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Island Pecan Pie is loaded with pineapple, coconut, and pecans in a delicious creamy filling. A tropical twist on a pecan pie classic!
Featured with this recipe
Island pecan pie is a tropical treat you can make for any occasion! I tried it a few years ago for Thanksgiving instead of our classic pecan pie and it was a smashing success. This recipe originally came from an Arkansas diner that I tracked down on Pinterest.
This pecan pie recipe is creamy and flavorful with sweet chunks of pineapple and crunchy pecans and coconut flakes. I’ve served it at Easter dinner, Christmas, and on warm summer Sunday afternoons. It’s versatile and a perfect recipe for any time of year.
And if you love tropical flavors, try some of these other delicious desserts with an island flair, like this pina colada poke cake, or these tempting coconut lime cheesecake bars.
Tips for Island Pecan Pie
- Homemade pie crust. Find the perfect unbaked pie crust recipe for homemade pie crust to save on time, you can find delicious ready-to-bake pie crusts in the freezer section of your grocery store.
- Edges. Crimp the edges of the crust with a fork or your fingers for an extra decorative touch.
- Toppings. I topped this tropical pie with homemade whipped cream. Make basic whipped topping with heavy cream, and sugar and add a little almond extract with an electric mixer. It complements the tropical flavors of the pie.
- Whipped topping. For ease, use store-bought whipped topping. But making your own homemade whipped cream doesn’t take long and it adds a rich element to this already extravagant pie.
- Coconut. For added flavor, sprinkle toasted coconut on the top of the pie. To get perfectly toasted coconut, spread a thin layer of coconut on a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 325 degrees for about 5-10 minutes. The golden color pops on top of a dollop of whipped cream.
- Ice cream. Scoop vanilla ice cream on top of your pie too!
- Storing. Store the pie in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! It will alter the taste and some of the texture but feel free to try macadamia nuts or almonds for another island twist.
Place your island pecan pie into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator. Cover the pie with plastic wrap or foil to keep it fresh longer. You can either reheat the pie or enjoy it cold.
Depending on how you store it, the pie can stay fresh for three to four days in the refrigerator.
We don’t always recommend freezing pies but this pie is a great dessert to store in the freezer. Tightly wrap the pie in plastic wrap or aluminum foil then store in an airtight bag. Freeze for two to three months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator.
We are always finding ways to make our recipes gluten-free. This is a great dessert to make gluten-free! Use or make a gluten-free pie crust. For other ingredients make sure that the labels and product are gluten-free.
To avoid the cracking on top make sure not to overbake the island pecan pie. Take it out of the oven once the center is set.
More Delicious Pie Recipes
- Coconut Cream Pie – Coconut Cream Pie is a dreamy island dessert with a flaky crust with coconut filling that is made from scratch and toasted coconut sprinkles.
- Creamy Lemon Pie – This Creamy Lemon Pie is packed full of tart, lemon flavor and creamy goodness. This recipe is super easy to make and is always a crowd-pleaser!
- Butterscotch Pie – This creamy butterscotch filling is spread into a flaky pie crust and drizzled with butterscotch topping then sprinkled with butterscotch chips. It’s a butterscotch lover’s dream.
- German Chocolate Pie – This pie recipe comes straight from Amish country. The rich, gooey, chocolate filling is to die for!
- Key Lime Pie – Straight from Savannah, Georgia, this pie is smooth and creamy with the perfect blend of tart and sweet.
How to Make Island Pecan Pie
Island Pecan Pie
Video
Ingredients
Homemade Almond Whipped Cream
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Topping
- 1/2 cup coconut toasted
Instructions
- Beat the sugar, cornmeal, flour, eggs, and salt together.
- Gently stir in the pecans, pineapple, and coconut (don't beat it). Stir in the melted butter and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into an unbaked pie shell.
- Bake at 300 degrees for approximately 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven. Cover the crust edge with some aluminum foil to keep it from burning. Cook for 15 to 30 more minutes, or until the pie is set.
- Allow the pie to cool and then refrigerate until ready to serve.
Homemade Almond Whipped Cream
- With a mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and almond extract. Continue to whip until stiff peaks form or until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Top with toasted coconut.
THIS WAS A HUGE HIT!!! FIRST TIME I MADE IT FOUND THIS RECIPIE LOOKING FOR ANOTHER… IM SO GLAD I FOUND THIS ONE
LOVED IT!!
Thank you, Amy! You’ve discovered one of our Thanksgiving pie favorites. I’m so happy you like it!
Do you think I could double the coconut and skip the pineapple? I love pecan pie and coconut just not a fan of pineapple.
