Luby’s Hawaiian Pie (Easy Copycat Recipe)

Transport your taste buds straight to the tropical South Pacific with this beloved Luby’s Hawaiian Pie recipe. This iconic dessert from the famous Texas cafeteria chain combines the classic tropical flavors of sweet crushed pineapple and toasted coconut flakes in a rich, custard-like filling that bakes to golden perfection. With its simple ingredient list and foolproof technique, this homestyle pie delivers restaurant-quality results that your family will ask for seconds.

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Why This Recipe Works

The magic of Luby’s Hawaiian Pie lies in its perfect balance of textures and flavors. Combining all-purpose flour and cornmeal creates a unique custard-like base that’s neither too dense nor too light. The cornmeal adds a subtle texture while the flour provides structure. Crushed pineapple contributes natural sweetness and moisture, while coconut flakes deliver tropical flavor and gentle crunch. The result is a pie that tastes like sunshine in every bite.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The beauty of this Hawaiian pineapple pie recipe is its simplicity. Besides a few Hawaiian-inspired touches, most of the ingredients you’ll need for this pineapple coconut pie are likely already in your fridge or pantry.

Another significant advantage is the use of a pre-made pie shell. While some love making a homemade pie crust, others prefer to save time and hassle by loading their simple filling into a consistent, easy-to-use store-bought shell.

Ingredients

• Pre-made pie shell – Provides convenient, consistent crust base
• All-purpose flour – Creates structure and thickens the custard filling
• Yellow cornmeal – Adds subtle texture and authentic Luby’s character
• Granulated sugar – Sweetens and helps create proper custard consistency
• Unsalted butter, softened – Contributes richness and helps bind ingredients
• Large eggs – Provide structure and create a custard-like texture when baked
• Sweetened coconut flakes – Delivers signature tropical flavor and texture
• Canned crushed pineapple, drained – Adds sweet, tangy fruit flavor and moisture
• Pure vanilla extract – Enhances overall flavor and adds aromatic depth

Ingredient Substitutions

This pie can easily be made gluten-free by replacing the pie shell and all-purpose flour with their wheatless alternatives.

Experienced bakers can also substitute their pie crust for a pre-made pie shell, though this may slightly alter the cooking time. You can also use store-bought or homemade graham cracker crust instead of a pastry one.

While crushed pineapple is necessary for the correct texture, you can easily create it yourself from canned pineapple chunks or rings with a potato masher or food processor.  

How to Make Luby’s Hawaiian Delight Pie recipe

Like many of Luby’s delicious pies, it’s relatively simple to whip up this tropical treat.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Beat the butter and sugar with the eggs, flour, and cornmeal until combined.
3. Drain the crushed pineapple.
4. Add the drained crushed pineapple, coconut, and vanilla to the bowl with the butter-flour mixture.
5. Mix again until well blended.
6. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, smoothing out any uneven spots.
7. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly but not entirely clean, about 45 minutes.
8. Give the pie a few minutes to cool and settle before serving.  

How to Serve the Pie

To be sure, this Luby’s Hawaiian Delight pie recipe is delicious on its own. It can be served warm, at room temperature, or even slightly chilled for an extra refreshing sensation.

You can garnish your pie with pineapple rings or chunks, an extra sprinkling of coconut flakes, or maraschino cherries.

A dollop of homemade whipped cream with whipping cream or Cool Whip is great on top.

This Hawaiian Pie is also great à la Mode, paired with a scoop of creamy, delicious vanilla ice cream, rainbow sherbet, or the iconic pineapple-flavored Dole Whip. 

Storage & Reheating Instructions

• Reheating Method: Thaw frozen pie overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in 350°F oven for 5-25 minutes until warmed through.
• Room Temperature: Store covered for up to 2 days in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
• Refrigerator Storage: Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days for extended freshness.
• Freezing: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze for up to 4 months in a freezer-safe container.

More Luby’s Pie Recipes

• Luby’s Coconut Meringue Pie
• Luby’s Butternut Brownie Pie
• Luby’s Pecan Pie

Favorite Pie Recipes

• Black Bottom Pie
• Blueberry Cream Pie
• Buttermilk Pie
• Caramel Pie
• Fruit of the Forest Pie
• Key Lime Pie with Meringue
• Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
• Millionaire Pie
• Toll House Pie
• Turtle Pie

Check out my easy pie recipes and the best restaurant copycat recipes here on CopyKat!