Last updated: October 30, 2026
This pineapple pie pairs a flaky all-butter crust with a thick, jammy pineapple filling that holds its shape when you slice it. Scroll down for the full walkthrough, or jump to the recipe card below if you only want the quantities.
What You Need to Make Pineapple Pie
Pineapple pie needs two things: a double batch of butter pie dough and a cooked pineapple filling made from canned crushed pineapple. Everything comes from the pantry and the dairy aisle, and the whole list can be gathered in about 10 minutes.
The All-Butter Crust
The crust uses 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup of cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes. You also need 6 to 8 tablespoons of ice water, added a spoonful at a time until the dough just holds together.
This makes enough dough for the bottom crust and the lattice top of a standard 9-inch pie dish. Keep the butter in the refrigerator until the moment you need it, because cold butter is what creates the flaky layers.
The Pineapple Filling
The filling starts with two 20-ounce cans of crushed pineapple packed in juice. You also need 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup of cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Dole and Del Monte both sell crushed pineapple in juice, and either one works well. Choose fruit packed in juice rather than heavy syrup so you can control the sweetness yourself.
The Egg Wash and Finishing Sugar
One large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of milk gives the lattice a deep golden shine. A tablespoon of coarse sugar sprinkled over the top adds a light crunch and makes the pie look bakery ready.
How to Make Pineapple Pie Step by Step
Making pineapple pie takes about 40 minutes of hands-on work, plus chilling, baking, and a long cool down. The work is easy to spread across a day, and nothing here needs advanced pastry skills.
Make and Chill the Dough
Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the cold butter and press and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until most of it is the size of peas and a few pieces are closer to almonds.
Sprinkle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds together when you pinch it. Divide it in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap tightly, and chill for at least 1 hour.
Cook the Filling
Drain the crushed pineapple in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing gently with a spoon. Measure out 1 cup of the reserved juice and save any extra for a drink.
Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the 1 cup of juice until smooth. Stir in the drained pineapple and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbling in the center, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Let it bubble for 1 more minute so the cornstarch fully activates, then take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, butter, and vanilla, and let the filling cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Roll, Fill, and Weave the Lattice
Set a rack in the lower third of the oven, place a rimmed baking sheet on it, and heat the oven to 425°F. Roll one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch round, then fit it into a 9-inch pie dish and trim the overhang to 1 inch.
Spread the cooled filling into the crust. Roll the second disc into a 12-inch round and cut it into 10 strips about 3/4 inch wide, then weave them over the filling into a lattice.
Trim the strips, fold the bottom overhang up over the ends, and crimp the edge with your fingers or a fork. Slide the whole pie into the refrigerator for 15 minutes while the oven finishes heating.
Bake the Pie
Whisk the egg and milk together, brush the lattice and edge, and sprinkle on the coarse sugar. Set the pie directly on the hot baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes.
Reduce the oven to 375°F and bake for 25 to 30 more minutes, until the crust is deep golden and the filling bubbles through the gaps in the lattice. If the edges brown too quickly, shield them with strips of foil.
Cool Before Slicing
Move the pie to a wire rack and let it cool for at least 3 hours. The cornstarch filling finishes setting as it cools, so a patient wait is the difference between clean slices and a soupy plate.
Pineapple Pie Tips and Variations
The best pineapple pie comes from a few small habits: cold dough, a well drained fruit, and a filling that has truly come to a bubble. The ideas below build on the card recipe, and each one is optional.
Using Fresh Pineapple
The card uses canned crushed pineapple because it is consistent and already soft. If you want to use fresh fruit, finely chop about 4 cups of ripe pineapple and swap in 1 cup of store-bought pineapple juice for the reserved can juice.
The card below leaves this out, so treat it as an optional swap. Cook the fresh filling an extra 2 minutes, since heat tames the enzyme bromelain that can make raw pineapple taste sharp.
Adding Coconut
Stir 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut into the filling along with the lemon juice for a tropical version. The card leaves this out, so add it only if you want the extra texture.
A Full Top Crust Instead of a Lattice
If weaving a lattice feels like too much, roll the second disc into a full round, lay it over the filling, and cut 5 or 6 small vents. Brush it with the same egg wash and bake exactly as written.
How to Serve Pineapple Pie
Slice the cooled pineapple pie into 8 wedges and serve each one at room temperature. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream is the classic partner.
Warm slices are tempting, but the filling is at its best once it has fully set. If you want a warm slice, heat a single wedge for 10 seconds in the microwave.
Storing and Making Pineapple Pie Ahead
You can make each part of this pineapple pie ahead, which spreads the work out nicely. The dough discs keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and the cooked filling keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
For the baked pie, USDA guidance relayed by Iowa State University Extension says sugar based fruit pies are safe at room temperature for up to 2 days. Cover it loosely and keep it away from heat and sun.
