[I did not intend to share a recipe for pie on pie/Pi (π) day, but here I am.]
The past year has been good for pie, and for those of us who love it. Two wonderful cookbooks were published in 2013, The Hoosier Mama Book of Pie (Chicago!) and The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book, both of which I’ve written about on these pages. Now, First Prize Pies, a third (wonderful!) cookbook dedicated to pie has arrived. Its author, Allison Kave, is no stranger to Lottie + Doof. She is responsible for both the Apple Cider Cream Pie and the Dark & Stormy popcorn—two of my favorite recipes. I was eagerly anticipating this book and I am happy to report that it does not disappoint. It also completes some sort of holy (unholy?) trifecta of professional pie cookbooks.
There are many recipes I am anxious to make (avocado! smoked almond! all of the summer fruits! summer, yes, summer!) but nothing sounded better than this pineapple pie. I have never seen a recipe like it before—fresh pineapple in a pie?! Is that even possible? Spoiler alert: IT IS.
Pieces of sunny pineapple are suspended in a lime and rum flavored custard and the whole business is encased in a deliciously rich and flaky crust. It is absolutely wonderful and Bryan and I could not stop eating it. It is the perfect pie for these last days of winter, a little sunshine on your plate.
*Notice how my pie crust did the slide—perfection is over-rated, friends. Especially when it comes to pie.
The pie keeps well. Allison suggests it will keep in the fridge for a week. I think it is at its peak on days 1 and 2 (no noticeable differences on those two days). Days 3 and 4 the pie was still great, but the crust was softening a bit. It only survived that long. If you manage to make it last beyond 4 days, you are a stronger person than me.
Pineapple Pie (recipe by Allison Kave from First Prize Pies)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar (I did 3/4 cup)
- zest and juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (I did 1.5 T)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (55g) melted butter
- 2 cups (362g) chopped fresh pineapple
- pie crust for a double-crusted pie (Allison’s recipe is online, or use your favorite)
- raw sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then whisk in the sugar, lime zest and juice, rum, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour and butter until fully blended, then whisk them into the egg mixture. Stir in the pineapple.
Roll out one half of your dough into a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate, trim the overhang to 1-inch, and fill with the pineapple mixture. Brush the rim of the pie crust with egg wash or milk.
Roll out the remaining circle of dough to about 10 inches, lay over the pie, and trim and crimp the edges to your liking. Cut slits in the top crust, paint it with egg wash or milk, and sprinkle the top with raw sugar.
Bake the pie on a baking sheet for 20 minutes, rotating it once halfway through. Lower the temperature to 350°F, and bake it for another 30 to 40 minutes, until the crust is nicely browned and fully baked and the filling doesn’t jiggle under the crust when the baking sheet is moved. Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
* The pie can also be frozen after baking: wrap it well in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze it for up to 2 months.
Elvira says:
March 14th, 2014 at 7:15 am
I love how your pie did the slide! It’s perfectly perfect :-) …and thanks for sharing this cookbook absolutely new to me.
Luisa says:
March 14th, 2014 at 8:11 am
Am freaking out over your crust!!!
Tim says:
March 14th, 2014 at 9:02 am
Thanks, Luisa!! Yeah, it sure is a beauty…I surprised myself. I think I’m getting better at pies. ; )
kari says:
March 14th, 2014 at 9:44 am
Oh man. I want to eat on that. You’re always on top of the pineapple recipes!
Sasha says:
March 14th, 2014 at 10:22 am
Pineapple Pie – it sounds good, it looks good, and yet it has never been on my radar either. Pineapple Pie! Can’t wait to try it.
Edgardo Resto says:
March 14th, 2014 at 10:51 am
This looks like perfection to me. Pineapple and pie. Being from Puerto Rico, this makes me swoon with childish delight. Now I have something else to do with the ridiculously cheep and tasty pineapples that I have been getting at Costco lately. Thanks so much for sharing this!
Prudy | butter, basil, and breadcrumbs says:
March 14th, 2014 at 11:41 am
I grew up on pineapple pie. It’s one of my most favorite pies. My mom made a fabulous one…so delicious, I did feature her pie (but as handpies)back in October / November-ishd!
This looks outstanding… and I’m definitely going to try this recipe! Yum. Just Yum. :-)
dervla says:
March 14th, 2014 at 1:04 pm
i really don’t think i’ve ever tasted pineapple in a pie before, yum!
maria says:
March 14th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
my mom used to always make pineapple pie growing up. happy to see that it’s making a comeback! looks delish!! not sure if i’ll be able to find fresh pineapple for this – do you think canned pineapple would be as good …. ?
Greg says:
March 14th, 2014 at 5:15 pm
That oops shot looks like perfection to me.
ItalianGirlCooks says:
March 15th, 2014 at 11:08 am
Both the crust and filling look so good – love that it’s unusual and unique!
