Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Place the thawed and unrolled pie crust onto a piece of parchment paper. Fold the outer edges in towards the center until the dough forms a square approximately 8½-9 inches in width. Place a second piece of parchment paper over the dough and gently press to flatten the pie crust into a uniform thickness.

Transfer the square pie crust to the bottom of an 8x8 baking dish. Using a fork, make holes into the crust to prevent the dough from bubbling up when baked. Press one of the pieces of parchment paper over the crust and add about 1-2 cups of pie weights (dry beans or uncooked rice works well also) onto the parchment. This helps to ensure the crust layer is evenly baked.

Bake the crust for 15 minutes, remove the pie weights and parchment paper, then return to the oven to finish baking for an additional 12-15 minutes or until the crust is fully baked and lightly golden. Allow the crust to cool completely at room temperature before adding the coconut cream filling.

While the crust is baking, add ¼ cup of the sweetened shredded coconut to a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Toast the coconut in the skillet, while stirring often, for 3-5 minutes or just until lightly browned. Transfer the toasted coconut to a small bowl to cool completely before adding to the coconut cream bars.

To a large bowl add the coconut cream instant pudding, whole milk, coconut extract, and the remaining ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut . Whisk for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is soft set and visibly thick. Instant pudding will continue to thicken as it sets.

Fold in 2 ounces of the thawed whipped topping until no white streaks remain. Spread the mixture evenly over the cooled pie crust.

Top the coconut cream mixture with the remaining 6 ounces thawed whipped topping, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle the toasted coconut over the whipped topping layer and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight before slicing and serving.