After that, refrigerate the pie loosely wrapped for up to 2 more days, which is about 4 days in total. Discard any pie that has been left out longer than that.
The Story Behind Pineapple Pie
Pineapple pie became a pantry staple once canned pineapple became widely available in American grocery stores in the early 1900s. Before that, fresh pineapple was a rare luxury that most home cooks never handled.
Community cookbooks from that era often paired the fruit with a simple cornstarch thickener and a double crust, exactly like the recipe here. The result is a pie that tastes bright and tropical but fits comfortably on a fall or holiday table.
We love it as a change of pace from apple pie, especially when the oven is already full of Thanksgiving sides.
Ready to bake? Use the recipe card below for the full ingredient list, steps, and nutrition details.
Pineapple Pie With a Flaky Lattice Crust
A classic double crust pineapple pie with a flaky all-butter lattice and a thick, jammy cooked pineapple filling that slices clean.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
- 2 cans (20 ounces each) crushed pineapple in juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter until most pieces are pea sized, then sprinkle in the ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork, until the dough holds when pinched. Divide in half, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Drain the crushed pineapple in a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl, pressing gently. Measure out 1 cup of the reserved juice.
- Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan, then whisk in the 1 cup juice until smooth. Stir in the drained pineapple.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbling in the center, 6 to 8 minutes. Let it bubble for 1 more minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon butter, and vanilla. Cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Place a rack in the lower third of the oven, set a rimmed baking sheet on it, and heat the oven to 425°F.
- Roll one dough disc into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. Fit it into a 9-inch pie dish and trim the overhang to 1 inch. Spread in the cooled filling.
- Roll the second disc into a 12-inch round and cut it into 10 strips about 3/4 inch wide. Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling, trim, fold the bottom overhang over the ends, and crimp. Refrigerate the pie for 15 minutes.
- Whisk the egg and milk, brush over the lattice and edge, and sprinkle with the coarse sugar.
- Bake on the hot baking sheet at 425°F for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 375°F and bake 25 to 30 more minutes, until deep golden and bubbling through the lattice. Shield the edges with foil if they brown too fast.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Notes
Dough discs keep in the refrigerator up to 2 days and the cooked filling up to 1 day. Per USDA guidance relayed by Iowa State University Extension, sugar based fruit pies are safe at room temperature for up to 2 days; after that, refrigerate loosely wrapped for up to 2 more days (about 4 days total). Optional: swap in 4 cups finely chopped fresh pineapple and 1 cup store-bought pineapple juice (cook 2 extra minutes), or stir 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut into the filling.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 500Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 15gSodium: 300mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 2gSugar: 32gProtein: 5g
Pineapple Pie Questions Answered
Can you use fresh pineapple for pineapple pie?
Yes, finely chop about 4 cups of ripe pineapple, use 1 cup of store-bought pineapple juice in place of the can juice, and cook the filling an extra 2 minutes. Fresh fruit gives a slightly brighter, tangier flavor.
Why is my pineapple pie runny?
A runny filling usually means the cornstarch never reached a full bubble or the pie was cut too soon. Cook the filling until it bubbles in the center for 1 more minute, and let the finished pie cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Do you need to blind bake the crust?
No, the filling is cooked and cooled before it goes in, and baking on a hot sheet pan in the lower third of the oven crisps the bottom crust. That is enough to keep it from turning soggy.
Can you make pineapple pie ahead of time?
Yes, chill the dough discs for up to 2 days and the cooked filling for up to 1 day. The baked pie keeps at room temperature for up to 2 days and in the refrigerator for about 4 days total.
What size pie dish works best?
A standard 9-inch pie dish, about 1 1/2 inches deep, fits the filling and a lattice top perfectly. Deep dish pans need more filling than this recipe makes.
Why This Pineapple Pie Recipe Works
Cooking the filling on the stove first is the key to a pineapple pie that slices clean. Cornstarch needs to reach a bubble to thicken, and a sealed oven crust cannot always get it there before the pastry overbakes.
Draining the crushed pineapple and measuring exactly 1 cup of juice also controls the moisture. Too much liquid leaves a soggy bottom, while too little makes the filling stiff.
The crust gets its flakiness from cold butter that is only partly worked into the flour, leaving pieces that melt into thin layers in the oven. Chilling the assembled pie for 15 minutes before it goes in keeps the lattice sharp.
Baking at 425°F for the first 20 minutes sets the crust fast, and dropping to 375°F lets the filling bubble gently without scorching the edges. The hot baking sheet underneath adds extra bottom heat and catches any drips.
Make Pineapple Pie Your New Favorite Dessert
This pineapple pie gives you a flaky lattice crust, a thick and jammy filling, and clean slices every time. Mix the dough, cook the filling, and give the recipe a try this weekend.
Leave a star rating and a comment below to tell us how it turned out, and share the recipe with someone who loves a good fruit pie.
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