I haven’t tested that, so I am not sure if it would work texture-wise.
Great recipes—do you have a cook book
We do! Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Favorite-Family-Recipes-Year-Favorites-ebook/dp/B07GSDNZZS/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=favorite+family+recipes+a+year+of+favorites&qid=1667875571&sprefix=year+of+family+favo%2Caps%2C197&sr=8-1
Why do you say cook for 50-60 minutes and then say cook for another 15-30 minutes……that us roughly 90 minutes……these instructions are confusing! I think in 90 minutes, you’d have a burnt pie???
300 degrees is a really low temperature for a pie. This delicious dessert needs to cook low and slow for it to turn out! I assure you your pie will not be burnt in 90 minutes if you follow the instructions.
How long to bake if made in cupcake pan instead of pie crust???
I am not sure! We haven’t tried baking it that way.
Can I make ahead and freeze? Sounds delicious!
I haven’t tried freezing this one before, so I am not sure! Let us know how it goes if you do try it!
Wonderful, marvelous are just two of the words used to describe this pie!! I have baked 3 for my son in law in a little less than two weeks. I like making the pie it’s easy and quick. It has become a big family favorite. P
I’ve made this twice and both times were delicious. I have a pretty strong oven and even still it might need to increase the temp or baking time a bit. The second time I forgot to stir in the butter and it was even better! Happy accident!
I made the crust out of shortbread cookies , a little sugar and butter. Pre-cooked it to irk and then added filling and baked. Liked it better than a flour pie crust.
Great recipe.
What a fun dessert to be transported somewhere warm and tropical! Adding this to our Thanksgiving menu!
This worked perfectly and the family devoured it in one sitting, so yeah, I guess it was a hit 🙂 Thanks for this wonderful recipe.
Is this a regular pie crust or a deep dish pie crust?
A regular pie crust!
Regular
The pie turned out good but in your whipped cream topping, it said, sugar, not powdered sugar. I thought this was going to work ok but the cream immediately flattened & looked really bad. Everything was going good til I did that. So, powdered sugar is what I will use next time.
Oh thank you for catching that, I will edit the recipe now.
Do you think a graham cracker crust would be okay instead of regular pie crust?
I haven’t tried it with a graham cracker crust before, but I think that would work. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Why the cornmeal? Can it be Substitute it with something else?
The cornmeal thickens the filling to the right consistency. The only other substitute I know of is ground up oats. Hope this helps!
Would corn starch work instead of cornmeal?
I haven’t tried it that way, so I wouldn’t know! But let us know how it turns out if you try it!
I made this for Christmas turned out great. The only change I made was to decrease the sugar to one and a half cups. It keeps well in the fridge & was almost better the next day. It has a real different taste & texture. It’s a bit like a pecan pie but not as gooey or as sweet. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Loved this pie. It was also easy to make. My great granddaughter found it and wanted to make it for 4H. She made a practice one and it turned out so yummy. She made one and entered it in the 4H pecan contest today. I know she placed. I made two for her mom to take to work. Wouldn’t change a thing.
We are so glad you love this recipe as much as we do!! Thanks for the 5-star rating!
This pie was amazing 😍. Very light and yummy, highly recommend!
So glad you liked it, it’s one of my favorite pies!
Can i leave out the coconut?
The coconut is a large part of the pie filling, so leaving it out would change the taste and texture of the pie significantly. Since I haven’t tried it that way, I can’t speak to how it would turn out. Let me know how it goes if you do try it!
I see the recipe calls for corn meal. I can’t not have this. What would be a substitute? What does the corn meal do?
It adds to the texture and helps hold the pie together. I would recommend using ground oats or almond flour if you can’t have the cornmeal.
How about another tablespoon of flour. I’m allergic to corn so would like to hear from someone who has tried an alternative.
I made this and it’s was wonderful, I drizzled a little chocolate syrup over my whipped topping. Not to much , just enough to have that little extra flavor.
Absolutely delicious. Made this pie this afternoon. Followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out perfect. I used a deep dish pie plate, baked per the recipe. Will definitely make this again.
I’m so happy you liked this pie! The flavors are so delicious. Thank you for the 5 stars!
I’m going to try it. Since I’m Puerto Rican can I put rum in it and if so how much and when to put it in.
Thanks
I made this terrific pie using a Graham cracker crust. Liked it much better. Love this pie!!
Have you ever tried it using a sugar substitute?
We have not tried this with a sugar substitute, but if you use one that is specifically for baking, it should work fine. Thanks for asking!
I’ve made this for the holidays for the past three years. My hubby absolutely loves it!
I always double the recipe, and that usually makes 3 pies.
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for the 5-star rating!!
