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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!
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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.
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!