Forgotten Pie Recipes

Enjoy these old fashioned lost and forgotten pie recipes that I discovered in Grandma's recipe collection. These homemade pies are rarely seen today, and it's a mystery why since they are so delicious.

Surprise your friends with a Mystery Pie, or maybe an Amber, Vinegar, Carrot, or Lumberjack Pie. Pick one and bake yourself a special treat.

These amazing pies were commonly made in farm kitchens a century ago, and they make perfect desserts for serving to your family today.

Old Fashioned Forgotten Pie Recipes

Mom's Recipe Scrapbooks (c. 1920s)

Homemade Butterscotch Meringue PieOld Fashioned Butterscotch Pie with a Meringue Topping
(Source: ©bradcalkins/Depositphotos.com)

Mom loved trying what I call forgotten Pie Recipes, as they sometimes call for ingredients not often associated with dessert pies today such as vinegar or carrots.

Our ancestors made clever use of whatever ingredients they had on hand, as stores were often distant and considered expensive.

I believe that you'll be pleasantly surprised at the delicious taste of these traditional pies that truly deserve a comeback. Enjoy the delicious flavors of days gone by!

No Bake Butterscotch Pie

One cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 egg yolks, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup water, 2 egg whites beaten stiff, 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, and baked pastry shell.

Beat together the brown sugar, flour, egg yolks, and salt; add the milk diluted with the water and cook in a double boiler until thick; add the vanilla, cool slightly and pour into the pastry shell.

Cover with a fluffy meringue made with the egg whites and the granulated sugar; brown lightly in a very low oven. —Mrs. Geo. Hetherington

No Bake Vanilla Cream Pie

One pint milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 eggs (yolks), 4 tablespoons flour, 1 teaspoon butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Put milk in double boiler; mix flour, sugar, and beaten yolks all together, beat well; add to boiling milk, add butter and vanilla. Cool, then turn into a baked shell.

Beat whites of eggs until stiff and sweeten with 2 tablespoons sugar to form a meringue. Spread on pie and brown in oven.

Bachelor's Fruit Pie

Grandma's Tip

When making fruit pies, put a tiny pinch of baking soda in sour fruit and your pies will require less sugar.

One and one-half cups flour, 1 large tablespoon baking powder, pinch of spice to suit your taste, pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1/2 cup raisins or currants, milk enough to make the biscuit dough.

Take a small deep pot, in which melt 2 tablespoons lard, or butter. Put in the dough so that it will cover the bottom, then melt 1 tablespoon lard, or butter, and pour over top. Bake about 15 minutes in quick (425°F) oven.

9-Inch Raisin Chiffon Pie

Old Fashioned Raisin Chiffon PieMake an Easy Raisin Chiffon Pie for Dessert
(Source: Mary Lee Taylor Recipes)

This forgotten pie recipe makes a delicious chiffon pie that's really special. Chiffon dessert pies typically contain a light, airy filling made from meringue that's been thickened with gelatin.

Evaporated Milk

To substitute 1 cup evaporated milk, use 1 cup heavy cream, or gently simmer 2-1/4 cups whole milk in a saucepan until reduced to 1 cup.

To make a 9-inch Raisin Chiffon Pie using this easy pie recipe:

1. Chill until icy cold 1/2 cup PET Evaporated Milk.

2. Cut fine 1 cup seedless raisins.

3. Stir into raisins, then let stand 3/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind and 3 tablespoons lemon juice.

4. Mix together 1 cup graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter.

5. Take out 1/4 cup crumbs for use later; press larger amount of crumbs on bottom and sides of greased 9-inch pie pan.

6. Soften 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water and set aside.

7. Mix together in separate bowl 2 slightly beaten eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup PET Evaporated Milk, and 1/2 cup water.

8. Cook and stir over boiling water until slightly thickened. Stir in gelatin.

9. Remove from heat; stir in raisin mixture. Chill until syrupy. Whip chilled milk until stiff. Fold into raisin mixture.

Put into prepared pie pan. Top with remaining crumbs. Chill until firm. —Mary Lee Taylor

Old Time Buttermilk Pie

Two cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar. Bake (350°F) with an under-crust only. This easy pie recipe makes enough for two tasty pies.

Canadian Backwoods Pie

This tasty forgotten pie recipe is best when made with maple syrup though corn syrup or any pancake syrup can be used in a pinch.

One cup brown sugar, 1 cup syrup (maple syrup, if convenient), 1/2 cup sweet milk, butter size of an egg, yolks of 3 eggs, nutmeg to taste.

Beat all together, lastly add the egg whites well beaten. Bake this easy pie recipe with one crust in moderate oven (350°F) till done.

Vinegar Pie

One egg, 1 heaping tablespoon flour, 1 cup sugar, 1-1/2 tablespoons sharp vinegar, 1 cup cold water, nutmeg to taste.

Beat the egg, flour, and sugar together. Add the vinegar and cold water. Flavor with nutmeg, and bake with 2 crusts (top and bottom) at 375°F until done.

Carrot Pie

This old fashioned forgotten pie recipe calls for mashed carrots, and it really makes a delicious pie for serving anytime.

