The Vintage Pie Flavor Your Grandparents Probably Ate

Retro and nostalgic desserts are having a major comeback, both in home kitchens and at restaurants. While the most popular old school desserts include the likes of pineapple upside-down cake and baked Alaska, there's another dessert your grandparents may have enjoyed that's worth trying if you have a sweet tooth: butterscotch pie. This delightful dessert comprises a pastry crust that's filled with a creamy butterscotch custard and topped with toasted French meringue (similar to the topping on lemon meringue pie).

While butterscotch is widely believed to have been created by Samuel Parkinson in Doncaster, England, during the 1800s, this pie was first made in the U.S. in the early 1900s. Interestingly, butterscotch pie was developed completely by accident when a baker overcooked the custard in a cream pie. The extra heating of the filling effectively turned it into butterscotch. By 1916, recipes for butterscotch pie were seen in well-regarded publications like Good Housekeeping, now with the addition of its toasted meringue topping (although it's not known when this element was first added). It's theorized that the pie got its meringue top because so many egg yolks are needed for the filling, and whipping the whites into meringue to top the pie was preferable to throwing them away.

While hearing the word "butterscotch" may conjure up images of Jell-O pudding or hard candies, butterscotch pie is much more of an indulgence. Although this pie flavor has somewhat fallen out of favor, now could be the perfect time to bring it back into popularity, at least in your own kitchen!

As covered, a classic butterscotch pie recipe combines a short-crust pastry case, butterscotch custard filling, and a meringue top. However, some recipes switch the meringue for sweetened whipped cream. For the custard, you have two options: Go easy and super retro by using instant butterscotch pudding or make it yourself for a more elevated and silky-smooth treat.

Making butterscotch custard simply involves heating brown sugar, milk, egg yolks, and flour or cornstarch. Once thickened, it's removed from the heat and butter is added. The custard is then left to cool before being poured into a pre-baked store-bought or homemade pie crust. To make the French meringue, whip egg whites to stiff peaks, fold in sugar, and then top the pie before baking on a medium heat for about 15 to 20 minutes.

While the classic is a classic for a reason, delicious variations of this retro dessert exist. One easy switch involves making a butterscotch cream pie with a cookie crust in place of regular pie crust. Graham crackers or Biscoff cookies work well, as both complement the caramel-like butterscotch filling. A butterscotch cinnamon pie is another twist on the original, which has become popular after being featured in the video game "Undertale." It takes the standard recipe and adds ground cinnamon to the custard. Bourbon butterscotch pie, with a few tablespoons of your favorite bourbon stirred into the filling, is another popular upgrade for those who like boozy desserts.