Japanese Fruit Pie
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While its origin is unknown, there’s no denying this Japanese fruit pie recipe is a welcome treat in the Deep South. It includes a flaky pie crust with a scrumptious filling overloaded with raisins, coconut, and chopped pecans.
So, Japanese fruit pie. I want to start by saying that this pie is about as Japanese as I am and I have no earthly idea where the name came from. It’s similar to both a vinegar pie and a chess pie, which are both beloved Southern creations. Down here, we love to attach countries to recipes for no apparent reason. Here’s looking at you, Italian cream cake.
Anyway, I came across this Japanese fruit pie in my Grandmama’s recipe collection and I immediately stopped. The telltale splattering across the page let me know this was a well-used one, but having had countless meals at her table, I was confused by this not sounding the least bit familiar. The first bite rewarded me with instant time travel back to my Grandmama’s Formica table. The memory was so vivid and so instantaneous that tears sprang to my eyes.
So I think you might need this in your life as much as I did. It’s a super easy pie recipe to make, as all we have to do is mix together the pie filling to pour into our store-bought pie crust. What’s in the pie filling, I hear you ask? It’s got raisins, coconut, vanilla, butter, sugar, pecans, and eggs. I once read someone who describes this pie as a unique take on pecan pie and they’re not wrong. Just like its counterpart, after one bite of that flavorful filling, you’ll be coming back for more.
So, who’s ready to bake a Japanese fruit pie?
Recipe Ingredients
- Raisins
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Vanilla
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Chopped pecans
- Eggs
- Pie crust
How to Make Japanese Fruit Pie
Start by placing the raisins in a small bowl and covering them with boiling water.
Let them soak for five minutes and then drain and set aside until you need them in the recipe.
Place your sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and beat again.
Add all other ingredients (including your raisins!!) and stir with a large spoon until well incorporated.
Pour the pie filling into the pie shell.
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 it and refrigerate for 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.
Storage
- Store leftover pie covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can eat cold or reheat quickly in the microwave, oven, or air fryer.
- You can also freeze leftover pie (double wrap slices to avoid freezer burn) for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as above if you like.
Recipe Notes
- I see all you coconut haters out there and I know you scrunched yours noses up at the addition of coconut. I know your next question is going to be if you can leave it out of the pie. Yes, you can. You could also double the pecans or live wildly and add the coconut!
- Many old-fashioned Japanese fruit pie recipes include a tablespoon of white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or fresh/bottled lemon juice. If you want the extra tang, go for it!
- If you prefer a homemade pie crust, here’s my easy recipe.
- Like most pies, you can’t go wrong serving a slice on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream/a dollop of whipped cream.
You’re gonna want to try these other pie recipes next:
Buttermilk Peach Pie With Canned Peaches
Caramel Banana Pie (a.k.a Easy Banoffee Pie)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup butter at room temp
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for five minutes and then drain.1/2 cup raisins, 1 cup boiling water
- Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and beat again until well incorporated (1-2 minutes).1/2 cup butter at room temp, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs
- Add all other ingredients and stir by hand until well incorporated. Pour into the pie shell.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set in the center. Allow to cool completely and then cover and refrigerate for 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!”
Thank you Christy i made this pie years ago and loved it so glad you brought it back to me i will make one Friday night to take to the square dance knowing they will love it thanks again Mary
Oh my goodness, I LOVE that you go to a Square Dance, how fun!!!! I hope everyone enjoys the pie!!
Christy I made the apple dapple cake today, and it’s absolutely awesome..I’ll be making it for Thanksgiving..you’re a wonderful cook..thanks for sharing.
Awww, thank you so much Judith!! I am so glad you liked the cake, it is a favorite here and one we like to make during holidays as well!!
Is it ok to use unsweetened coconut?
I think it would be fine 🙂
I always use unsweetened for baking
Christy, thank you so much for sharing your Precious Grandmothers Japanese Fruit Pie. It brought back precious memories of my Sweet Grandmother making Japanese Fruit Cakes at Christmas. I definitely Will be making your pie. ❤️
I hope you enjoy the pie Cheryl. Have you tried making your Sweet Grandmothers fruit cakes?
I found Japanese Fruit Pie in the Sunday edition of News And Observer in 1971 and cut it out. I’ve made it many times but that recipe does’t require the raisins to be soaked plus it required 1 tsp vinegar. The vinegar adds something because I forget to add it once and it had a different tast that I missed, try it, it’s delicious!
I will have to check that out, thank you so much for sharing!!
I had this pie once and absolutely loved it! For coconut or raisin haters how about subbing dates. Or if you hate coconut and want to double raisins, use golden raisins and black raisins.
Great idea Charlotte!!!
I bought this pie at a bake sale 30+ years ago. I had no idea what to expect but the top looked interesting and it was for a good cause AND I didn’t want to buy anything crocheted…..
I loved it but it didn’t come with a name, just “Pie – $ 8.00”
So, I spent the next few years talking to people about recipes and this pie I had eaten with pecans and coconut and raisins and finally I hit the jackpot! A girl I worked with recognized the ingredients as a pie made in her family. It took a week or so, but one day she walked in with the recipe. I had the pie made that week. Omg. This and buttermilk pecan are my two favorite pies! Her recipe made two pies, but used three large eggs and I was never happy with dividing it by half so I googled it tonight to see how the rest of the world made their Japanese Fruit Pie and so here I am.
I made one tonight to take to my aunt tomorrow but I’m kinda hoping she’ll have one piece and send the rest home with me….
My single pie calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar. Tonight I was surprisingly out of butter so I substituted coconut oil (first time to use it in baking) and I’ll find out tomorrow if it worked out okay. I bet it doesn’t keep me from eating every piece she leaves!