Dang Good Pie

This pineapple coconut pie is a one-bowl Southern church-cookbook gem. Melted butter gets whisked with sugar, eggs, and flour, then crushed pineapple and shredded coconut go in for a thick, golden custard that bakes up in a single unbaked shell.

The top sets into a crackly, tan-brown crust while the inside stays creamy and dotted with chewy coconut. The pineapple keeps it bright so the pie reads tropical without going cloying.

Pro Tips

• Drain the crushed pineapple thoroughly. Wet pineapple weeps liquid into the custard and you end up with a soggy, soupy filling that won’t set.
• Use unsweetened or lightly sweetened shredded coconut. The sugar in the recipe already does the heavy work; sweetened coconut tips the pie into too-sweet territory.
• Beat the eggs and sugar smooth before adding flour. Lumps in the base mean lumps in the finished custard.
• Cover the crust edges with foil for the first 40 minutes if your oven runs hot. The hour-long bake will burn an exposed rim.
• Cool the pie completely before slicing. Warm custard pies slice into puddles; chilled ones cut clean.

Variations

• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of nutmeg for warmer, more old-fashioned flavor.
• Toast half the coconut and sprinkle on top after baking for a deeper, nuttier finish.
• Swap pineapple for crushed mandarin oranges or peaches for a different fruit version.