Description

Hillbilly Pie is a rustic, old-school custard pie loaded with sweet coconut and crunchy pecans for a chewy, “million-dollar” filling nestled in a flaky crust. It’s a simple yet indulgent dessert that evokes warm memories of family dinners and potlucks.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Crust (enough for a 9″ pie plate)

1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
3–4 Tbsp ice water

For the Filling

¾ cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

For Finishing

1–2 Tbsp coarse sugar (turbinado), for sprinkling (optional)
Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Instructions

1️⃣ Make the crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt.
Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Drizzle in ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing gently until the dough just holds together.
Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill 30 minutes.

2️⃣ Blind-bake the crust (optional for extra crispness):

Preheat your oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12″ circle. Fit it into a 9″ pie plate, trim and flute the edges.
Line with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 12 minutes, then remove weights and bake 5 minutes more.

3️⃣ Prepare the filling:

In a bowl, whisk together sugar, flour, and salt.
Add the beaten eggs and whisk until smooth.
Stir in evaporated milk, heavy cream, and vanilla.
Fold in the shredded coconut, toasted pecans, and melted butter.

4️⃣ Bake the pie:

Pour the filling into the hot (or unbaked) crust, smoothing the top.
Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
Bake 35–40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still jiggles slightly.

5️⃣ Cool & serve:

Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to fully set.
Slice and serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

Shortcut crust: Use a store-bought deep-dish crust; blind-bake before filling.
Nut-free version: Omit pecans and increase coconut by ½ cup.
Flavor twist: Stir in a pinch of cinnamon or a splash of bourbon into the filling.
Make-ahead: Assemble through Step 3 and refrigerate; bake just before serving.
Storage: Cover and refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days; serve chilled or at room temperature.

Prep Time: 25 min
Cook Time: 40 min