I’ve made this light and refreshing pie many times for friends, relatives, guests and church suppers, and I’m always getting requests for the recipe. It has become one of our favorite ways to complete a meal. I’ve lived on farms all my life, and I love the old-fashioned appeal of down-home desserts like this one.
—ELIZABETH BROWN CLAYTON, DE
PREP: 20 MIN. • BAKE: 1 HOUR + COOLING • MAKES: 8 SERVINGS
PINEAPPLE LAYER
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple with juice
CREAM CHEESE LAYER
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 9-inch unbaked pie shell
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and pineapple with juice in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and clear. Cool; set aside.
2. Blend cream cheese, sugar and salt in mixer bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Blend in the milk and vanilla. (The mixture may look curdled.)
3. Spread cooled pineapple mixture over bottom of pie shell. Pour cream cheese mixture over pineapple layer; sprinkle with pecans.
4. Bake at 400° for 10 minutes; then reduce heat to 325° and bake for 50 minutes. Cool.
5 STAR TIP
Switch things up by cutting the peanut butter cups into halves or quarters first, then set the pieces into the center of the muffin cups before adding the cream cheese mixture. You can also substitute small chocolate-covered caramels for the peanut cups if you’d like.