Coconut piecrust

Pie is an important feature for celebrations around here. Key lime and passion fruit are two favorites. This coconut piecrust is a great taste complement for tropical flavors.

We have five birthdays in our family in a 6-week period, so pies are on my mind right now. I’ve developed a coconut piecrust recipe that I hope you will enjoy.

You will need an 8- or 9-inch pie pan, a container for melting butter, and a food processor. No food processor? You can use a heavy-duty food storage bag and a rolling pin or mallet.

• ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes (found in the baking aisle)
• 1 box coconut cookies (5 oz., or about 40 small cookies). I have used Salem Baking Toasted Coconut Moravian Cookies and Coconut Hula Creems. I’ve also mixed in Trader Joe’s ginger cookies. This will also work with coconut sandwich creme cookies, but will be much sweeter.
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center. Melt butter in the microwave. I use a glass-measuring cup for this. Watch closely, just do this long enough for the butter to just melt. Measure ½ cup of coconut flakes and put in a 1 cup dry measuring cup. Place 9-12 cookies in the food processor and pulse into small crumbs. Add crushed cookies to the 1-cup measure until full. Continue processing cookies until you have 1 ½ cups of cookie crumb/coconut mixture. Pour into pie pan.

Pour melted butter over the crumbs. With your fingers or a rubber spatula begin pressing from the center to push crumbs in an even layer over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes to set.