Million Dollar Pie
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By Alyssa Rivers
on Nov 09, 2023, Updated Jul 05, 2024 |
Million-dollar pie is a scrumptious dessert packed with sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans. This light and fluffy pie is the perfect way to satisfy your sweet tooth! It’s sure to be a hit at your next party or gathering.
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This pie is so simple to make! It should only take you 15 minutes to get everything put together. Just give yourself time for the pie to set in the fridge for 4 hours.
- Versatile: You can customize the recipe by using different fruits or nuts to suit your taste preferences.
- Crowd Pleaser: This pie will be loved by everyone, young and old. Its fluffy texture and sweetness are the perfect combination to make everyone happy!
Million Dollar Pie Ingredients
Million-dollar pie uses simple ingredients. If you don’t already have all the tasty mix-ins, you’ll just need to grab them from the store. The chopped pecans, pineapple, and coconut make it so good!
Crust
- Graham Cracker Crumbs: The crunchy foundation for the pie crust.
- Granulated Sugar: To sweeten up the crust a little more.
- Salt: Use a tiny bit to enhance the flavors in the crust—not too much, just a pinch.
- Melted Unsalted Butter: Holds the crust together, making it crumbly and rich.
Filling
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: The creamy ingredient that makes the filling rich and dreamy. Any dessert with condensed milk is a winner in my book.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Adds bright flavor to the creamy filling.
- Crushed Pineapple (Drained): Gives the filling extra bursts of fruity goodness.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: For texture and some deliciously sweet nutty flavor!
- Chopped Pecans: Add nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch to the pie.
- Whipped Topping/ Cool Whip: Makes the million-dollar pie filling extra light and fluffy. You’ll also use some of this for garnish.
Garnish
- Whipped Topping: Provides a smooth, creamy texture that sets the pie up for success.
- Chopped Pecans: Add incredible texture and crunch.
- Toasted coconut: Gives the pie a nutty, sweet flavor.
- Maraschino Cherries: Adds that picture-perfect finishing touch and a burst of flavor.
Let’s Make Million Dollar Pie!
The million-dollar pie recipe is super easy to put together. Just make sure you give yourself enough time for it to chill and set up properly—my recommendation is at least 4 hours.
Crust
- Crust Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until the crumbs resemble wet sand.
- Add to Pie Pan: Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Use your fingers or the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup to press the crust together and up the sides.
- Chill: Place the crust in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
Million Dollar Pie Filling
- Condensed Milk and Lemon Juice: Add the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice to a large bowl and whisk for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
- Mix-Ins: Fully drain the pineapple to prevent it from adding excess moisture to your dish. To do this, first dump it into a fine mesh strainer. Then, press the back of a spoon or rubber spatula against the mesh, extracting all the juice. You can then add the pineapple, coconut, and pecans to the sweetened condensed milk. Stir to combine.
- Fold: Fold the whipped topping into the mixture and pour the pie filling into the chilled crust.
- Chill and Serve: Chill the pie for at least 4 hours before serving. Top with additional whipped topping, pecans, toasted coconut, and maraschino cherries as desired. Serve chilled.
Million Dollar Pie Tips and Variations
- Icebox Version: This pie can be treated as an icebox pie! Instead of chilling it in the fridge, chill it in the freezer for 4-6 hours until frozen through. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. If made as an icebox pie, it should be mostly frozen, not completely thawed.
- Toast Your Pecans and Coconut: The coconut and pecans in the pie are not listed as toasted in the recipe card, but you can toast them in the oven at 375 for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool before using them in the pie.
- Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice! It reacts with the sweetened condensed milk to thicken the pie and help it hold its shape.
- Using Whipped Cream: You can use 1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream whipped with ¼ cup powdered sugar whipped to stiff peaks in place of whipped topping.
- Use a Store-Bought Crust! Make this pie even easier by using a pre-made graham cracker crust.
- Make Your Own Graham Cracker Crumbs: Add 12 full graham crackers to a blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground. Use as directed in the recipe card.
Storing Leftover Million Dollar Pie
This pie is always such a hit that we rarely have leftovers! Here’s how to store leftover pie in the fridge and freezer!
- In the Refrigerator: Store leftover pie in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- In the Freezer: To freeze leftovers, place them in an airtight container and freezer for up to 3 months. Frozen pie is best served mostly frozen, not completely thawed. The amount of dairy in the pie can separate if it thaws completely after being frozen.
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Crust
In a large bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until it resembles wet sand and all the graham cracker crumbs are moistened.
Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Use your fingers or the bottom of a flat glass or measuring cup to really press the crust together and up the sides.
Place the crust in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling.
Filling
Add the sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice to a large bowl and whisk for 2-3 minutes until thickened.
To fully drain the pineapple, dump it into a fine mesh strainer and press it against the mesh with the back of a spoon or rubber spatula to extract all the juice. Then, add the pineapple, coconut, and pecans to the sweetened condensed milk. Stir to combine.
Fold the whipped topping into the mixture and pour into the chilled crust.
Chill the pie for at least 4 hours before serving. Top with additional whipped topping, pecans, toasted coconut, and maraschino cherries as desired. Serve chilled.
Calories: 431kcalCarbohydrates: 30gProtein: 4gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 177mgPotassium: 159mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 484IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.