Coconut-Pecan Pie

This pie is a mashup of two Southern classics: coconut custard pie and pecan pie. The filling is a simple egg-sugar-butter custard studded with flaked coconut and coarsely chopped pecans that float to the top and toast as it bakes.

Lemon juice is the quiet ingredient doing real work here. Just two teaspoons cut through the sweetness and keep the filling from tasting one-dimensional. You won’t taste lemon, but you’ll notice if it’s missing.

The pie is done when the center is set but still has a slight jiggle. Overbaking turns the custard grainy instead of smooth and silky.

Kitchen Tips

• Melt the butter and let it cool slightly before mixing with the eggs. Hot butter will scramble the eggs and leave you with lumps.
• Use an unbaked pie shell and don’t blind bake it. The custard filling needs to cook alongside the crust for everything to set properly.
• Cool completely before slicing. The custard firms up as it cools, and cutting too early gives you a runny mess.
• Cover the crust edges with foil if they start browning too fast during the long bake.

Variations

• Toast the coconut flakes in a dry pan before adding to the filling for a deeper, nuttier coconut flavor.
• Add dark chocolate chips to the filling for a German chocolate pie variation.
• Use a graham cracker crust instead of pastry for a crunchier, sweeter base.