Adapted from Thug Kitchen’s Banana Cream Pie, I’ve made so many variations on this recipe and every single one has been a hit. I don’t usually have the kitchen confidence to adapt recipes for baked goods, but this one is super robust—feel free to play around with it and discover your own delicious creations. It also lends itself well to a gluten-free crust if you regularly have a variety of difficult people at your dinner table, as I do.

MAKES 1 PIE, ENOUGH FOR 8–10 PEOPLE

PREP: This recipe involves a few steps, so make sure you plan ahead. Stick a can of coconut milk in the fridge at least 12 hours before. The pie also needs some time in the refrigerator before serving: overnight, or at least 3 hours. Before you make the cream, put a bowl and whisk or electric beater attachments into the freezer for a few hours.

INGREDIENTS

CRUST

1½ cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup solid coconut oil (stick it in the fridge for a while if it’s liquid at room temperature)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2–3 tablespoons almond or oat milk

FILLING

¼ cup cornstarch

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

1 x 13.5 ounce can coconut milk

1 cup plain almond or oat milk

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

¼ cup raw cacao

WHIPPED COCONUT CREAM

1 x 13.5 ounce can coconut milk, refrigerated for at least 12 hours

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat your oven to 350ºF.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Crumble in the coconut oil, breaking up an pieces that are larger than a pea.The mixture should look like coarse sand.
3. Pour in the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the almond (or oat) milk. Stir together with a fork until it comes together into a shaggy dough. If it’s too dry, add another tablespoon of milk. Press the dough into the pie plate evenly.
4. Line the inside of the crust with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, followed by another 12–15 minutes uncovered. Let cool.
5. Make the filling. Whisk the cacao, cornstarch, sugar, and salt together in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in around ⅓ of a cup of coconut milk until smooth. Then whisk in the remaining coconut milk, the almond (or oat) milk, and the vanilla.
6. Bring to a simmer. When the custard begins to bubble (about 5 minutes). Lower the heat and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken (about another 8 minutes). You’ll know it’s ready if the custard should hold its shape for a couple of seconds if you use the spoon to flick some on top of itself. Remove from the heat, pour into the pie shell and let cool. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 3 hours.
7. When you’re ready to serve, remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge. Put the solidified portion in a pre-cooled bowl with the powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat on a medium to high speed until peaks begin to form; about 2 minutes. Spread on top of the pie and dust with a tablespoon of raw cacao. I sometimes use grated dark chocolate here instead.