Millionaire pie is a no-bake Southern icebox pie with a fluffy, creamy filling full of crushed pineapple, maraschino cherries, coconut and pecans in a graham cracker crust. It is sweet, tangy and cool, with a little crunch in every bite. The filling is stirred together in one bowl in 5 minutes, and the refrigerator does everything else. It is a pie for summer cookouts, Easter, church suppers and any day that is too hot to turn on the oven.
How to make millionaire pie: Drain crushed pineapple very well and chop drained maraschino cherries. Stir them together with coconut, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and a little cherry juice. Gently fold in whipped topping, pour the filling into a graham cracker crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until set.
Why You’ll Love It
- No baking. Not the crust, not the filling.
- Five minutes of work. One bowl and a spatula.
- Pantry ingredients. Cans, jars and a store-bought crust.
- Creamy, fruity and crunchy. Pineapple, cherries, coconut and pecans all in one slice.
- Made ahead. It is even better after a night in the refrigerator.
Ingredient Notes
Graham cracker crust. One ready-made crust.
Crushed pineapple. One 15.25-ounce can, drained very well. This is the step that matters most.
Maraschino cherries. One cup, drained and chopped, plus 1 tablespoon of the juice from the jar.
Sweetened coconut flakes. One cup.
Pecans. Half a cup, chopped.
Sweetened condensed milk. One 14-ounce can. Do not use evaporated milk.
Lemon juice. Five tablespoons, fresh. It cuts the sweetness and helps the filling thicken.
Whipped topping. One and a half cups, thawed.
Ingredients
- 1 graham cracker crust
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 can crushed pineapple (15.25 ounces), drained very well
- 1 cup maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 ounces)
- 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
- 1 1/2 cups whipped topping, thawed
How to Make Millionaire Pie
1. Drain the fruit. Drain the crushed pineapple very well, and drain and chop the maraschino cherries.
2. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, combine the coconut, pineapple, cherries, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice.
3. Fold and fill. Gently fold in the whipped topping. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust.
4. Chill before slicing. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Slice after the filling has chilled and set.
Why Didn’t My Millionaire Pie Set?
A millionaire pie that will not hold a slice is nearly always too wet, too stirred or too warm. Nothing is baked, and there is no gelatin, so the filling depends on three things you control.
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Runny filling | Pineapple was not drained enough | Press it in a fine-mesh strainer until very little juice comes out |
| Flat, loose filling | Whipped topping was stirred hard and lost its air | Fold it in gently with a spatula |
| Soft slices | Not chilled long enough | Give it the full 3 hours, or leave it overnight |
| Still soft after 3 hours | It needs more time | Put it back in the refrigerator and wait |
The pineapple is the big one. A can of crushed pineapple holds a lot of juice, and every spoonful left in the fruit ends up in the filling. Tip it into a strainer and press down with the back of a spoon. Keep going until almost nothing drips.
Drain the cherries well too, and pat them dry before chopping.
Tips for Success
What does folding mean?
Cut down through the middle of the bowl with a spatula, sweep along the bottom and bring the mixture up and over. Turn the bowl and repeat, just until no white streaks are left.
Should the whipped topping be frozen or thawed?
Thawed. Frozen topping will not fold in smoothly. Move the tub from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before, so it is soft all the way through.
Is the lemon juice needed?
Yes. The filling is very sweet without it, and the acid helps the condensed milk thicken.
How do I cut clean slices?
Cut the pie cold, straight from the refrigerator, and wipe the knife between slices.
Can I use fresh pineapple?
Stay with canned crushed pineapple for this pie, and drain it very well.
How Long Does It Take?
About 185 minutes, but only 5 of them are work. There is no baking. The filling takes 5 minutes to mix, and then the pie chills for at least 3 hours. You may see this pie described as a 5-minute dessert. That is the mixing time, not the time until you can slice it.
What Goes in a Millionaire Pie?
A graham cracker crust holds a creamy filling made of canned fruit, coconut and nuts, bound with condensed milk and lightened with whipped topping. Lemon juice gives it a bright, tangy edge. You will also see it called million dollar pie, and the name fits a pie this rich.
Storage
Keep the pie covered in the refrigerator and eat it within 3 to 4 days. Do not leave it out for more than 2 hours. For longer keeping, wrap the pie well and freeze it for up to 2 months, then thaw it in the refrigerator.
What to Serve With It
Millionaire pie is a cool finish to a barbecue or a holiday meal. For a pie table, add the Amish peanut butter pie, the apple slab pie or blueberry pie bombs. For chocolate lovers, there are French silk pie brownies. And if you have pecans left over, bake a pecan pie dump cake or a pecan pie cobbler.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes in a millionaire pie?
Crushed pineapple, chopped cherries, coconut and pecans in a creamy condensed milk and whipped topping filling, with lemon juice for tang, all in a graham cracker crust.
What common mistakes keep millionaire pie from setting?
Pineapple that is not drained well, whipped topping that is stirred too hard, and too little time in the refrigerator.
How long does millionaire pie need to chill?
At least 3 hours. Overnight is fine.
Is millionaire pie baked?
No. It is a no-bake pie.
Final Notes
I drain the pineapple first and leave it sitting in the strainer while I chop the cherries and pecans, so it has a few extra minutes to drip. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Millionaire Pie
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Ingredients
- 1 graham cracker crust
- 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1 can crushed pineapple 15.25 ounces; drain very well
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
- 5 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
- 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
- 1 1/2 cups whipped topping thawed
Instructions
- Drain the crushed pineapple very well, and drain and chop the maraschino cherries.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut, pineapple, cherries, pecans, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and maraschino cherry juice.
- Gently fold in the whipped topping. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust.
- Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Slice after the filling has chilled and set.
