If you like lemon meringue pie, you will LOVE passion fruit pie! I cook the passion fruit curd filling separately so there’s absolutely NO guesswork about baking the pie.
No undercooking, no overcooking, no watery pie filling, just a perfectly set, deliciously creamy, tangy, tropical filling encased in a buttery, flaky homemade pie crust! And you can top it with a pillowy meringue topping or whipped cream too.
What to expect with this passion fruit pie recipe
- This recipe is an adaptation of my favorite lemon meringue pie, but with passion fruit, so the results are spectacular and foolproof.
- You can use either frozen passion fruit pulp or fresh passion fruit pulp to make this recipe.
- Made with the flakiest, buttery homemade pie crust, but you can also use store-bought pie crust, or even a graham cracker pie crust.
- The filling here is a cooked passion fruit curd filling, so there’s absolutely NO guesswork about baking the filling (i.e. overcooking, undercooking etc.), and the tropical passion fruit flavor is incredible!
- A thick, luscious filling that sets without any gelatin because of how thick it is, but still melts in your mouth.
- Top it with billowy marshmallow-like meringue to make a passion fruit meringue pie, or top it with whipped cream instead for a regular passionfruit pie.
- Super easy passion fruit pie to make.
- So many ways to enhance the flavor to make it taste even more tropical and summery!
Recipe ingredients
Pie crust
- Flour
- Butter
- Chilled water and vodka (optional)
- Salt
Passion fruit filling
- Passion fruit pulp (frozen or fresh) with no seeds and no sugar
- Lime juice (lemon juice can be used to, but lime juice complements the flavor of the passion fruit more)
- Sugar
- Egg yolks
- Cornstarch (or Instant ClearJel if you want to freeze the pie for later)
- Butter
Topping (optional)
- Meringue topping
- Egg whites
- Cream of tartar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Water
- Or Stabilized whipped cream topping
- Heavy cream (whipping cream)
- Sugar
- Vanilla
- Instant ClearJel or instant vanilla pudding mix
How to make passion fruit pie
Making the pie crust
For this recipe, you need a blind baked 9 inch deep pie crust. I use my all butter flaky pie crust recipe for this. It’s the perfect recipe to follow if you’re a beginner because I provide a detailed, step by step recipe. And it’s meant for those who are new to baking pies!
Line the pie dish with the pie dough and then blind bake the pie crust (image 1). When blind baking the pie crust, I like to bake it at a low temperature for a longer time so that the pie crust hold its shape better AND doesn’t shrink.
It’s the best way to prevent the crust from shrinking and sliding down the sides of the pie dish. Line the pie crust with foil, and fill it with sugar or rice as pie weights when blind baking (image 2).
To prevent the pie crust from getting soggy because of the filling,
- Brush the whole pie crust with an egg wash during the last 5 minutes of baking (image 3). The egg wash will bake and seal the crust while giving the crust a beautiful golden sheen as well (image 4). OR
- Melt some cocoa butter and brush the inside of the pie crust with a 1 – 2 thin coatings of cocoa butter after the pie crust is fully blind baked. This will also create a shield between the crust and the filling.
Making the passion fruit filling
The first step is to decide whether you want to use cornstarch or Instant Clearjel. If you’re planning on freezing the pie, then I recommend instant clearjel, since it will not degrade when frozen and thawed.
In contrast, cornstarch can be refrigerated but if cornstarch thickened liquid is frozen and then thawed, the thickened liquid will lose some of its texture.
So once you’ve decided which of these two you wish to use, you can proceed with the recipe.
In a saucepan, whisk the sugar, salt, and cornstarch together (image 5).
Add the egg yolks and whisk until pale in color and the mixture is smooth and has no lumps (images 6 and 7). Next, whisk in the lime and passion fruit (image 8). Add the butter to the mixture and then start to cook the filling (image 9).
Cook over medium high heat, while whisking to melt the butter. Continue to cook the filling after the butter has melted, until the mixture comes to a boil.
