This Bavarian cream pie starts with a buttery, salted graham cracker crust. It’s filled with homemade vanilla bean pastry cream that’s lightened with fluffy whipped cream, all topped off with toasted coconut.
You might also love these recipes for chocolate eclair pie, chocolate cream pie, and easy banoffee pie.
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What is Bavarian Cream?
Bavarian cream is a French dessert (crème bavaroise) consisting of vanilla custard or pastry cream and whipped cream. The pastry cream is made with egg yolks, sugar, cream and vanilla. It’s usually thickened with gelatin, although mine is less traditional since I thicken it with corn starch, resulting in a fluffier, softer texture that’s not so firm and mousse-like.
After chilling the pastry cream, you’ll fold in whipped cream for a very light and fluffy cream filling. You can serve Bavarian cream in dessert bowls just as it is, use it as a pie filling, or use it to fill doughnuts.
Bavarian cream is also quite similar to diplomat cream, which is also a custard based vanilla pastry cream that’s lightened with stabilized whipped cream. However, diplomat cream does not usually contain a thickener such as gelatin or corn starch.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Salty, Sweet, Creamy, Crunchy. I love a variety of textures in dessert, and this Bavarian cream pie has it all. Salty, crumbly crust, sweet and creamy filling, and crunchy coconut on top. It’s an absolute dream.
Versatile Recipe. You can do so many things with Bavarian cream, from trifles to doughnut fillings. If you don’t like the coconut on top, try chopped chocolate or crunchy toffee bits instead. For a banana cream pie, layer the cream filling with sliced bananas. You can even finely chop some dark chocolate and fold it into the cream, for a chocolate chip Bavarian cream.
High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet, although today’s recipe will work at any altitude.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Custard
- Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the filling.
- Corn Starch. This is my preferred thickening agent for pastry cream or custard.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors.
- Milk. Use whole milk in the filling for a rich, creamy flavor.
- Egg Yolks. Adds richness and body to the pastry cream, as well as helps it to thicken.
- Vanilla Bean Paste. Gives the cream a wonderful vanilla flavor, and pretty vanilla bean specks throughout.
- Butter. The custard is finished with a little butter, adding richness and flavor.
Crust
- Graham Crackers. You can use any flavor of graham crackers, such as cinnamon or chocolate.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter, or reduce the added salt. The melted butter binds the crust together.
Whipped Cream
- Cream. Use heavy whipping cream, not light cream or table cream.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and stabilizes the cream.
- Vanilla Extract. Flavor.
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes.
Instructions
Custard
- In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, corn starch and salt.
- Slowly whisk in about a cup of the milk, whisking smooth any lumps of corn starch, then whisk in the rest of the milk, cream, egg yolks and vanilla bean seeds/paste.
- Over medium heat, cook the custard while whisking constantly, until the custard starts to bubble and thicken; this should take about 8-10 minutes. Once it begins to thicken, continue to cook and whisk for 1 1/2 minutes.
- Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour the custard through a mesh strainer to strain out any bits of cooked egg, into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap resting right against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers and salt. Add the melted butter, and stir until moistened and crumbly.
- Press the crumbs evenly against the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.
- Bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes, until toasted.
- Cool the crust completely before filling with the cream.
Tip: To toast the coconut, spread it onto a baking sheet and toast it briefly at 300F, just until golden brown. Watch it closely, as it may only take 2-3 minutes before it burns. Cool completely before sprinkling over the pie.
Whipped Cream
- Use an electric mixer to whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed for several minutes, until thick fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
- Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chilled custard, folding it in with a spatula to loosen up the custard until smooth. Add the rest of the whipped cream, folding it in until you have a fluffy, creamy filling.
- Spread the cream into the cooled crust, and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to serve. Remove the sides of the tart pan before serving.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Cover the pie loosely, and refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 days.
Yes, for a flaky pastry crust, see my chocolate eclair pie for tips on pre-baking the crust.
You can, however, since this is such a soft, creamy pie, you’ll have a very difficult time getting neat slices out of a pie pan. It’s easier to cut and serve from a tart pan, since the sides of the pan are removable.
You Might Also Love
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Bavarian Cream Pie
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Ingredients
Custard
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 ¼ cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Crust
- 1 ¾ cups finely crushed cinnamon graham crackers or chocolate graham crackers
- ¾ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes, lightly toasted
Instructions
Custard
- In a saucepan, whisk together the sugar, corn starch and salt.
- Slowly whisk in about a cup of the milk, whisking smooth any lumps of corn starch, then whisk in the rest of the milk, egg yolks and vanilla bean paste.
- Over medium heat, cook the custard while whisking constantly, until the custard starts to bubble and thicken; this should take about 8-10 minutes. Once it begins to thicken, continue to cook and whisk for 1 1/2 minutes.
- Remove the custard from the heat and stir in the butter. Pour the custard through a mesh strainer to strain out any bits of cooked egg, into a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap resting right against the surface of the custard, and refrigerate for 3 hours, or overnight.
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 325F, and position a rack in the center of the oven. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers and salt. Add the melted butter, and stir until moistened and crumbly.
- Press the crumbs evenly against the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan.
- Bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes, until toasted.
- Cool the crust completely before filling with the cream.
Whipped Cream
- Use an electric mixer to whip the cream, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed for several minutes, until thick fluffy peaks form that hold their shape.
- Add about 1/3 of the whipped cream to the chilled custard, folding it in with a spatula to loosen up the custard until smooth. Add the rest of the whipped cream, folding it in until you have a fluffy, creamy filling.
- Spread the cream into the cooled crust, and sprinkle with the toasted coconut.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until ready to serve. Remove the sides of the tart pan before serving.
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