delicious!

  1. Make the vegan pie crust, then roll it to fit your pie pan. Blind bake the crust for 10 to 12 minutes.
  2. Prepare the coconut custard by combining the ingredients in a saucepan and cooking it until it’s thick.
  3. Cream the custard with silken tofu in a food processor and pulse until nice and smooth. Stir in coconut flakes.
  4. Make the vegan meringue by adding aquafaba and cream of tartar in a mixing bowl and whipping on medium speed until the mixture is frothy. Add powdered sugar and turn up the speed to medium-high and mix until stiff peaks form.
  5. Assemble the pie by adding the filling to the pie crust, smoothing it out until evenly spread out across the pie. Then top it with the vegan meringue. Add some flaked coconut on top.
  6. Bake the pie for 10 to 20 minutes, then increase the heat for another 5 to 10 minutes until the meringue has golden edges.

Here are more detailed instructions:

Step One: Make the Vegan Pie Crust

I highly recommend using my Vegan Pie Crust recipe. It makes an amazingly flaky pie crust. Here are the steps:

  1. Prepare the pie dough as instructed.
  2. Chill the dough for 30 minutes to an hour
  3. Roll the chilled dough into a circle about 1/8″ thick.
  4. Transfer the dough to a pie pan and flute edges with your fingers. Place it in the fridge and chill for about 15 minutes.
  5. Prick the center of the dough with a fork about 5 times. Cover the base of the pie with a piece of parchment paper and add pie weights to prevent the pie from puffing up as it bakes.
  6. Blind bake the crust by placing it in the oven and baking for 10 to 12 minutes until the crust is mostly done.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Step Two: Prepare the Coconut Custard

  1. Stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the coconut milk.
  2. Continually stir while cooking until the mixture begins to bubble.
  3. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook and stir a few more minutes until the mixture is thick. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  4. Add the slightly cooled coconut custard and the silken tofu to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the vanilla, coconut, vegan butter, and turmeric (optional) and pulse again until all the ingredients are combined.

Step Three: Make the Vegan Meringue

  1. Pour the liquid from one can of chickpeas into a mixing bowl, along with the cream of tartar. Mix for a minute or two until it becomes frothy.
  2. Add the powdered sugar while mixing and then continue mixing at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Then add the vanilla and mix to incorporate it.

Follow my recipe on Vegan Meringue for more information on how to make it and tips for making it without aquafaba.

Step Four: Fill the Pie and Bake

  1. Spoon the coconut cream filling into the prepared pie crust and spread it evenly across the pie.
    A hand holds a spatula, spreading cream filing across a pie.
  2. Top with the vegan meringue, spreading it across the entire pie and creating a seal with the crust.
    Meringue is being poured over a cream pie.
  3. Use the back of a spoon to create dollops in the meringue. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.
    Meringue on a pie before it's baked.
  4. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meringue peaks are golden.
  5. Cool for at least one hour on a wire rack. Place in the fridge and chill for 3 hours before serving.

Vegan Coconut Cream Pie

You can skip the meringue if you’d like and make a very simple (and tasty) dairy-free coconut cream pie.

  1. Make the coconut pie by following the steps above, but instead of making the meringue + baking, prepare my favorite Coconut Whipped Topping. It’s super easy to make and requires no baking.
  2. Spread the coconut custard into the baked and cooled pie crust. Use a spatula to spread it evenly across the pie.
  3. Add the coconut whipped topping.
  4. Refrigerate the pie until chilled, at least to 3 hours.
  5. To add toasted coconut shreds, place 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add one cup of shredded coconut and stir frequently, cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until the coconut is toasted. Remove from heat and allow it to cool completely before sprinkling over the top of your coconut cream pie.

Marly’s Tips

  • I buy a regular flaked coconut and put it in the food processor and pulse for several seconds to break it into finer strands
  • To make a gluten-free coconut cream pie, simply use high-quality gluten-free baking flour to make the pie crust.

If you love meringue pies, be sure and make this Chocolate Meringue Pie, too. It’s amazingly vegan as well.

A slice has been cut out of a vegan coconut meringue pie, showing the creamy coconut filling topped with lots of vegan meringue.

More Vegan Cream Pies

Storage Tips

To store the pie, allow it to cool completely then transfer to the fridge. If it’s going to be a while before serving, insert toothpicks into the meringue and then lightly wrap with plastic wrap. The toothpicks will prevent the plastic wrap from sticking to the meringue. You can transfer individual slices to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

A slice of vegan coconut meringue pie sits o a plate. The rest of the pie is in the background.

I hope you love this vegan coconut meringue pie as much as we do!

A slice of vegan coconut meringue pie sits on a plate.

Vegan Coconut Meringue Pie

This vegan coconut meringue pie is a delightfully sweet dessert. You'll love every bite, from the creamy coconut filling, to the flaky crust, and the vegan meringue or coconut cream on top.
5 from 3 votes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 296kcal

Ingredients

Vegan Coconut Cream Filling

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 5 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup silken tofu (or one small package)
  • 1 15 oz can full fat coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup finely flaked shredded coconut, divided
  • 2 tablespoons vegan butter
  • teaspoon ground turmeric (optional, for color)

Vegan Meringue

  • ¾ cup aquafaba
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Pie Crust

  • Heat your oven to 375°F. Get out a 9" pie pan.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll your pie dough into a circle about 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to your pie pan. Flute edges with your fingers. Place it in the fridge and chill for about 15 minutes.
  • Use a fork to prick the center of the crust about 5 times. Place the pie in a lower oven rack and bake for 20 minutes until the crust is mostly done. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Reduce your oven to 350°F.

