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Oh, I know that you are scratching your head in bewilderment right now, and that’s what I was doing when I came across this (badly written) recipe in my family vault. The vault refers to the stacks of papers, magazine cutouts, the one family cookbook that I know of – yes, some relatives did one up in those awesome ring-bound church-like books of some family recipes, handwritten scraps of paper, and recipe cards.
Have you ever heard of Pineapple Soda Cracker Dessert? Or Pineapple Saltine Cracker Dessert, whichever you prefer to call it. I scoured the internet looking for this recipe, but alas, I only found a weird cheese, cracker, and pineapple dessert. This, my friends, is one of a kind, right here. I have no idea where this recipe came from originally, and it certainly isn’t a well-known one.
It’s a pineapple custard filling, as you can see in the photo below, with a crumb topping that is made up of saltine crackers, flour, coconut, and brown sugar.
Would you believe me if I said it’s absolutely scrumptious? The coconut, while you can’t really see it in the photo makes this dessert perfect.
I don’t remember the name of this, but as soon as I took my first bite, I instantly knew that I had eaten this, way back in my childhood. I don’t know if it was a church function (where these types of dishes are prone to turn up on the table) or a relative’s house, but I knew that I had tasted this salty, sweet, crunchy pineapple soda cracker dessert before.
I completely ruined the first batch of this recipe, to be honest, because, like any good old family recipe, there were numbers and instructions missing. There was too little butter in the topping (I think that someone mixed up the number) and there were no instructions to drain the crushed pineapple.
Oh hey, pineapple soup, how’s it going?
Drain the pineapple. Learn from my testing mistakes.
This is a sweet, pineapple custard filling, super delicious crunchy topping, and delight. I can’t believe how good it is!!
This is totally your new Easter dessert.
My family’s recipe is actually DOUBLE this recipe, but because of the mistakes in the writing, I made it into an 8×8 pan instead of a 9×13 so I didn’t waste more ingredients. (pineapple soup, remember). If you are feeding a large crowd, double it and put it in a 9×13, for sure.
So, is this a blast from YOUR past? Who has heard of this before? Eaten it? My family can’t be the only ones who have had this recipe for Pineapple Saltine Cracker Dessert secreted away for decades!
Happy Baking everyone! Who’s going to try this for Easter?
Love,
Karlynn
Easter Dessert: Pineapple Soda Cracker Dessert
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 20 saltine crackers crushed soda
- 1 cup of all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Pineapple Custard Filling
- 1 cup of water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 millilitre can of crushed pineapple drained 398
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs beaten until light colored
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 °F.
- Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl attached to a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment. Mix until combined, then add in the soda crackers. Mix, then add in the flour baking soda and coconut. Mix until combined thoroughly.
- Press 2/3 into the bottom of an 8×8 baking pan, reserving 1/3 for the top.
- Combine the water and cornstarch in a medium sized heavy saucepan, whisk until dissolved. Add in the pineapple and sugar, then cook, stirring frequently, over medium-high heat until the liquid clears up. Temper the eggs by whisking in a tablespoon of the hot pineapple mixture then whisk into the pineapple mixture in the saucepan. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until thickened and creamy (this will not clear up, you are making a custard) and remove. Stir in the butter until melted in completely.
- Pour the sauce over the crust in the 9×9 pan, then cover with the remaining 1/3 of the crust mixture.
- Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the crust is nicely browned.
- Remove and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.
Nutrition
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Vicky Polk says
what size pineapple do you use?? i see other folks asked the same but no replies-please help
cathy says
if you do the conversion of 398 mls it comes to about 13.5 ounces
Josalynn says
so is it an 8 oz, 16 oz, or 20 oz can of pineapple?
smita says
Hi! I know this post is from quite a while ago. Its not clear to me what size can of pineapple you are using? 8oz, 16oz? or? And its in juice right and crushed or small pieces.? I would love to make this, the clarification would help a lot! Thank you
Diane says
What size can of pineapple.
Crushed or tidbit pineapple?
Megs says
I’m making it right now. Looks and smells yummy. The only thing I wanted to say was having pineapple custard filling on the ingredient list was confusing because I thought I needed to find that in the store, opposed to making it myself, and couldn’t find anything at the store. I later realized that I needed to make the custard in the recipe. Other than that, I’m super excited for this dessert at Easter time. Thanks for the recipe
Megs says
Also, if we are eating it the next day, will it be okay in the fridge overnight?
Sylvie says
Wondering if you are using the salted or unsalted saltines.
thekitchenmagpie says
@Sylvie Salted!
smita says
Hi! I know this post is from quite a while ago. Its not clear to me what size can of pineapple you are using? 8oz, 16oz? or? And its in juice right and crushed or small pieces.? I would love to make this, the clarification would help a lot! Thank you
Doug Chastkiewicz says
I am going to make for Easter supper desert.
When do I add sugar for the custard?
The Kitchen Magpie says
Updated! Right with the pineapple!
Doug Chastkiewicz says
Yes thanks I over looked that
Anna-Marie S says
I didn’t realize how old this recipe was posted, and noticed that some of the posts were 5yrs old‼️ &.. I had the very same questions as the people who posted questions.. Yet do Not. See any answers for them..
If You Would/Could answer them.. we’d be closer to making this absolute Yum O looking dessert‼️
So here’s me Asking 😉
#1: What size can of Pineapple do we use⁉️
#2: You have instructed to use two different sized bake pans to use.. once you stated to use a 8×8 pan, and in the next paragraph you’ve wrote, a 9×9 pan… Karylyn… Please help this old lady, with some answers‼️ 😉
Thanking You In advance Pretty Lady❣️
PS don’t leave me hanging 🤗
~*Anna-Marie*~
ACanadianFoodie says
I actually think our recipe called for bread crumbs OR cracker crumbs… so probably different anyhow – and do you also recall the Pineapple Delight? That was tasty, too…. reared its head in mom’s bridge party circuit around the same time. Now you have be going! As my very favourtie treat from her Bridge parties were her cheese buns… homemade buns, with Velveta (yes, velveta cheese) topped with Marmelade and then little squares of raw bacon on top – about 1/2 slice per 1/2 bun… she would put them under the grill – a little lower – but definitely the grill – till the cheese was bubbly and a little dark around the edges. The bacon was salty and cooked – the bun was crisp, the cheese was velvety and creamy and the sweet pucker up citrus marmelade brought it all together.
I think I’ll go make myself a snack right now – and hope they are as tasty as I recall… (but don’t have any Velveeta – I think Jalapino Havarti will work well, too!)
🙂
V
thekitchenmagpie says
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" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/2165094/" ns="true">ACanadianFoodieI DID find a no-bake saltine cracker pineapple dessert online, that one looked really good as well! That might be next on my list to try, I like no bake the best usually, they get all soft and delicous. This one you have to bake for almost half an hour and is as crunchy as heck, and is best with ice cream on top like a crisp. If Pineapple Delight is the one with raw eggs, then that’s another favorite of mine as well. Now I’m hungry for sweets!
ACanadianFoodie says
We had a very similar recipe but just called it Pineapple Refrigerator Dessert or Pineapple No Bake Square… love it, too!!! THANKS for the memories… (of sneaking into the fridge and shaving off a thin slice hoping mom would never notice)
This it is an old prairie thing… I wouldn’t even be able to find a recipe for ours, I am sure!
XOOX
V
Esther Wyszynski says
Oh my stars. Im making this for Easter.\U0001f603\U0001f603
The Kitchen Magpie says
Awesome! Let me know what you think!!