13 Truly Unique Pies You'll Only Find In The US
There are a great number of pies that America takes credit for, despite the fact that some of these recipes were invented elsewhere. The apple pie is considered a classic American dessert, even though the recipe originated in England. Many classic Southern pie recipes aren't even American in origin. Take chess pie, for instance. There's a theory that chess pie might actually be derived from the United Kingdom's similarly named cheese pie.
Despite this myth-making, there are still a number of sweet and savory American pies that are truly unique to the region they are found in. These special pies are specific to the United States, and many can only be found in certain states or cities.
Many of these pies' origin stories are steeped in American history. Some were even invented hundreds of years ago when the country was just beginning. Strap in for this sweet and sticky history lesson. Get ready to start craving a slice of these 13 truly unique pies you won't find outside of the U.S.
1. Shoofly pie
"Shoo fly, don't bother me." Believe it or not, Shoofly pie may be connected to the old (and racist) song of the same name. However, we can't say for sure. There are a few possible explanations for Shoofly pie. Another theory is that the name comes from a famous animal. Around the time of the pie's inception, there was a popular circus animal named "Shoofly."
This pie likely originated in southeastern Pennsylvania, among the Amish and Mennonite religious communities, sometime during the 1700s. Due to the sticky nature of the molasses used in this pie, people often had to shoo flies away from it during the cooling process. This is another possible reason for its name. While the exact origins of this dessert (and its name) are contested, the recipe is still served in Pennsylvania.
Shoofly pie looks similar to a crumb cake, with a crunchy layer of bits on top. However, it's baked in a pie crust, with a layer of molasses custard in the middle. The result is a truly unique dessert that falls somewhere between a cake and a pie.
2. Grasshopper pie
There might not be a definitive origin for this minty-fresh pie, but there is for the cocktail that inspired it. The invention of the drink known as the Grasshopper is credited to Tujague's, a restaurant and bar located in the iconic New Orleans neighborhood called the French Quarter. Invented around 1918, this mint chocolate cocktail is made with ingredients like Creme de Cacao, Creme de Menthe, brandy, and heavy cream.
Grasshopper pie — which became popular in the American South during the 1960s – uses many of the same ingredients. The result is a pie made with chocolate, mint, marshmallows, and whipped cream. The best twist of all is the Oreo crust, which gives the pie an extra boost of chocolate.
Outside of New Orleans, you may be able to find this treat in pie shops. We understand that mint chocolate is not a flavor profile that everyone likes. However, not many other pie recipes scratch this itch, so Grasshopper pie has definitely carved out its niche.
3. Prickly pear cactus pie
The prickly pear pie stands out for the regional fruit that it's made with. There are several varieties of prickly pear cactus, including those native to many states in the South, the Midwest, and the Southwest. You can also find some varieties of this plant in Ontario, Canada. But the prickly pear pie is a treat beloved in Arizona.
This pie is similar to an apple pie in some ways, but brighter in terms of both flavor and color. The recipe for prickly pear pie consists of a fairly straightforward fruit pie, but you can also add a meringue topping to the top, like Bread and Butter Cafe in Tucson, Arizona. You can even supplement some of the necessary prickly pears with apples if you don't have enough. You're most likely to come across this pie in Arizona. However, you may also come across prickly pear pie in nearby states like New Mexico or California.
4. Transparent pie
Beloved by George Clooney, Kentucky's own transparent pie may have gotten its start as far back as the 1800s. But the dessert was popularized by Magee's Bakery in Maysville, Kentucky during the 1930s. But what exactly is it and why is the pie transparent?
By combining pantry staples like flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and cream, this custard pie congeals, giving it an almost translucent color. Sometimes, it is made with equal parts brown and white sugar. Other times, it is made with only white sugar, making it similar to chess pie. But its flavor is not nearly as iconic as its appearance. While it might be hard to find this one in a pie shop outside of Kentucky, the upshot is that you likely already have all the ingredients to make one in your pantry. What are you waiting for? Get started on making your own transparent pie.
5. Jefferson Davis pie
Here is another pie that can't help but remind us of America's history of slavery, as well as the impact it has had on American culture. This pie was named for Jefferson Davis, a politician who sided with the Confederacy during the American Civil War and was its only president.
The pie's origin dates back to Dover, Missouri, during the 1860s. Around this place and time, the Jefferson Davis Pie was reportedly invented by a slave named Jule Ann. But for some reason, the pie was named after Davis. Regardless, the pie recipe became popular, as word of it spread throughout the surrounding area. But what exactly is in this controversial dessert?
At its core, Jefferson Davis pie is a spiced custard pie. It's made by mixing cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg into the custard — a silky base made of basic ingredients. Additionally, Jefferson Davis pie is often made with raisins, dates, and nuts either mixed into the custard or as their own separate layer. Sometimes, it's even made with a topping made from meringue. There are also many regional variations on this pie.
6. Chocolate Haupia pie
This pie is often found in Hawaii, due to its super special ingredient. Haupia is a coconut milk pudding that is a common luau dessert on the islands of Hawaii. This Hawaiian creation combines chocolate and coconut in an Almond Joy-like explosion of flavor. It's unlike any pie you'll taste in the other 49 U.S. states.
Chocolate Haupia pie is traditionally made with a layer of chocolate custard, a layer of Haupia, and a layer of whipped cream. Sometimes, there might be coconut or chocolate shavings. It might sound similar to chocolate pies you've had, but you won't find anything exactly like chocolate Haupia pie just anywhere. If you are lucky enough to get to Oahu, there are several incredible spots where you can try this dish. One such establishment is called Ted's Bakery. This business is also home to some pretty unique tropical pies, like strawberry guava cream pie.