Slice of Homemade Carrot PieEnjoy a Slice of Old Fashioned Carrot Pie Tonight
(Source: ©mcgphoto/Depositphotos.com)

One cup cooked carrots (mashed), 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1 pint sweet milk, 2 tablespoons molasses, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Bake (350°F) in one crust. Molasses is optional and may be omitted. Enjoy!

Lumberjack Pie

1 unbaked pie shell (8-inch). Cream together: 1/2 cup softened butter and 1-1/4 cups sugar. Add: 2 tablespoons vinegar (preservative), 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 3 eggs.

Beat very well. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Washington Pie

1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup milk
1-1/2 cups sifted flour
1-1/2 level teaspoon baking powder
Speck of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Cream shortening, add sugar slowly, then add beaten egg yolks. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt three times and add alternately with milk, and vanilla.

Lastly, fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a flat pan one inch thick. Bake in a moderate oven (375°F).

Vintage Out Our Way CartoonIt's Hard to Resist Mother's Homemade Pie
(Source: Out Our Way ca. 1923)

Old Fashioned Forgotten Pie Recipe

Submitted by J. Mikels

Pinto Bean Pie

A lady named Sarah Austin used to serve this pie at the Kampus Kitchen in Edinburg, Texas. She passed this now forgotten pie recipe on to me when I got married, 36 years ago!

This delicious bean pie tastes somewhat like Pecan Pie and can be served generously topped with whipped cream. —J. Mikels

4 eggs
1-1/2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup mashed pinto beans (1-1/2 cups cooked beans, little or no spices)
1/2 Cup melted butter
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Cup Grape-Nuts Cereal

Mix the eggs, sugar, beans, butter, and vanilla well together. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Cover with the Grape-Nuts cereal. Bake in a 400°F oven 30 to 45 minutes until the center has risen and no longer jiggles.

Volto is a superhero from Mars who appeared in comic books during the 1940s to promote Post® Grape-Nuts Flakes. Naturally, Volto's magnetic powers were recharged by eating "whole-grain cereal" and Grape-Nuts became his cereal of choice.

Volto from Mars 1940s Comic StripVolto from Mars Saves the Town from a Meteor
(PD Source: The Complete Volto Archives)

Old Fashioned Forgotten Pie Recipes

Dishes & Beverages of the Old South (1913)

Amber Pie

This tasty forgotten pie recipe hails from the Old South, and it makes a great pie for taking on picnics, or for serving on any special occasion.

Beat yolks of four eggs very light, with two heaping cups sugar, large spoonful melted butter, rounding teaspoon sifted flour, cup buttermilk, cup seeded raisins, teaspoon cinnamon, pinch each of cloves, allspice and nutmeg, two whites of egg beaten very stiff.

Half bake crust, then pour in batter and bake (350°F) slowly until done. Cover with meringue made by beating two egg whites with two teaspoons cold water, a few grains of salt, and one cup sugar. Add sugar gradually after eggs are very light.

Use at once — it will fall by standing. Let the meringue barely color in the oven. Serve hot or cold. —Mrs. J. R. Oldham

Old Fashioned Southern Jelly Pie

For this unique forgotten pie recipe, beat the yolks of four eggs very light, with a cup of sugar, three-quarters cup creamed butter, and a glass of your favorite jelly, the tarter the better. Add a tablespoonful vanilla and a dessertspoonful of sifted cornmeal, then the whites of eggs beaten very stiff.

Bake in crusts at 350°F — this makes two fat pies. Meringue is optional, and unnecessary. —Louise Williams

Southern Mystery Pie

Fresh fruits were only available in the late summer or the fall in Grandma's day. So, preserves and dried fruits were often used to make pies at other times of the year.

The Southern Mystery Pie calls for jelly and jam, and its flavor was dependent on the available flavors of the preserves used. Serve the pie to your loved ones and have them guess its fruity flavor.

Beat separately very light, the yolks and whites of four eggs. Beat with the yolks a cup and a half of sugar, three heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, two teaspoonfuls mixed spices, either beaten or powdered fine, one cup of tart dark jelly, one cup blackberry jam, and one cup sweet milk.

Add last of all the egg whites, mix in well, then pour in (two) pie pans lined with rich paste, and bake (350°F) until firm.

Old Fashioned Forgotten Pie Recipe

Mary Lee Taylor Recipes (circa 1940)

Homemade Custard PieEnjoy an Old Fashioned Custard Pie
(Source: Mary Lee Taylor Recipes)

Old Fashioned Custard Pie

Try substituting the 2 cups Evaporated Milk with 2 cups eggnog, and you'll take this custard pie to an entirely new flavor level that's luxurious, spiced, and sweet. Enjoy!

Evaporated Milk

To substitute 1 cup evaporated milk, use 1 cup heavy cream, or gently simmer 2-1/4 cups whole milk in a saucepan until reduced to 1 cup.

To make 9-inch custard pie:

1. Turn on oven and set at hot (450°F).

2. Line 9-inch pie pan with unbaked pastry.

3. Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, and 3/4 teaspoon salt.

4. Add to mixture of 3 slightly beaten eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla.

5. Mix well, then stir in mixture of 2 cups SEGO Evaporated Milk and 2 cups boiling water.

6. Pour into pastry-lined pan and bake 20 minutes.

7. Reduce heat to slow (325°F) and bake until knife inserted near outer edge comes out clean or about 20 minutes.

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