Dj@bakingperfection says:
March 15th, 2014 at 11:55 am
Wow!! This pie looks amazing! I love pineapple, what a great idea :)
Tim says:
March 15th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Hi Maria- No, unfortunately canned pineapple would not be nearly as good. I don’t think this particular recipe is worth making with canned pineapple.
Emily says:
March 15th, 2014 at 7:06 pm
My copy just arrived– on Pi(e) Day! Can’t wait to dig into it– maybe with this one first.
Emily says:
March 15th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
Oh, and agreed about perfection not being an essential pie value :)
SG says:
March 18th, 2014 at 4:42 pm
last week I ate a pineapple and this week I am going to eat pineapple pie! xo
CakePants says:
March 19th, 2014 at 9:39 pm
This looks and sounds fantastic – I’ve never had pineapple in pie before, but I can’t wait to try it. I also couldn’t agree about perfection being overrated, particularly in the case of pie :)
Lisa @ Garlic and Zest says:
March 20th, 2014 at 4:21 pm
Ooooh, ooooh! Pick me, pick me! I’m a sucker for pineapple, but never thought of it in a pie. I was dieting for an upcoming wedding, but maybe I’ll just buy Spanx and make the pie!
J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says:
March 21st, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Have never seen pineapple pie that form like a real double crust apple pie. Would imagine ice cream (coconut or something with rum?) would be unreal with this.
Rochelle says:
March 22nd, 2014 at 11:51 am
This recipe hooked me right away. One question: Do you need to pat the pineapple dry or is a little juice on it ok? I just don’t want it to get runny. Thanks!
Tim says:
March 24th, 2014 at 7:33 am
Hi Rochelle- Sorry for the delay! No need to dry pineapple.
Rachell says:
March 24th, 2014 at 11:19 am
So glad you made a post about pineapple pie. I made some one weekend for the restaurant I was working at and everyone thought it was a weird concept. I would say “Just try it! It tastes like a Pina Colada (I made coconut whipped cream).” It was super tasty but misunderstood. hah
Aida Mollenkamp says:
March 25th, 2014 at 11:28 am
This book is amazing! Everything looks so delicious – I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to!
Cathryn says:
March 25th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Is there something I could substitute for the rum,
Perhaps an extract of some kind?
I’m thinking perhaps vanilla or coconut.
Thank you.
Tim says:
March 25th, 2014 at 4:25 pm
Hi Cathryn- Sure. I would probably just omit it entirely. A little vanilla extract might be okay, but coconut tends to be so over-powering and I think would get in the way in this recipe.
Stacy says:
March 30th, 2014 at 7:26 am
Just made this for my father’s bday dinner. Can not wait to taste it… do you think they’ll notice if a piece is missing?
Melissa says:
April 1st, 2014 at 11:35 am
I needed an easy dessert for a dinner party Friday night and gave this a try. Was delicious and so quick to put together! I will make it again and again. This may not sound appealing, but it was like a fruity tropical drink in a warm, custard-y pie form. Loved it!!!
Loulou says:
April 16th, 2014 at 7:56 pm
I’m wondering, between these three books or elsewhere (ie Cook’s Illustrated much lauded vodka recipe) – do you have a favorite pie dough recipe? The CI has it’s pros but it’s a bit soft to work with for me, the Hoosier is also good but much as I want to do all butter..i keep sneaking in a dab of Crisco to get my crusts just right.
David says:
April 17th, 2014 at 10:18 am
Perhaps a holy quadrifecta? Why not. I’m going to nominate Kate Lebo’s “A Commonplace Book of Pie” to the book collection.
I attended Kate’s Pie School in Seattle early this winter, and had a blast. Bread and pastry have always been my métier, while pie (particularly pie crust) has, for some unknown reason, been a challenge. No longer. Now my family and friends are begging for chocolate cake. “We know you want to practice making better pies, but can we pleeeease just have a croissant?!” Such misery, LOL.
Tim says:
April 17th, 2014 at 10:46 am
Hi LouLou- I personally like all-butter, so those are the recipes I try. It’s rare to meet a pie crust I don’t like, but I probably like the Hoosier Mama crust the best. It is savory and crisp. I think Bryan liked this First-Prize crust the best. I also like the Four and Twenty blackbirds crust. I mimic the salt level of Hoosier Mama in any crust I try.
schneiderluvsdoof says:
April 17th, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Wouldn’t be able to make it last one day… looks wonderful!
Loulou says:
April 17th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
I do love the sugar/salt ratio of the Hoosier Mama dough and it’s “workability”. It’s the one i currently use (even if i cheat sometimes and throw a blob of Crisco or lard in there) – so good to know it’s tops for you too. I’ll check out the other recipes, thanks.
