This recipe for old-fashioned vinegar pie will make you feel like one of those hardy pioneer bakers who were able to make something delicious from almost nothing.
It is so good and easy to make!
Click to find more old fashioned pie recipes.
A favorite to try is a classic Indiana sugar cream pie.
For ease of browsing, here are all of my pie and tart recipes in one place. Thanks for stopping by!
Watch my vinegar pie web story here.
Freaking awesome pie! Good thing Pioneer days included lots of hard manual labor or else everyone would have weighed 400 pounds if this was the pie of choice. Very rich, sweet and just satisfying. Going into my regular rotation of pies. Love old pie recipes and this one will be one that is turned to time and again.
Reader Scott
Pies in Time of Desperation
Sometimes, you just need something sweet. Something simple to throw together with a few pantry staples, something soul-satisfying and made with love. Sometimes you just need pie.
These days, most Americans are very fortunate to have ingredients handy to make fruit pies or chocolate pies whenever we feel like it, but back in the days before refrigeration, before huge supermarkets with all their bounty from all over the world, our pie-loving forebears had to be pretty creative in order to have pie in the dead of winter.
These pies relied on staples that were almost always available. Flour, butter from a cow, and water = pastry, and the fillings were based on other pantry stand-bys like:
- molasses (shoo fly pie)
- sorghum (sorghum pie)
- cream (sugar cream pie),
- cornmeal (chess pie and its variations like chocolate chess pie)
Eggs were almost always available because most people had chickens.
And there you had it: pie whenever you needed a sweet pick me up between the distant memory of bright crimson and golden leaves and the much longed for buds of May.
But Vinegar Pie? Really?
I hear you. I mean, of all the desperation and “pioneer pies” I’ve ever heard of, old-fashioned vinegar pie seems to be the most desperate kind of pie, you know?
The pie is like an answer to a challenge.
Two pioneer women talking about what they could make out of nothing, and then one says to the other,
“Oh, yeah?! How ’bout you make a vinegar pie, Marjorie!”
And Marge pushes up her sleeves, adjusts her bonnet, tightens her apron strings and is all “Hold. My. Beer, Blanche.”
I think you’ll get over the weirdness once you realize the pie isn’t made mainly of vinegar. It’s not like a sliceable sweet and sour sauce.
The vinegar in this pie is used as a flavoring agent. Like vanilla. There’s just enough of it in the mix to bring a nice tartness to round out the sweetness.
It reads as a “lightly lemon pie,” not as a pie full of vinegar.
The rule “you catch more flies with honey (or in this case, sugar) than you do with vinegar” is still true.
Nobody is going to eat a pie that has a cup of vinegar in it, least of all me.
Listen to the wonderful As We Eat podcast that explores what’s in your pantry. They reference this vinegar pie.
History of Vinegar Pie
Okay, so maybe my “hold my beer” scenario is pure fiction. Over on Instagram, I even wrote a one-act play about how vinegar pie was invented and featuring everyone’s favorite pioneers, Charles and Caroline Ingalls and their kids, Mary and Half-Pint. More fiction?
Well, according to Carissa from the blog Pretty Hungry, Laura Ingalls-Wilder wrote about this pie and a bunch of other crazy/awesome desperation pies her mom used to make in that little house on the prairie or in the big woods or wherever they were living at the time Charles would look over at her in January, and say, “Hey, hon? Make me a pie!”
It is my feeling that the history of vinegar pie is the same history as all the other desperation pies.
Someone, somewhere wanted pie.
And that someone decided they were going to make pie out of whatever was available.
I am not sure there was a single person that invented this pie.
It was probably a bunch of able and creative (and desperate) home bakers who all said something along the lines of “I have eggs, sugar, and vinegar. I’mma make a pie. Hold my beer.”
How to Make a the Most Desperate of the Desperation Pies
Growing up in the UP, Michigan. The depression and snowed in for weeks this was a favorite recipe we loved. They baked from memory. So, I’ve tried so many times to be disappointed. This was it! The brown sugar was the key. Took me back to childhood! Perfection.
Pinner PJ
I did some research on pioneer vinegar pie, trying to get a good feel for the basic ingredients. There seem to be two camps.
- Camp One is a stirred, starch-thickened, water-based custard flavored with vinegar, poured into a pre-baked shell and then chilled. For an example of that kind, complete with a hand-written recipe, see Cassidy’s post, linked above.