When the filling comes to a boil, lower the heat, and continue to cook the filling while continuously whisking for a further 3 – 5 minutes.
It’s very important to whisk the filling because it prevents it from burning at the bottom by moving the mixture and evenly distributing the heat.
If the mixture is kept moving, and no filling is catching at the bottom of the pot, the eggs don’t have a chance to scramble either since the mixture heats up evenly.
The heat distribution is also important for cornstarch to effectively thicken the filling. Cornstarch activates better in the liquid at boiling temperature, and by whisking the mixture while it simmers, we’re ensuring that all the starch is heated to the same point and can thicken effectively and efficiently.
Once the filling is cooked, pass it through a sieve and let it cool down (image 10). While still warm, whisk the mixture very well (or use a stick blender), and then pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust (image 11).
Spread the filling until it’s smooth on top (image 12), and then cover with plastic wrap and chill until set.
Topping (optional, but recommended!)
There are two options for toppings for this passion fruit pie. Either a meringue topping to make a passion fruit meringue pie, or whipped cream for a just as delicious, passion fruit and whipped cream pie!
Meringue
For the meringue topping, I prefer using either a swiss meringue topping or italian meringue topping. Swiss meringue is marginally easier to make, but italian meringue is more stable and for longevity (that’s what I make for my lemon meringue pie).
When making meringue, make sure all the bowls, pots, and utensils are clean, dry and free from any fat residue.
Make a sugar syrup with water and sugar until it reaches 240 F, and then drizzle it into egg whites and cream of tartar while whisking.
Once all the syrup is added, keep whisking the egg whites until it at least doubles in size, and becomes a glossy meringue with stiff peaks (images 13 and 14).
This meringue can be used to top your chilled passion fruit meringue pie (image 15)! Caramelize the meringue just before a serving with a kitchen blow torch (image 16).
Whipped cream
Yes, you can use cool whip. But homemade whipped cream tastes much better and it really is simple to make!
For a stabilized whipped cream, you will add either instant clearjel or instant vanilla pudding mix. Stabilized whipped cream doesn’t melt or weep, and holds its shape better.
Whisk the sugar and instant clear jel / instant vanilla pudding mix together and set aside.
In a chilled mixing bowl, place the chilled whipped cream with a whisk attachement. While whisking on high speed, sprinkle in the sugar mixture. This will prevent any lumps from forming.
Once all the sugar is added, lower the speed to medium or medium high and continue to whisk until you have just passed the soft peaks stage, but before stiff peaks.
This medium stage is where the peak is still stiff at the base, but droops just a little bit at the tip. Whisking the heavy cream by hand after reaching soft peaks is easier for a small amount of cream.
Then use the whipped cream to top the passion fruit pie! Either spread the cream in swirls, or pipe a border or pattern on top!
Keep the pie chilled until ready to serve.
Recipe tips for success!
- For the best pie crust, follow my beginner-friendly recipe for an incredibly buttery, flaky pie crust! I share heaps of tips on how to ensure a perfect pie crust.
- To add more flavor to the pie crust, add desiccated coconut to the flour. The combination of coconut and passion fruit is quintessentially tropical!
- Make sure to create a seal for the pie crust, so that the filling does not make the crust soggy when you store it overnight. Use either an egg wash or cocoa butter for this purpose.
- Make sure the passion fruit does not contain any sugar. If there’s sugar, you will need to adjust the amount of sugar added to the filling. Otherwise it’ll be too sweet.
- Make sure to whisk while making the filling to prevent the eggs from scrambling, and for even cooking.
- For a more tropical flavor, use lime juice or kalamansi juice! But if you only have lemon, you can use that too.
- Use instant clearjel in the filling if you want to freeze the passion fruit pie.
- To get clean, neat slices, use a sharp knife and warm it by dipping it in hot water and then wiping it dry between each cut.