Jeanne says:
April 21st, 2014 at 2:38 pm
I made the pineapple pie for Easter, following the recipe exactly except that I used a partial lattice top crust (actually, I made a lattice crust in the shape of a pineapple), which allowed me to blind-bake the bottom crust. The recipe recommended 30-40 minutes baking, and after just 30 minutes the filling was fully cooked (and yes, my oven is calibrated for temperature).
Since I was hoping for that delicious caramelization that one gets in a pineapple upside-down cake, and I was looking at none of that, I browned the pie under the broiler for a minute or two, which was a great success: it made the lattice and the pineapple pop.
However, there was no caramelization, the pineapple was dry, and it just wasn’t delicious. The guests at our Easter table were kind, but when I asked them, “would you rather have this pie at our next meal or my pecan pie at our next meal?” all of them answered, “the pecan.”
What did I do wrong?
Tim says:
April 24th, 2014 at 7:16 am
Hi Jeanne- Sorry for the delay in responding. It’s a bummer that you were unhappy with your version of this recipe. The changes you made are actually pretty significant, so I can’t really speak to what went wrong. Blind baking the crust is a major difference (as is a lattice top) both of which could lead to a dry pie—as would time under the broiler. But I think the biggest problem might have just been your expectations. This pie is nothing like an upside-down cake, and indeed that caramelization does not happen. It’s not supposed to. It’s a custard pie with pineapple in it. So, better luck with your next recipe- and if you find a caramelized-pineapple pie recipe out there, let us know. Sounds good.
Jeanne says:
April 25th, 2014 at 5:22 pm
Thanks, Tim, I can see how a full top crust could protect the filling from becoming dry. Pineapples are still on sale at my local supermarket, so perhaps I’ll try it again. I’ll release my fantasies of a pineapple-upside-down pie and focus instead on a delicious pineapple custard pie. Thanks again!
Lara says:
January 9th, 2015 at 9:47 am
Made this pie- darn, only enough ingredients for a single pie crust- but alas- just 10 min less time at 450 and a generous sprinkling of toasted walnuts & finely shredded coconut- WOW saved! Awesome recipe – I made for my mom who loved pineapple pie- She said I would have made my grandma proud! Thanks!
Emily says:
January 28th, 2015 at 12:48 am
I made this pie for Christmas (this comment is belated) and it was so good! By far my favorite pie that I’ve made. The pineapple + custard + flaky crust was just such a good combo. Thanks for sharing it!
Rachelle says:
January 31st, 2015 at 9:01 pm
Last night after driving a friend across town for an errand, hubby and I decided to call in a carry-out order and run into Hy-Vee for vino and dessert. The pies looked pretty good, and they had a Pineapple Upside Down Pie. I had never even heard of a pineapple pie before! We tried it, and it was pretty tasty. Seemed to be glazed pineapple with a few sour cherries, a full crust and pecans on top. In my imagination coconut would have also been awesome. Searching for pineapple pie recipes I found this. Will try to make it soon.
Alison says:
March 17th, 2015 at 3:41 pm
Made this for Pi Day. SOOOOOOO GOOD. Definitely unusual but so excellent. I’d highly recommend it.
I used Kenji’s Easy Pie Crust from Serious Eats – I’d definitely recommend that as well.
Desiree says:
October 7th, 2015 at 2:39 pm
I grew up eating a much simpler pineapple pie and when I saw this recipe I knew I just had to make it! I made two last night, one to take to work, and one to keep at home. Everyone at work thought it was weird but tried it and immediately loved it. It was gone in less time than it took to cut. The flavor is amazing!
Mary says:
November 5th, 2015 at 3:55 pm
Hi Tim!
I have to write you about this pie! I have very recently moved to Switzerland from South Korea where I was teaching English. Since Korean cooking has never used ovens, they are hard to come by. I had one! A new friend had come over for a baking session and she suggested we make this pie. I did NOT anticipate it being so good! We enjoyed it and that was that. I took a trip home last summer to Green Bay, WI and made it again at a family party but tried to make it healthier by cutting the sugar…biggest mistake of my summer. I learned a valuable lesson that day.
We just recieved our boxes from Korea and all my baking supplies are finally here! I decided to make the pie again for a friend who I’ve grown quite close to here in the two months since arriving and she and her husband loved it. I decided to check out your blog in more detail. I found out you live in Chicago, where my brother lives and my friend in Korea had also lived and that you’ve found the gem of Madison! I feel like I’m half way around the world but still connected to the midwest through the people who pop up in my life and the amazing food that is just a keyboard stroke away. Thank you for this blog and for the feeling of home which I get when I look at all your recipes. I am so thankful to have found your blog!
Ann says:
November 29th, 2015 at 7:48 pm
I made this cake for thanksgiving (albeit with a lot of hesitation simply cos it’s a new recipe) and it was a HUGE hit. I used my tried and trusted double crust pie recipe but followed everything else exactly. At the end of the baking time per the recipe, the pie was still very jiggly in the middle so I baked it another 15 mins and it was just perfect. This is a keeper !