If you have a copy of my third cookbook, Sweetness, this pie recipe is on page 142.
This is the pie I talked about in my Facebook Live in the past. The pie that brought tears to my eyes when I took that first bite…
Why Is It Called Japanese Fruit Pie?
This Pie Recipe Brought Tears to My Eyes

The ingredients for this pie are simple and ones that could be found in kitchens of yesteryear.
- Raisins
- Sweetened Coconut
- Vanilla
- Butter
- Sugar
- Chopped pecans
- Eggs
Dear Coconut Haters
How to make Japanese Fruit Pie Step by Step

Place your sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, beat again.
Add all other ingredients and stir with a large spoon until well incorporated.
I like to put my pie on a baking sheet, always do, no matter what kind of pie. It just makes it easier to get in and out of the oven that way. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until it’s set in the center and doesn’t jiggle when you wiggle it. Don’t worry if you jiggle when you wiggle because we aren’t here to judge.
Now at this point, you can serve it but it won’t completely set until it is chilled so I cover and refrigerate it a couple of hours.
Serve chilled.
Oh mercy. This pie. This old fashioned, simple, incredibly delicious pie…it wants you to take a bite.
Look at it, staring longingly at your fork. Won’t you welcome it into your home today?
If Grandmama were here, she would say you need to. 🙂

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter at room temp (unsalted or salted, whatever you have)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 9 inch pie crust unbaked (you don't need deep dish, regular is fine)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water, set aside for five minutes and then drain.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until well incorporated, 1-2 minutes.
- Add all other ingredients and stir by hand until well incorporated. Pour into pie shell.
- Bake 35-40 minutes, or until set in the center. Allow to cool completely and then cover and refrigerate several hours before serving.
Nutrition
Instead of saying “Lord, I don’t know how I’m going to do this.”
say,
“Lord, I can’t wait to see how you do this!”
I’ve made this recipe about a dozen times and everyone loves it! I have people asking me for the recipe, that’s how good it is!!
That is so wonderful to hear! Truly warms my heart 🙂
Hi!
Pie sounds delicious – will try making. Love yr pie crust recipe too. Whenever a recipe calls for coconut that I make I use dessicated coconut – I don’t like the long strands of coconut in regular coconut. I used to make squares that called for coconut and I substituted dessicated coconut (it had choc. chips as well as other things and a fair amt of coconut) – I had made this for a school function & my brother attended – he HATES coconut of all kinds (so he thought) he tried one of the squares & started to rant & rave on how good they were – he wanted to know what there was in it b/c he wanted to make them – when I told him about the coconut he was dumbfounded – he couldn’t believe there was coconut in them – he said he hated coconut – he told me he did not taste the coconut at all & that they were delicious. So, maybe for those who don’t like coconut sub it with dessicated coconut (tiny little pieces of coconut) it is not as profound as regular coconut. That is the only thing I use whenever coconut is called for in a recipe.
Great suggestions, thanks!