Millionaire Pie

No bake Millionaire Pie is a simple, no bake dessert recipe with a creamy filling and lots of texture! A graham cracker crust is filled with a creamy & sweet whipped topping filling and then loaded with texture from pecans, cherries, pineapple, and coconut flakes. The perfect pie for a refreshing dessert or try it for the Holidays. 

Millionaire Pie Recipe

This no bake Millionaire Pie has a few names like ambrosia pie (similar to this Ambrosia Salad or this Cherry Fluff) and million dollar pie. Not sure why it’s called millionaire pie but I can assume it has something to do with all the goodies that are inside it.

The texture of this pie is amazing with the crunchy pecans, sweet coconut flakes, pieces of maraschino cherries, and creamy ingredients like cool whip and sweetened condensed milk. 

It’s a pretty pie with it’s slightly pink hue and so refreshing with a cool and creamy taste. 

Ingredients Needed

• Graham Crackers – This recipe calls for a homemade graham cracker crust. You’ll need 12 graham cracker sheets. You can also just use a store-bought graham cracker ready crust. The store bought ones come with a plastic lid so it makes it really easy to store this pie once you make it. 
• Melted Butter – Salted or unsalted butter will both work fine in the crust. If using a store bought graham cracker crust then there is no need for the melted butter. 
• Sweetened Coconut Flakes – I like to chop these up into smaller pieces. This is not necessary, my family just does not care for the longer strands of coconut flakes. 
• Crushed Pineapple – Drain this really well! Use a colander and a spoon to press it into the colander to help get out all the juices. 
• Maraschino Cherries – Drain these (reserve some juice for the pie) and then chop them into small pieces. You can also reserve some whole cherries to decorate the top of the pie with. 
• Lemon Zest – If you don’t want to use lemon zest, sometimes it can be really sour and bitter, just use some lemon juice instead. 1 teaspoon is all you will need. Bottled or fresh works fine. 
• Pecans
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Cool Whip – I like to use the thick and creamy Cool Whip in this recipe but regular Cool whip will work. I do not recommend using lite or fat-free Cool Whip. 

How To Make a No Bake Millionaire Pie

Learn how to make this pie with the simple steps below. Be sure and read to the bottom of the post where there is a printable recipe card, a pin it button so you can save it for later, and a detailed recipe card with all my helpful tips for success and substitution ideas too!

• Graham Cracker Crust

  • Crust : Using a food processor, or a Ziploc bag with a heavy meat pounder, crush the graham cracker sheets into super fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and stir together until everything is conned well. If you are using a food processor you can just pour in the melted butter and let it mix everything together. 
  • Pie Plate : Spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray OR you can grease with shortening or butter. Pour the graham cracker + butter mixture into it and firmly press them into the bottom of the pie dish and up the sides. Freeze the crust for 20 minutes (while you make the filling).

• No Bake Millionaire Pie Filling

  • Fruit : Mix together the crushed pineapple, chopped maraschino cherries, coconut flakes, chopped pecans, maraschino cherry juice, and lemon zest/juice. 
  • Make It Creamy! : Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and the thawed Cool Whip. Stir together until combined well. 
  • Pie : Pour the mixture into the graham cracker crust. Cover and let it refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours, but overnight is preferred. 
  • Serve : Use freshly whipped cream to pipe on top of the pie or you can use spray whipped cream from a can. Garnish with whole maraschino cherries and/or pineapple pieces. 

Millionaire Pie FAQ’s

• Variation & Substitution Ideas

  • Graham Cracker Crust : Buy a store bought graham cracker crust (I recommend the larger 2 extra serving size) instead of making your own.
  • Mini Marshmallows : For a fun texture twist to this pie try adding some miniature marshmallows. 
  • Homemade Whipped Cream : Instead of using a tub of Cool Whip you can make your own. You’ll need to beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream + 1/4 cup powdered sugar, beat it on low speed (increasing speed as needed) until it forms stiff peaks. 
  • Nuts : Instead of pecans try using walnuts. 

• How To Serve Millionaire Pie (Ambrosia Pie)

  • Serve this pie chilled from the fridge. Because of the softer filling, it will soften as it sits out, so you want to make sure to store it in the fridge if it will be out for a long period of time (like for a party or potluck).
  • To make slicing it easier, try freezing the pie for about 1 hour, before slicing it before serving. It will make it much easier to cut and the slices will be a prettier/more perfectly sliced cuts.

• How Long Will Leftovers Keep?

  • Store the pie, covered, in the fridge for up to 7 days. 

• Can I Freeze Millionaire Pie?

  • You will need to make this pie inside a foil pie plate, or another freezer-safe pie plate, and then wrap the pie in plastic wrap and then a double wrap of foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • I personally don’t like freezing no bake pies because there is dairy in this pie which means that once it’s thawed, it will separate, and look strange once it’s thawed. I also think it has a gritty texture once frozen and thawed. But that could be a personal thing and you might find that it freezes just fine. 
  • It’s recommended to let the pie sit in the fridge for the initial 4-8 hours before wrapping it up and freezing. It still needs the fridge time to set and thicken. 

• Can I Make It Ahead of Time?

  • Yes! I actually recommend making any no bake pie ahead of time. No bake pies set up so much better, the flavors combine better, and the pie is better chilled if they have been in the fridge overnight or for 24 hours in a advance of serving it. 
  • With this softer pie filling, you may not want to make it too far in advance, like several days out, because it could get watery the longer it sits in the fridge. 

Recipe Tips

Here are a few of my helpful tips so that you can have success recreating this recipe in your own kitchen ♥

• Pie Filling Texture : This millionaire pie is a looser, softer pie filling (think similar to an ambrosia salad) so I recommend letting it refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours in advance. If it has long enough refrigeration time then the filling will thicken and set up, it’s not like so loose that it spills all over. You can’t leave it out at room temperature for too long or else it will soften pretty quickly. Keep the pie stored in the fridge. If you want really clean slices that hold up well, try freezing the pie for 1 hour before slicing. 
• Marshmallows + Mandarin Oranges : Adding some mini marshmallows into the pie filling mixture will help it hold up better when cutting and serving. The marshmallows tend to soak up any liquid and it makes them really plump and fluffy, which is a nice texture in this pie. You can also try adding chopped up mandarin oranges. Just make sure that they are drained well and that you are not adding additional liquid with the mandarin orange juices. Using 1-2 cups of mini marshmallows is a good place to start. 
• Well Drained Cherries & Pineapple : To ensure that you are not adding extra liquid, drain the maraschino cherries and crushed pineapple really well. I will usually take a paper towel and dab it on the cherries and crushed pineapple to make sure that all the excess moisture is out. 
• Pretty Slices : To make this pie easier to cut, or to have it hold up better in the hot temperatures, try freezing the pie for 1 hour before slicing and serving. 
• Pineapple : You can use pineapple tidbits if you would rather have larger chunks of pineapple. 

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