I have an allergy to corn, gives me terrible migraines. Do you think I could use almond meal instead? Or even just regular flour?
I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. Let me know how it goes if you do try it!
I have never seen a recipe for pie that uses corn meal as thickener and I bet it works wonderfully! So interesting and this is what is so great about cooking, it is a life long learning experience!I cannot wait to try out this pie. YUM
Has anyone tried substituting artificial sweeteners (baking blend) for the white sugar? Thanks
This sounds amazing. Do you think substituting almonds for the pecans would work? I have a severe allergy to pecans and walnuts but can eat almonds. TIA!!!
I’m sure you could! Almonds would go great with the coconut. It would just be like an Almond Joy!
I Have a couple ideas for making baking time shorter. Cook in saucepan over a low heat until it starts to thicken ( just a little) then add to crust and bake. I usually do this with pecan pies, cook about 5 minutes and it really does make baking go faster Also, for those who didn’t want to use pineapple, make two pies using half the reciepe without, and the second half with. I haven’t tried this yet, but definitly making it per recipe soon. I thought about it when you said it was more of a creamy pie and my mom always made cream filling on top of stove and a pre-baked crust.Except pumpkin pie! Also, a deep dish pir crust is just what it says, it will make a thicker filling pie, not a great idea for anything other than fruit pies , takes too long to get done.IMO
I am going to try this! That’s a great idea!
I can’t wait to try this pie! Is the pie crust regular or deep dish?
I’m not really sure what you mean, but the crust lines the bottom and sides of the pie pan.
Made this just now and used 2 bought deep dish crust. But I didn’t fill them but half full, because I didn’t know if it would rise with the eggs in it. Hope this helps.
Great recipe, delicious rich and decadent pie. Hubby and I ate half the pie in one sitting. Makes a big pie so I used my 10 inch pie dish. I placed a pie of parchment in the bottom before adding the filling which gave me a nice browned bottom on the crust. I did add one tsp of good vanilla.
Loved it!
Can you use a frozen pie crust?
Yes, that will work!
Could this pie be frozen?
I have not tried freezing this pie, but you can freeze pecan pie and I don’t think there would be much difference. Wait until the pie is completely cool. Cover it well with plastic wrap and then foil. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Thank you for asking!
Hi, I tried making this, and also found that I had enough filling for two pies. I think you may want to specify the size of eggs you used. I only ever have large or extra large in the house, so I used 4 instead of the 5 you state, just in case you use a smaller size. And I still had a LOT of filling. I love the idea of the filling, but with the amount of sugar you are using, unsweetened coconut may help cut the sweetness others have experienced.
My daughter has made this twice. First time followed exactly. Did not come out firm. 2nd time she increased baking time. Still not firm but very good. She did drain pineapple. Any reason as to it being runny?
I’m not sure why, my suggestion would be to cut the amount of pineapple next time. Maybe try doing 3/4 of what you would normally do.
Can you use another fruit besides pineapple I would love to make this but have a daughter with severe pineapple allergy?
hmmm that is a good question… I am guessing Mango would be the closest substitute that would still taste “island-y”
Hello.
I have a question. A lot of the recipes on this site call for flaked coconut. Are these recipes using sweetened flaked coconut?
Yes, all of them are sweetened unless otherwise noted. Hope this helps!
This looks so delicious! Going to try this very soon. Can’t help but wonder if chocolate chips would be a tasty addition?! Thanks for sharing this!
You can definitely add chocolate chips if you need your chocolate fix! We haven’t done it that way before but I don’t see why not!
Love the pie. I prebaked the pie crust.poked holes in the crust all over the bottom when it thawed out.then put the filling in. The pie crust did not burn it was a light brown even after cooking the pie for over an hour
Pie has been in the oven for almost an hour and a half and it’s still very loose. What did I do wrong? I can’t see two tablespoons of thickener
( flour and cornmeal) making all those eggs set up.
I’m not sure, I’ve made it numerous times and it has always turned out. Did you drain the pineapple?
I saw your comment and wanted to email to see if you ever fixed your problem? Same thing happened to me. I took it out after 1.5 hour, left it to set and when cut it, was shocked, it was all watery. I threw it away. I followed the recipe to a T, drained pineapple, all that.
I want to try again but kind of scared now. Ho do you test it if it’s ready? By poking it from time to time? Should it maybe stay 2 hours in the oven? How would one know it’s time for it to come out, to avoid the ‘loose pie’ problem?
I’m so sorry, it’s hard to say what went wrong. Maybe next time try just dicing up some fresh pineapple instead of using the crushed pineapple, then don’t pull it out of the oven until you can lightly press the center and it doesn’t feel runny underneath.
