Coconut Meringue Pie
Coconut Meringue Pie is a classic dessert featuring a flaky pastry crust filled with a rich, creamy coconut custard and topped with a billowy, toasted meringue. It typically combines ingredients like shredded coconut, egg yolks, sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla for the filling, with whipped egg whites and sugar for the topping. This beloved pie has roots in American baking, particularly popular in Southern and tropical regions where coconuts are abundant.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This pie is high in carbohydrates and fat, primarily from sugar, coconut, and the buttery crust, with a moderate amount of protein from eggs. A single slice (about 1/8 of a 9-inch pie) generally provides around 350-450 calories, along with some dietary fiber from coconut and small amounts of minerals like iron and potassium.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 430 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbs | 55 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 38 g |
| Sodium | 280 mg |
| Potassium | 180 mg |
| Calcium | 60 mg |
| Iron | 1.2 mg |
| Vitamin A | 120 µg RAE |
| Vitamin C | 1 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0.5 µg |
| Vitamin E | 0.8 mg |
| Magnesium | 25 mg |
Per 1 slice (1/8 of a 9-inch pie, approx. 150 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, Coconut Meringue Pie reflects a fusion of tropical ingredients with traditional European meringue techniques, making it a staple in many coastal and island cuisines. Nutritionally, while it's an indulgent treat, the coconut adds unique medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are metabolized differently than other fats, and the meringue topping offers a light, airy contrast to the dense filling.