7. Sour cream raisin pie
We have to concede that this particular pie doesn't sound very good at all on paper. But you are going to have to trust the discerning citizens of Iowa on this one. This pie is so popular in the Midwest that the sour cream raisin pie is nearly always served at the Iowa State Fair. This is one of the state's most unique dishes.
The dessert consists of a pie shell, filled with sour cream, cream of tartar, and raisins. It's then topped by a top layer of fluffy toasted meringue. This final meringue layer is a key element — it's nearly as important to the sour cream raisin pie as the two titular ingredients.
It's certainly not an easy one to try and replicate, since one simple meringue-making mistake can lead to the dish's downfall. But if you are confident in your meringue-making skills, go ahead and try it. The ingredients are readily available in stores year-round if you care to try this pie.
8. Baltimore Bomb pie
It doesn't take a genius to guess where this regional American pie originated. The Baltimore Bomb pie is a specialty of a Maryland pie shop called Dangerously Delicious Pies. This recipe is visibly trademarked on the website. This means the only two ways to try this specific and delicious cookie and custard pie are by going to Baltimore yourself, or by ordering via the Dangerously Delicious website. You can also order this pie through the website Goldbelly.
Dangerously Delicious Pies has been serving up savory and sweet pies since 1999. The Baltimore Bomb pie is the joint's staple and remains so after all this time. This rich custard pie is enhanced by two secret weapons. One is Baltimore's famous Berger Cookies. These local treats consist of cake-like cookies, piled high with frosting. These cookies are then added to a mixture of butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla to create the iconic Baltimore Bomb.
The pie recipe requires having access to these extremely specific cookies, which is one thing that makes it hard to recreate. The other secret weapon is vinegar, which Dangerously Delicious uses to give this recipe a special flavor.
9. Peanut pie
The American South has its own iconic cuisine. The numerous unique pies that come out of this region are just one testament to this. Perhaps the one pie that has spread the most, although still not really beyond the borders of the country, is the humble peanut pie.
This pie is said to have originated in Virginia and North Carolina. There is evidence that this pie existed since at least the 1940s, but it may have been around before that. This recipe was originally considered a poor man's pecan pie, due to the affordability of peanuts. But despite this name, the pie's delicious flavor has allowed it to become a favorite of home cooks throughout the U.S.
The peanut pie is similar in its construction and appearance to the pecan pie. In fact, both peanut and pecan pies are made using corn syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla — along with the chosen type of nut — to create a gooey, crunchy filling. Some peanut pie recipes also call for sorghum syrup, as this ingredient was more popular around the time that this recipe emerged.
10. White chocolate strawberry pie
If you ever find yourself in Columbia, Missouri, do yourself a favor and stop by Peggy Jean's Pies for a slice of white chocolate strawberry pie. If you live there and are reading this, well, we are going to assume you are looking for validation that this pie is excellent. We'll give it to you. Even if it might not be the best pie Peggy Jean's has to offer, the white chocolate strawberry pie is a certified Missouri classic.
This national favorite began as a humble business between two friends, Peggy Day and Jeanne Plumley. After Day passed away, Plumley closed the shop down and didn't re-open for a decade. It took teaming up with her daughter Rebecca, in 2014, to finally bring these beloved pies back to Columbia.
The white chocolate strawberry pie is a standout on Peggy Jean's already massive menu. With oodles of strawberry white chocolate cream covering a bed of fresh strawberries, this pie blends the joys of fruit pies with something even more decadent.
11. Derby pie
Another regional dessert born and bred in Kentucky is the Derby pie. Kentucky Derby pie, to be exact, is a chocolate nut pie that you can find at a business called Kern's Kitchen in Louisville. The top-secret recipe of this business isn't listed online, so if you're really serious about trying Derby pie, it's either time to head to Kentucky for the real deal or have one shipped to you by ordering directly from Kern's.
What you will be getting is truly a glorious fusion of many of the best pies of the American South: Derby pie is a chocolate pie, a nut pie, and a custard pie — all rolled into one delicious invention. Kern's is so serious about this, that the pie is one of very few products it sells. It also sells pecan pie. Either way, you can't go wrong, but the Derby pie is worth trying if you ever get the opportunity to do so.
12. Possum pie
We promise there is no roadkill in this deceptively named pie. No, possum pie gets its name from its appearance, and the secret goodies hiding beneath the top layer of whipped cream. The name is apparently derived from the outdated term for playing dead, "playing possum."
The possum pie first got its start in Arkansas, where it can be traced back to as early as 1974. It didn't start being called possum pie until a 1983 restaurant review in The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Around that time, hyper-regional variations of the pie popped up under names such as four-layer and five-layer delight.
This beloved Arkansas pie is made of a few different layers — up to five if the old-fashioned name is to be believed. Layers of cream cheese, chocolate and vanilla puddings, and whipped cream (or Cool Whip) are all carefully stacked on one another. If you love French silk, or any form of chocolate cream pie, the possum pie will take you to a new level of indulgence.
13. Cheeseburger pie
While the savory pie might not be as popular in the U.S. as it is in the U.K., savory pie recipes still have their place in the States. Chicken pot pie is as American as it comes. Let's not even get started on if New Jersey pizza is pie. When it comes to savory pies that scream "USA," you won't find anything more uniquely American than the cheeseburger pie. Somewhere between a quiche and a casserole, this Kansas favorite could feed an entire small town.
That might be a slight exaggeration. But it's certain that this dish isn't for anyone looking for a light dinner. It's filled with ground beef, onion, eggs, and cheese. There is also a textural component to this pie that makes it special since it's fluffy in the middle while crispy on top. Given that it's the most searched-for pie recipe in Kansas, that is probably a good place to start looking for someone who is doing it right.