It’s a little taste of Hawaii in a pie. Coconut custard meets pineapple upside-down topping

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/03/2026 (225 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When I think of Hawaii, I think of coconut trees softly swaying above white beaches with big blue waves crashing against the shore, and I think of the many days I spent swimming and drying off in the sun while eating pineapple. I have tried to capture these feelings with this pie from my cookbook “50 Pies, 50 States.”

A popular dessert in Hawaii is haupia, or coconut custard, which is the main component of my pie, paired with pineapple to set it apart. This coconut cream pie has a graham cracker crust, a pineapple upside-down cake topping and a little ’60s flair.

The cold-set pie can be made a day in advance, but don’t make the pineapple topping until you are ready to serve!

Coconut Cream Pie with Pineapple Upside-Down Topping

Servings: one 10-inch pie

Equipment

10-inch cast-iron or other circular oven-safe pan

Ingredients

CRUST

Store-bought or homemade Graham Cracker Crust

Filling

1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3 large egg yolks

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN TOPPING

1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 (8-ounce) can sliced pineapple in pineapple juice

7 maraschino cherries

Directions

Make the Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the coconut in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment. Toast the coconut in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing every 5 minutes and making sure it doesn’t burn, until the coconut is golden brown. In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, cream, egg yolks, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly, until very thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the toasted coconut and vanilla. Let cool slightly before filling the pie.

Fill the pie: Pour the filling into the baked graham cracker crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Chill the pie in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours, until the filling is set.

Make the Topping: Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a cast-iron or oven-safe 10-inch pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the brown sugar and blend. Arrange seven pineapple slices in the pan, covering the bottom. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pineapple is caramelized, checking every 10 minutes to make sure the pineapple caramelizes but does not burn.

Finish the Pie: This is tricky. Take the chilled pie and place it upside down in the cast-iron skillet; the top of the pie should touch the pineapple mixture. Turn a plate upside down and place on the bottom of the pie, then flip everything over in one swift motion, setting the pie on the counter on the plate. Carefully remove the skillet; if a pineapple slice or cherry sticks to the skillet, just use a fork to move it to the top of the pie. Let the topping cool slightly and then slice and serve!

___

Stacey Mei Yan Fong is the author of “50 Pies, 50 States.” Her pies have been featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, NPR and Eater.

Excerpted from “50 Pies, 50 States” by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Copyright (copyright) 2024 by Stacey Mei Yan Fong. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.