For the Vegan Coconut Cream Filling

  • In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the coconut milk. Continually stir while cooking until the mixture begins to bubble. Reduce heat to low and cook and stir a few more minutes until the mixture is really thick. Remove from heat. And set aside to cool slightly.
  • Once the coconut milk mixture has cooled a bit, add that and the silken tofu to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Add the vanilla coconut (reserve 2 tablespoons for the topping), vegan butter, and turmeric (optional) and pulse again until all the ingredients are combined.

For the Vegan Meringue

  • Pour the liquid from one can of chickpeas into a mixing bowl, along with the cream of tartar. Mix for a minute or two until it becomes frothy.
  • As you're mixing, add the powdered sugar a little at a time. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Continue to mix at medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Then add the vanilla and mix to incorporate it.

For the Coconut Meringue Pie

  • Pour the coconut filling into the prepared pie crust and spread it evenly across the pie. Top with the vegan meringue spreading it across the entire pie and creating a seal with the crust. Use the back of a spoon to create dollops on the top of the meringue. Sprinkle with reserved shredded coconut either before (for toasted coconut flakes) or immediately after the pie has baked.
  • Place the pie in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meringue peaks are golden. Turn the heat up to 375°F and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until the meringue has golden edges.
  • Cool for at least one hour on a wire rack. Place in the fridge and chill for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Recommended Equipment

(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)

Notes

Coconut: To make finer coconut flakes, buy regular flaked coconut and put it in the food processor, and pulse for several seconds to break it into finer strands
Vegan Meringue: Be prepared that liquid may form at the bottom of the pie after taking your first slice. Simply drain the liquid or use paper towels to sop up the extra liquid. Also, your meringue may settle a little.
Aguafaba: Your can may not have exactly 3/4 cup of liquid in it. Do not supplement with water. Simply use what you have. Even 1/2 cup of aquafaba will create a beautiful meringue. I do not recommend “no salt” or “low sodium” chickpeas because the meringue will come out flat (not shiny) and will not hold its shape.
Tofu: Silken tofu comes in different containers. Drain the tofu of its packaging liquids and then press it into a measuring cup. If you’re left with 1/4 cup or so in the package, you can add that to the pudding, however, more than that will begin to alter the flavor of the filling.
Vegan Coconut Cream Pie: You can substitute the meringue for coconut whipped cream to make a vegan coconut cream pie.
Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 214mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Calcium: 5mg

The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Enjoy!

12 Responses to Vegan Coconut Meringue Pie

  1. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKaitlyn Reply

    5 stars
    Heavenly coconut pie. I’ve made this recipe on several occasions, most recently last night. It can seem a bit daunting in preparations: crust, custard, meringue, but is absolutely worth it! It’s light and creamy and full of coconut flavor (I added coconut extract to the custard.) A family favorite!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Kaitlyn. Thanks so much for your comment! I’m so glad you and your family like this pie recipe! I’m with you – sometimes a little work pays off huge dividends!

  2. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlySara Reply

    So excited to make this for my Dad’s birthday tomorrow! I have a question, though. Not sure if I’m missing it, but I don’t see where you note how much shredded coconut to add to the mixture, and how much to set aside for the topping.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Sara. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of coconut flakes to add on top of the pie. I’ll make sure the recipe notes this.

  3. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKaren Reply

    5 stars
    Absolutely wonderful! I didn’t even bother with the meringue, though I did top it with whipped coconut cream. Do you think that this pie (without the meringue) would freeze?

    Now, if only you could teach my husband to like coconut…

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hi Karen. I’ve frozen this pie many times and it’s been just great. I usually cut it into slices and then freeze individual slices, but you can freeze the whole pie as well. I agree, that adding the topping after thawing is the best plan. Regarding your husband, I guess if he doesn’t like coconut that leaves more of that tasty whipped topping for you! 🙂 Also, you could make the vegan chickpea meringue, but serve it as whipped topping. It has a different flavor than coconut so he might like that better. I usually whip it right before serving because it won’t hold its whip like coconut whip does. However, you can rewhip it or even freeze it after it’s whipped. Hope this is helpful!

  4. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyAlex Reply

    This looks great! Can I make it ahead of time, like a day in advance?

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      I’ve made this vegan coconut pie at least a day ahead of time and have had great luck with it!

  5. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKerri Reply

    This pie worked out great. I skipped the meringue, added a can of crushed pineapple (drained) to the filling, and covered the top in coconut. Tropical delight – thanks for the recipe!

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      OMG. Pineapple in a coconut pie? Love this! I may have to try this adaptation myself! 🙂

  6. Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyKrystal Reply

    5 stars
    So THIS is the meringue you and Cara were talking about on the podcast. OMG it looks to die for!! Will definitely be making this.

    • Avatar thumbnail image for MarlyMarly

      Hahaha! Yes it is, Krystal! It really is pretty awesome stuff! xoxoxo

Rate / Comment

Your email address will not be published.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.