- If you’d like to make a more spreadable, not as thick passion fruit curd / butter, you can try my reader-favorite passion fruit curd recipe.
Storage tips
This passion fruit pie will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days!
However, the meringue topping will not last as long. I prefer to remove the meringue topping from leftovers before storing it in the fridge.
Stabilized whipped cream will last for about 3 days in the fridge. Make sure to store the pie or leftovers in an airtight container.
You can also store the pie (without topping) in the freezer for about 1 month, IF you used instant clearjel. But you must wrap it well and store in an airtight container.
This is because the filling can absorb other smells and taste “off”. Let it thaw in the fridge over 24 hours before serving.
Leftovers can also be frozen the same way, but I prefer to cut slices before storing them away.
Frequently asked questions
Absolutely, you can! Make sure to bake the crust so that it can set properly, and then cool it down before adding the filling.
But if you like, you can also make a graham flour pie crust, that combines the flavor or graham crackers with the flaky buttery quality of a classic pie crust.
Of course! If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where fresh passion fruits are easier to find, then you can absolutely use fresh instead.
Once you remove the pulp, pass it through a sieve to remove the seeds before measuring out how much you will need for the recipe. The measurements in the recipe are for the pulp without the seeds.
Yes! Without the topping, the pie will last in the fridge for about 5 days. But I recommend serving it within 2 days for best flavor.
You can also freeze the pie if you made the filling with instant clearjel. Check my storage tips section for more information.
More pie recipes you’ll love
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Passion Fruit Pie
Yield: 1 x 9 inch pie that will serve between 10 – 12 people (or 8 generous portions)
Cuisine: American, Canadian, North American
Prep: 1 hour 50 minutes
Inactive chilling time (including overnight chilling): 9 hours
Cook: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours 10 minutes
Servings: servings
Ingredients:
Passion fruit curd filling
Topping (optional)
Prevent your screen from going dark
Instructions:
Pie crust
-
Follow the recipe for my foolproof all butter flaky pie crust to make 1 pie crust. The linked recipe is for 2 crusts, so you can either halve it to make 1, or make 2 and freeze the extra portion.
1 all butter super flaky pie crust
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Roll out the dough and line a 9 inch deep pie dish with the pie crust according to the recipe. Take care not to stretch the dough to fit the pan. Instead gently lift and guide the dough to fit the corners and edges of the pie dish.
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Follow the recipe to trim the edges and roll the excess dough and create the pie crust. Flute or crimp the edge according to your preferences and let the pie crust chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C while the crust is chilling and place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven, along with a half sheet pan on the rack to preheat with the oven. The sheet pan should heat in the oven for about 30 minutes, so that it’s nice and hot.
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Line the inside of the pie dish with aluminum foil (dull side touching the crust). Make sure the foil is flush against the dough. Use two pieces and overlap them so that the whole crust surface is covered well.
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Fill the lined pie crust with rice or sugar (to use as pie weights), and bake in the oven for 50 – 60 minutes. The edges will be a light blonde color.
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Remove from the oven and then carefully remove the foil with the rice or sugar. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork and return it to the oven without the pie weights.
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Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust starts to turn golden in color.
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While baking, whisk the egg or egg white to use as egg wash.
1 egg
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Remove the pie crust from the oven and quickly brush the inside of the crust with the egg wash. Make sure the egg wash coats the whole surface and the crust edge.
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Return the pie plate to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes until the crust turns a shiny golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.
Separating the eggs
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Separating the egg yolks from egg whites – It’ll be easier to separate the eggs if they are cold. It’s important to take care when separating the egg yolks from the whites because the egg whites can be used to make the meringue topping (if you’re making it).
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Carefully separate the egg whites, making sure not to contaminate the egg whites with ANY egg yolk. Place 4 of the egg whites in a clean, dry container with an airtight lid (with no traces of fat).
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Place the egg whites in the fridge until you need them. Place all the egg yolks in another bowl.
