My Grandma’s old-fashioned pineapple slice is the only Easter dessert we make yearly. This delicious dessert has been a part of our Easter for decades; I have been eating it since I was a little kid. The graham cracker base topped with a fluffy pineapple filling is light, decadent, and perfect for spring!
Why I Think You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is the perfect make-ahead dessert. This only gets better the longer it sits in the refrigerator. The ingredients get softer and meld together nicely if it is refrigerated for at least one day and up to two if you want!
- It is so simple to make. Only three layers combine to create a dessert that is light yet rich.
- This isn’t an overly sweet dessert. Mike doesn’t have a big sweet tooth, but this is one of his top desserts. When we made the video for this dessert he snuck around for a quick taste, which I just had to share a video still of.
How to Make The BEST Easter Dessert!
The beauty of my Grandma’s version of this recipe is the layers. She layered everything so that it isn’t overly sweet, yet incredibly rich and delicious
- Layer One: Layer one has only two ingredients: graham cracker crumbs and salted butter. No sugar is added to this crust, which makes it a little bit sweet, buttery, and salty.
- Layer Two: This is where the main sweetness in this dessert comes in. You mix the icing sugar with butter (icing, basically!) and then cream cheese. My Grandma used to put 2 raw eggs in the middle layer, not something I recommend. I use cream cheese to replace the eggs.
- Layer Three: This layer is again super simple, with real whipping cream and crushed pineapple that has been drained thoroughly. No sugar is added to this layer, it’s only the sweetness of the pineapple that sweetens the whipped cream.
Use Pasteurized Eggs
If you want to make the old-fashioned version of this recipe, use 1/4 cup or two whole pasteurized eggs and beat them in with the butter, then add in the icing sugar. In my opinion, you don’t really need the eggs, and the cream cheese is lovely, but if you are looking for that “taste of your childhood,” then use pasteurized eggs only.
More Delicious Easter Recipes!
You can also try some of these non-traditional Easter Desserts too!
- Strawberry Pretzel Dessert Salad,
- Banana Pudding Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
- Ambrosia Salad Squares
- Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie
Happy baking and Happy Easter!
Love,
Karlynn
Easter Dessert : Pineapple Slice
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups graham crumbs
- ½ cup salted butter melted
Middle layer
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar also called icing sugar, confectioner's sugar
Topping
- 1 cup whipping cream
- one 20 ounce can crushed pineapple drained thoroughly
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Combine the first ingredients in a medium bowl until the melted butter is mixed throughout the crumbs. Press 2/3 of the mixture firmly into the bottom of an 8×8 pan and bake the crust for 8-10 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
- Place the butter into a medium bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy. Add in the cream cheese, beating until it's smooth and there are no lumps. Add in the icing sugar slowly, beating in, until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
- When the crust is completely cooled, spread the butter mixture on top.
- In a medium bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Fold in the well drained crushed pineapple.
- Spoon the pineapple mixture on top of the butter layer, smoothing into an even layer. Sprinkle the rest of the graham crumb mixture on top. Cover the pan with plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate overnight for best results, or at least 4 hours if it's for the same day.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Marilee Quinlan says
Made this recipe for Easter. I did not care for it. WAY too rich and sweet. I don’t turn down many sweets, but this was too much even for me.
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
It’s our favorite, sorry you didn’t enjoy.
Sharon Erickson says
I also grew up on this recipe except my mom did NOT use graham wafer crumbs – she used DAD’S Oatmeal cookies crushed for the base as you make it here and used them sprinkled on top! Other mom’s used graham wafer crumbs but my friends liked ours better with the Dad’s cookies. Try – you will not be disappointed!
gail kirschner says
was wondering how I could make this more diabetic friendly, like using half icing sugar then as wondering if I could substitute something else for the rest.
Earlyne says
Hi I saved the pineapple square delicious recipe that sounds exactly like my mom’s recipe but I don’t see the icon ‘saved recipes’. Where do I find it? Thanks! Enjoy your recipes very much.
Christa says
Do we use the canned crushed pineapple in its own juice or the heavy syrup canned kind?
BakersDi says
Nice ! Going to try this recipe except with strawberries instead since I am not a fan of pineapple.
Linda says
Thank you so much for the recipe! I have fond memories of this dessert from when I was a child. I’m going to make some today!
This seems to have the ingredients my mother used.
Eden says
Great recipe! Made it today. Can this be frozen?
Kp says
Is that real whipping cream or cool whip?
Jill says
I was going to make it with the cool whip. And use a tub of it.
Lori Spaidal says
This is one of my favorite desserts! I’ve been making it and eating it for over 40 years. I found the recipe in one of my mom’s cookbooks.
Linda Steiger says
My mom made this with eggs and icing sugar. It was yummy but that layer very sweet! I prefer maki ng it with cream cheese So Not So Sweet. She Drained The Pineapple As The Middle Layer Then Whipped Cream On top.
Kim says
Can we sub butter for margarine?
Karlynn Johnston says
Yes, you can! It was originally made with margarine!
BettyCroft says
So glad i found this, my mom used to make this when I was a kid. I have her recipes, but the raw egg in this one concerned me. Never thought to sub cream cheese. Going to have to try it, I think maybe today.
thekitchenmagpie says
_u*********@li******.com" profile_url="https://www.livefyre.com/profile/23045838/" ns="true">BettyCroft |Did you ever give this a whirl?
Clare Heaton says
An old favourite!
crackers says
Can I double this recipe?
redhat3819 says
What is better to use. Cream Cheese or the Eggs?
Judi Pence says
I remember this recipe from my childhood, too . . . but can’t recall if the pineapple was crushed, chucks or rings . . . please share. Thank you for posting it – brings back so many fabulous memories.
goody says
it was mentioned in the recipe, crushed pineapple 🙂
Mindy says
My grandma made this all the time. So lovely.