Has anyone tried this with no pie crust? I’, thinking there are many eggs in this recipe and makes it similar to a quiche. I routinely make quiche with no crust since the eggs set up beautifully without a pie crust. Wondering what would happen with no crust. Any thoughts?
Hi emily,
Thanks for sharing the recipe! It came out really good i think! If I made it tonight for tomorrow should I put it in the frog over night?
Thanks so much!
Carissa 🙂
Yes, I always keep it in the fridge.
Hope the frog isn’t too full.
Lol….
HAHA HAHA !! I LITERALLY JUST GOT FINISHED QUIETLY CRACKING UP FROM THAT ADORABLE TYPO UNTIL I SAW NANCYS RESPONSE! ! You’ll never know how badly I need the pie and chuckle! Impossible without carissa..thank you and I mean no disrespect❤
OMG!! HAHA!! I LOVE PEOPLE!!
thanks for sharing recipe, would you also have a recipe for a hawaiian fruitcake, yellow, not dark.it has pineapple,coconut, macadamia nuts?
No, we have a Hawaiian wedding cake though.
Delicious! I made for a euchre game and every body ask for the recipe.
Great job. Tkanks.
Thank you for the feedback! We are so glad it was a hit!
I made this pie two days ago. My husband is not big on pies, but he loved this one!
Don’t you hate when people make substitutions? Sorry! I didn’t have pecans, so I put in chopped walnuts. Still delicious, but I will use pecans next time.
Also, as some of the others said, I had enough filling to make two pies! Surprise! I wonder if I just mixed it too much (as you said you didn’t want the eggs to fluff) or if it is possible to cut the recipe in half next time?
I used sugar and I wonder about using the Splenda Baking Blend next time. I liked the idea of subbing in some apple sauce for some of the sugar as suggested above, too.
Oh, I thought the crust would get too soggy with the filling, so I put it in the oven for about 5 minutes before adding the filling. It didn’t really bake it, but it firmed up the bottom just a bit. Maybe next time I will try it as you advised since the comments don’t seem to criticise the crust for getting soggy.
Great recipe!
Haha! No, we don’t hate it when people make substitutions. It’s fun to try new things and you’ve got to use what you have on hand. I’ll do just about anything to save myself a trip to the grocery store to get just one thing.
It also makes great little tart size pies, just have to watch them closer while baking. Great for big gatherings or bake sells
What a good idea! Thanks!
Got this recipe from my husbands Aunt, about 20 yrs ago ( minus the pecans). Lost my recipe book it was in & Aunt passed away. Asked everyone in the family & no one knew what I was talking about. Recipe book was found & have enjoyed the pie. Will make note of adding pecans. I also cut coconut in 1/2 (not a real big fan) & up the crushed pineapple by same amount. Still very very good!!
Hi Emily, I’ve had this saved to try for a while. We are having my Dad’s 90th birthday party soon and I’d like to try this for part of the three day menu. However, there are going to be so many people that will want to try it–this is what I’m wondering???? What do you think about doubling the recipe and putting it into a 13 x 9 dish without a crust? Will it be too hard to cut this method? If it absolutely needs a crust, what about a shortbread type crust???
Thanks, Barbara
I’m not sure, I have never tried that! I would probably do some sort of crust along the bottom of the pan. If it were me, I would probably just make 2 pies.
No one in my family particularly likes pue crust. But they do like graham cracker crust. Do u think I can make this recipe for them using a graham cracker crust and also using a 9 ×13 baking dish?
If that is what your family would prefer, I would say: “Go for it”! Let us know how it turns out!
I made this pie a while back and it was AMAZING! I’m making it again today, then I’ll be making it AGAIN on Wednesday to take to my in-laws for Thanksgiving! We love it SO much! Thank you so much for posting this recipe – I have a feeling it’s going to be a holiday staple in my house for quite a while 🙂
By the way, for anyone interested: The first time I made the pie, I subbed applesauce for the butter and a bit of the sugar (only because I forgot to get butter at the grocery store and we always have applesauce on hand for the baby- hah!) and it worked fabulously! I think I did 4oz of applesauce and cut the sugar by half a cup? I wish I could remember exactly, but either way I had no idea how it would turn out and it was AWESOME. This time I am baking it per the recipe, no changes, and I’m very excited to see how it turns out 🙂
I’m making this pie tomorrow too! So glad you like it, it’s one of my favorites!
I love anything that starts with pineapple, coconut and pecans so I can’t wait to try this! Thanks for doing all the work and graciously sharing it with us!!
You are our kind of girl! We hope you like the recipe. Thank you for visiting our site!
