If you grew up in the 1960s in Texas you probably had a slice of this creamy, tropical dessert at one time or another. Taste those sweet memories and make some new ones with this old fashioned, family favorite!
🥘 Ingredients
- Crumb crust can be purchased or homemade. I've used Frosted Flakes, butter cookies, 'Nilla wafers, graham crackers, and pecan sandies to make the crust and they all work fine!
- Whipped topping is available in the freezer section of most grocery stores or you can try my homemade version.
- Crushed Pineapple is important so that the texture isn't too chunky.
- Toasted pecans add crunch and that buttery pecan flavor. You can skip toasting them if you want but it's so much more tasty.
- Coconut called for in this recipe is the sweetened flaked coconut.
- Maraschino cherries without stems - since you'll be chopping them. Hint: red works better than green. Trust me.
- Sweetened condensed milk is the base. I use Eagle Brand but you can use what you like.
- Lemon juice balances the sweetness and causes the sweetened condensed milk to thicken.
🔪 Instructions
Y'all the only way to make this no bake millionaire pie any easier is to get someone to make it for you.
Here are easy, step by step images and instructions for putting together this iconic, recipe made famous in the 1950s by Furr's Cafeterias.
- Get the crumb crust ready and put it in the freezer while you are making the pie filling.
- Mix the filling ingredients except the whipped topping.
- Fold in the whipped topping. Be very gentle with this part.
- Spoon the filling into the crust, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Cover the millionaire pie with remaining topping. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
- Freeze for 40 minutes before serving to make it easier to cut.
🥥 How to toast coconut
Be sure to watch carefully! It can go from not toasted to burnt in seconds.
- Place coconut on a microwave safe dish in a thin layer.
- Microwave on high for 15 seconds.
- Stop and stir.
- Microwave for 15 more seconds.
- Stop and stir.
- Continue until you've got it as golden as you like.
How to toast nuts
Nuts toast best in the oven. Like coconut, they burn easily so watch closely!
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Lay the chopped nuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Toast, stirring often, for about 5 -8 minutes, or until they are toasted to your liking.
🎥 Video
Just click on the image below if you'd like to see the full length video on YouTube. It opens in a new tab so you won't lose your place here.
Expert Tip: Spray the inside of your plastic wrap with cooking spray before you cover the pie so that the filling doesn't stick to the wrap.
💭 Tips
Millionaire pie is one of those beginner recipes that your 10 year old can make without much help. It's such an easy summer dessert.
- I used my homemade Cool Whip in this and it worked fine.
- Substitute marshmallows for the coconut if you don't care for it.
- Drain as much juice from the pineapple as possible or your filling won't set up.
- Wait to add the extra topping to the top until just before you are ready to serve.
- Toasting the pecans gives them better flavor.
- Substitute the pecans with macadamia nuts.
- Put the pie in the freezer about 45 minutes before you want to cut it so the slices are pretty and clean.
- Millionaire pie is a very rich dessert so you could technically cut it into 10 servings.
- You can make it up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
- Make this into bars - press the crumbs in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan and double the filling - it makes it so easy to take to potlucks!
- Some people call this pie Pina Colada pie - make an adults only version by substituting the pineapple juice with rum.
- Garnish the top with those little cocktail umbrellas before serving - so cute!
You may also like this other vintage favorite, Strawberry Filled Angel Food Cake.
Storage
Millionaire pie can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
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This is SO cool! This pie keeper will keep your pie fresh in the fridge without mashing down the topping!.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
☕ Kaffeeklatch
This exquisite bite of Americana is, or was, a popular dessert at Furr's Cafeterias in Texas during the 1970s and before. They may still serve it - I honestly haven't been to a Furr's in years.
I loved millionaire pie with every fiber of my tiny, sugar infused being and would happily make a meal of this if my parents were distracted.
I always thought it was called "million dollar pie" and I felt special that Dad spend that kind of money on me - until I learned to read and found it it was something like $1.59
On the rare times my mom made it she added marshmallows and it was similar to a pie version of the fruit salad (ambrosia) we always had at the holidays.
Whether you call it Millionaire Pie, Pina Colada Pie, Hawaiian Pie, or something else -- this old-fashioned no-bake recipe is absolutely the best! It's just so darn good!
Be sure to make it soon. And let me know in the comments if this is one of those recipes that was part of your childhood...
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Millionaire Pie
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 1 prepared crumb crust
- 1 cup coconut, sweetened flaked
- 15.25 oz pineapple, crushed - well drained and 1 tablespoon reserved
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained & chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
- 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, I use Eagle Brand
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice, or lime juice
- 1 tablespoon pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice, optional
- 1 1/2 cups whipped topping, divided - I used my homemade Cool Whip or you can use Cool Whip from the store.
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut for topping
- 1 cup whipped topping, for top
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine coconut, crushed pineapple, maraschino cherries, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and pineapple juice. Add maraschino cherry juice for pink color if desired.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Gently fold in 3/4 cup whipped topping using an over and under movement.
- Fold in the remaining 3/4 cup topping but don't over-mix.
- Spoon into crust.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Before serving top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping and sprinkle with toasted coconut, if desired.
Notes
- Substitute marshmallows for the coconut.
- Spray the inside of your plastic wrap with cooking spray before you cover the pie so that the filling doesn't stick to the wrap.
- Be sure to drain as much juice from the pineapple as possible or your filling won't set up.
- Wait to add the extra topping to the top of the pie until just before you are ready to serve.
- Toasting the pecans gives them better flavor.
- Substitute the pecans with macadamia nuts.
- Put the pie in the freezer about 45 minutes before you want to cut it so the slices are pretty and clean.
- You can make it up to 3 days ahead of time and keep it refrigerated.
- Make this into bars - press the crumbs in the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan and double the filling - it makes it so easy to take to potlucks!
- Some people call this pie Pina Colada pie - make an adults only version by substituting the pineapple juice with rum.
- Place coconut on a microwave safe dish in a thin layer.
- Microwave on high for 15 seconds.
- Stop and stir.
- Microwave for 15 more seconds.
- Stop and stir.
- Continue until you've got it as golden as you like.
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Lay the chopped nuts out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Toast, stirring often, for about 5 -8 minutes, or until they are toasted to your liking.
Nutrition
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published: May 2018. Last updated June 30, 2020 for better readability, better images, video, and faster loading time.
Terez
I made this today and it was so delicious! I also toasted almonds with my pecans and coconut. pretty tasty!
Cam Swart
I remember this as so yummy. I'm making it for Christmas this year