Duke's Hula Pie Recipe (Copycat) (2024)

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This classic Hula Pie has an Oreo cookie crust, filled with ice cream that has been made with mix-ins, and topped with a frozen fudge topping. It tastes just like the original from Duke’s without the expensive flight to Hawaii!

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Ingredients in Homemade Hula Pie
The Original Hula Pie
Macadamia Nut Ice Cream
How to Make a Chocolate Cookie Crust
Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
Frequently Asked Questions
More Pie Recipes
How to Make Duke’s Hula Pie Recipe
Duke’s Hula Pie (Copycat Recipe) Recipe

When I lived in Hawaii, my roommates and I would take the bus to Waikiki just to eat at Duke’s and get a big old slice of Hula Pie. It is the classic favorite dessert choice at Duke’s. It was totally worth the trek across the island just for one bite!

Now that I live back on the mainland, Hula Pie is a bit more difficult to come by. But all you need are a few delectable ingredients and a little patience, and you’ll have the famous hula pie in your home. This copycat recipe is as close as it gets to the original when a vacation to Hawaii just isn’t in the cards.

Ingredients in Homemade Hula Pie

For all you avid dessert eaters, you’re going to LOVE this incredible delight to the taste buds! Here’s what you need to make this island treat at home:

Oreo Pie Crust– see notes below.
French Vanilla Ice Cream – a gallon of your favorite vanilla ice cream will work. The original pie recipe calls for macadamia nut ice cream but it’s difficult to find. Vanilla ice cream, chocolate ice cream, and coffee ice cream are all good substitutions.
Coconut extract – about two teaspoons.
Macadamia nuts– coarsely chopped.
Fudge topping– about two cups, see notes below.
Whipped cream – A delicious topping for this pie.
Fudge topping– a layer of cool chocolate fudge on top, plus a few extra drizzles, to taste.
Macadamia nuts– toasted macadamia nuts for garnish.

The Original Hula Pie

Hula Pie actually originated at Kimo’s restaurant in Hawaii but it probably is more widely known for being a dessert at Duke’s. Its real name is “Kimo’s Original Hula Pie Recipe” and it is even labeled as such on the menu at Duke’s. Hula Pie has become a fan-favorite around the world and people come from far and wide just to try a slice! You can buy Hula Pie at any Duke’s restaurant.

Duke’s has three locations in Hawaii and also three in California. Or stop by any of Duke’s sister restaurants: Kimo’s,Keoki’s Paradise, Hula Grill, Sunnyside Restaurant and Lodge, Leilani’s on the Beach, and Jake’s del Mar. For an entire list of restaurants and exact locations, visit the Duke’s Restaurants website.

Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

Macadamia nut ice cream can be tricky to find, especially on the mainland, but it is key for this recipe. I haven’t had much luck finding my favorite macadamia nut ice cream so instead I make my own macadamia nut ice cream for Hula Pie. The easiest way to make a DIY macadamia nut ice cream is to make a vanilla ice cream mixture with macadamia nuts and coconut flavoring.

How to Make a Chocolate Cookie Crust

For this recipe, you can either use a store-bought pie shell or you can make your own scrumptious chocolate cookie crust. I prefer the homemade crust because it seems truer to the original Hula Pie at Duke’s. To make a homemade Oreo crust, just take about 25 Oreo cookies and blend them up in a food processor, filling and all. Place them in a bowl and add ¼ cup melted butter and stir until well combined. Then press into a 9″ pie pan and freeze as per the directions below. That’s it!

Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce

You can use store-bought chocolate fudge for this recipe if you would like, but we encourage you to try our homemade hot fudge sauce. It has that amazing fudgy texture that will delight your taste buds in a way that the jar stuff just doesn’t. Our incredible homemade hot fudge sauce recipe has been in our family for over 25 years. We know you are going to love it! Trust me, it goes perfectly with this Hula Pie!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Hula Pie made of?

Hula Pie is made with macadamia nut ice cream piled high in a chocolate pie crust. It is topped with a fudge topping layer, whipped cream, and chopped macadamia nuts.

Where did Hula Pie originate?

At Kimo’s, a T S Restaurant on Maui. According to the Duke’s website, the pie became famous and was known for, “What the sailors swam ashore for in Old Lahaina Town.”

Is there always coconut flavoring in the ice cream mixture?

Now, some of you may say there is not coconut in the ice cream, but I am telling you, I have never had a macadamia nut ice cream that didn’t have a hint of coconut in it so I like it in this recipe. Of course you can leave it out if you prefer.

More Pie Recipes

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How to Make Duke’s Hula Pie Recipe

Duke’s Hula Pie (Copycat Recipe)

4.95 from 39 votes

ThisHula Pieis just like the original from Duke’s without the expensive flight to the islands! It’s like having a little slice of Hawaii in your home.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Freeze time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Hawaiian

Servings 16 people

Video

Equipment

Kitchenaid Mixer

Ingredients

▢ 1 Oreo pie crust store-bought or homemade
▢ 1 gallon French vanilla ice cream
▢ 2 teaspoon Coconut extract
▢ 1 1/4 cup Macadamia nuts coarsely chopped, divided
▢ 3 cups Fudge topping store-bought or homemade, divided
▢ Whipped cream

Instructions

Prepare Oreo pie crust and place in freezer.
Remove ice cream from freezer and allow to soften for 10-15 minutes. You do NOT want it to melt so keep a close eye on it.
When the ice cream has softened, place it in a stand mixer bowl along with the dough hook attachment.Turn mixer to "low" and allow the ice cream to be mixed until it reaches a thick frozen yogurt consistency. Add coconut extract and 1 cup macadamia nuts and mix for another minute or so.
Find a mixing bowl where the rim will easily fit inside the Oreo pie crust. If using a 9" pie crust, find a bowl where the rim is under 9". You will be placing the bowl upside down inside the crust. Line the bowl with plastic wrap, spray with cooking spray, and scoop ice cream into the bowl. Cover and freeze overnight.
Remove ice cream and Oreo crust from freezer. Remove cover from the ice cream bowl. Carefully place the bowl upside-down over the crust and pull the plastic wrap until ice cream settles onto the crust.
Remove bowl and plastic wrap from ice cream.
Spoon 2 cups of fudge topping over the ice cream "dome." Do not heat the fudge– you don't want it to melt the ice cream. If you must heat to soften, only do it for a few seconds until soft enough to remove from the container. Spread hot fudge sauce evenly until ice cream in covered in fudge.Freeze again until fudge becomes firm.
Remove from freezer and cut into slices. Top each slice with whipped cream, remaining hot fudge (it's ok for this fudge to be hot), and remaining macadamia nuts.

Notes

Use a warmed knife to slice into the frozen pie for a clean, even cut.
Use plastic cling wrap to line the bowl for easier removal.
Feel free to leave out the coconut extract in the ice cream mixture, but give it a try for an authentic island flavor!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 766kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 12gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 387mgPotassium: 672mgFiber: 4gSugar: 71gVitamin A: 997IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 340mgIron: 1mg

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