Should the pie have that eggy taste? Or is 5 eggs too many
I have made it multiple times, I promise there isn’t an eggy taste.
Looks delicious your whipped topping is that cream that is whipped till thick. Thank you Emily will definitely make it I know my family will love it.
Thanks! You will definitely love it, it’s one of my favorites!!
Did you blind bake the pie shell prior to filling?
Nope, the pie crust is unbaked prior to cooking.
What size can of pineapple do you use?
You only need a cup, so I would get a can with more than 8 oz.
Can you use brown sugar instead of white?
I haven’t tried that but let me know how it works!
The picture looks a little dry. Is it or is it just me?
It’s definitely not dry, it maybe just appears that way.
could you use 3 eggs instead of 5?
You could try it with 3… we have only ever used 5 so I don’t know how it would turn out with 3
I made this pie. The mixture was too much to fit in the ready made crust that I bought so I divided what was left after the pie into two ramekins and baked it along with the pie. The ramekins were done about the time the foil went on the crust. Waste not want not. Yum! doubly good.
What are ramekins?
clear glass custard cups
What kind of flour for the Island pecan pie
just regular flour, you can use white or wheat flour.
But is it self rising or Plain flour?
plain flour.
Do you bake it 50-60 minutes and then cover the crust and bake for another 15-30 minutes?? So it could possibly take up to 1.5 hours? Does this make just one pie? Thanks!
Yes on the time, because it is cooked on such a low heat. Cooking times ail vary based on elevation and ovens. Yes, it makes 1 pie. It will be very full. You could definitely split it into 2 and your cooking time would be shorter.
How do i know when it’s set? When it’s not Jiggly
Yes, it shouldn’t be liquid-y and jiggly. Hope this helps!
Does this pie need to be refrigerated? I need to take a pie for thanksgiving and we have a three hour drive… Just want to know if I can make ahead of time to travel
Yes, it needs to be refrigerated but it would be fine on your drive. Especially if you keep it in a cooler.
I made this pie last night. It is WAY too sweet! –Will it mess up the recipe to use only one cup of sugar?
And how much do you beat the egg mixture? –Until it’s big and foamy, or just a little? I beat mine a bunch, and I ended up with enough filling for nearly two 9-inch pie shells. (Maybe I just answered my own question..)
I tried not to over beat it because I didn’t want the eggs to expand, then didn’t beat it at all when adding the other ingredients. You could definitely do a little less sugar if it was too sweet for you. Or try using fresh, instead of canned pineapple- it’s not as sweet and I think actually tastes much better. The canned is just easier. 🙂
Do you think this would work without the pineapple and what substitutions would I need to make? Thanks!
Yes, leaving out the pineapple would be fine. I would maybe try subbing it for something else like banana or another fruit.
Maybe some dark chocolate mini chips??
Corn meal? Just wondering if you meant corn syrup, which is in traditional pecan pie? Or corn starch for thickener? If not, what is the purpose of corn meal??
Yep. its corn meal! It acts as a thickener, but you can sub out with corn starch if you want.
I live in Florida and want to add this tropical pie for Thanksgiving.
Question-
self-rising or all purpose cornmeal???
Florida hugs,
Becca
All purpose corn meal works great. Your guests are going to love this pie! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
hi,is the cornmeal essential?i cant find that here in australia,or maybe a substitute suggestion?thank you!
Corn starch would work too.
hi,looks great! if i just buy a bag of flaked coconut,am i buying sweetened or unsweetened?thanks!
You could do either, I did the sweetened.
What did you put on top??
I just did whipped topping, and I mixed in a little almond extract. 🙂 Then I toasted some coconut to sprinkle over the top.
Thanks for the awesome tip!
WOW – this looks amazing! Pinned and sharing on my Facebook page later this evening! Can’t wait to try this!
Can you use self rising corn meal as well? Yellow or white meal?
I haven’t tried that, but I don’t see why not?
I used self rising flour anď self rising corn meal mix because that is what I had on hand. I left out the salt because both already had it in them. I also used salted butter. I decided that the pie shell would not hold all the mixture, so I divided it in half and ended up with 2 pies. Baked the same amount of time. Tasty!!
Thank you for sharing your adaptions to this recipe, Linda!
It shows two cups of heavy cream in the filling but the instructions don’t mention them except for two in the topping?
For some reason it was displaying the ingredients for the whipped topping twice. I fixed it on the recipe. Theres no heavy cream in the pie filling.
I used self riding cornmeal and it worked well
i followed the recipe to the T and it made 2 PIES! lol
Wow! Good to know! The recipe does make a ton of filling. Thank you for sharing!
So do you do the same time as it states