Passion fruit curd filling
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Measuring the passion fruit pulp – If you’re using fresh passion fruit, split the fruits in half and remove the pulp. Pass the pulp through a sieve to separate the seeds. You may need to use a spoon to press the pulp through to separate it from the seeds. Then measure the amount you need for the recipe.
240 mL passion fruit pulp
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Mixing the ingredients – In a saucepan, place the sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Whisk together to combine well.
200 g white sugar, 45 g cornstarch, 1 pinch sea salt
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Add the egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is smooth and a little pale in color.
8 egg yolks
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Next, stir in the passion fruit pulp and lime juice. Finally add the butter.
240 mL passion fruit pulp, 60 mL lime juice, 170 g unsalted butter
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Cooking the filling – Heat the egg yolk mixture on medium-high heat while continuously whisking. When the butter has melted, lower the heat to medium. Keep heating the mixture while whisking, making sure to reach the corners to prevent the egg yolks from scrambling.
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While whisking, take short breaks to check if the mixture is bubbling. When the mixture starts to bubble, that means the filling is hot enough and is boiling. This usually takes me 5 – 7 minutes, but the time will vary depending on your pot and stove.
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Lower the heat to medium low, and keep cooking the mixture while whisking for a further 3 – 5 minutes, until the passion fruit filling is thick.
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Remove from the heat and pass the filling through a sieve.
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Let the mixture cool slightly, but it should still be warm when filling the pie crust.
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Whisk the warm passion fruit filling really well with a whisk, or a stick blender (which is what I prefer).
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Fill the pie crust – Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust and spread it evenly. Make sure the surface is as smooth as possible. Cover the filling with plastic wrap, making sure it’s touching the whole surface of the filling.
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Chill in the fridge until it sets and is chilled – at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Whipped cream topping
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Make sure the heavy cream is refrigerated and chilled well. For best results, I recommend chilling the bowl that you’ll be whipping the cream in as well.
240 mL heavy cream
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In another small bowl, place the sugar, instant clear jel (or instant vanilla pudding powder), and salt. Whisk to combine. This is really important for instant clearjel, because dispersing this through the sugar will help prevent clumping.
50 g white sugar, 5 g Instant clearjel, 1 pinch sea salt
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In the mixer bowl, add the chilled heavy cream, and attach the whisk attachment.
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While running the mixer on medium high speed, stream the sugar mixture into the whipped cream. Avoid dumping it all in in one go.
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Once the sugar mixture is added, reduce the speed to medium and add the vanilla extract.
10 mL vanilla extract
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Whip the cream until you have soft peaks. Then remove the whisk and bowl from the stand, and manually whisk the whipped cream until you have medium peaks. This is where the peak will hold its shape but the tip is just drooping a little bit (between soft and stiff peaks stage).
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You can also whisk until you come to this stage in your stand mixer, but whisking by hand for such a small amount will give you better control and prevent over-whisking and getting grainy whipped cream.
Meringue topping
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Follow the recipe for the meringue topping in my lemon meringue pie recipe.
4 egg whites, 200 g white sugar, 120 mL water, ¼ tsp cream of tartar, ¼ tsp sea salt
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The meringue topping will be best served within a few hours. It can last in the fridge overnight, but there might be a little weeping.
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Caramelize the meringue just before serving.
Tips & Tricks
Note about cornstarch
If you want to freeze the passion fruit pie, then substitute the cornstarch with Instant ClearJel (not the cook-type) by the same amount by weight.
This will immediately thicken the filling once mixed with liquid. The cook time will also have to be reduced to about 2 – 4 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 317kcal (16%)Carbohydrates: 30g (10%)Protein: 4g (8%)Fat: 21g (32%)Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 174mg (58%)Sodium: 88mg (4%)Potassium: 114mg (3%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 15g (17%)Vitamin A: 803IU (16%)Vitamin C: 8mg (10%)Calcium: 28mg (3%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