- Camp Two is a richer, egg-based custard that gets whisked up quickly, poured into an unbaked or par-baked shell and then baked until set. That’s the camp I decided to go with.
I saw a few recipes that were a weird hybrid of Camps One and Two. Let’s call that camp Camp One and a Half.
These recipes had you make a water-based, starch-thickened custard, pour it into a pie shell, and then bake it for a long time.
That’s just doing twice as much work, since the pie filling as written should set up on its own in the fridge. Between the eggs and the added flour, you really have all the thickening power you need.
To those people, I say “feh.” Feh, I say.
You can get the same effect by making the Cassidy Camp One pie, letting it set up in the fridge overnight, and then either hitting it with a torch or setting it under the broiler for a few minutes to color the top.
Full-on baking is not necessary unless you just like to waste time.
Camp One and Three Quarters, which I just made up, wants you to make your starch-thickened, water-based custard in a double boiler.
Right. Ma Ingalls does not have time for all of that.
Ingredients
After much deliberation, I went with a straightforward, bake-in-the-crust filling. I can almost guarantee you own all these ingredients already:
- pie crust: feel free to make your own, or use frozen store-bought. I use pate brisee which is an all-butter crust.
- eggs: you can use 3 or 4. Using four eggs will give you a firmer, more easily sliceable set. If you use 3 eggs, your pie will be a bit softer and creamier. There is no wrong answer here–it all depends on your taste. But there are no substitutes here. You need the eggs.
- brown sugar: brown sugar provides the sweetness and a bit of flavor from the molasses. You can use honey if you prefer, but just remember that this will add more liquid to the pie, so don’t go crazy with it. And in this case, I’d go with the four eggs.
- melted butter: adds richness, helps to carry flavor, and assists with browning. I give two amount of butter. You can use more or less, depending upon your taste. Please note that the butter may seem to separate out of the pie and make the top look slick, but it will reabsorb as the pie cools.
- salt: brings out all the flavors and counteracts any bitterness you might get from the apple cider vinegar
- apple cider vinegar: provides the acidic flavoring of this pie so that it reads as almost a lemon pie. And yes, you could absolutely top this with meringue to make a “desperation lemon(ish) meringue pie.”
Let’s Make This Guy, Shall We?
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Is This Pie Hard to Make?
In a word, no. It really is an easy pie to make. Especially if you start with a store-bought crust, all you need to do is whisk a handful of ingredients together, pour them into the pie crust, and bake until the filling is no longer wobbly.
Seriously. Is There Any Way I Can Mess This Up?
I guess the worst that could happen is that you overbake the filling and scramble the eggs.
It’s not very likely, especially since we’re baking the filling in a crust, and crust provides insulation.
If you are concerned, use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature in the center of the pie. It should ready right around 165F. Once it reaches the magic temperature, pull it out and let it cool on a rack.
This LavaTools instant-read is a great choice. It reaches temperature in a matter of seconds, is easy to read, and more important, it's accurate. An excellent thermometer for most home uses, from deep frying to candy making to checking doneness in meat, bread, and other baked goods.
I hope I’ve made my case for the tastiness of this pie.
As I said in the recipe, I used brown sugar rather than white. I figure a pie “seasoned” only with a bit of salt and vinegar (chips! No, not chips) might need the additional flavor of molasses.
Anyway, I hope you give it a try and that you enjoy it very much.
As unlikely as it sounds, I think this homey pie will win you over with how easy it is to make and how easy it is to eat!
Looking for a Not-So-Desperate Dessert?
If it’s summer and fruit is at its peak, please make something luscious like a juicy peach blueberry pie or maybe a lazy peach sonker or a German plum cake.
But when fruit is scarce, turn to desperation pies. Pure comfort when it’s cold outside and summer is but a distant memory.
Okay, enough talk. You need to make this pie. Let’s go.
If you have questions about this post or recipe, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can leave a comment on the post and I will get back to you within about 24 hours.
If your question is more urgent, please shoot me an email, and I will respond within 4 hours, unless I’m asleep.
NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids.
Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.
This is the scale I use, love, and recommend. If you’re unsure, please read my post about how to use a food scale.
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
I really hope you love this crazy old fashioned pie, you guys!
If you make one, please share a photo with me before you devour them, either in the Pastry Chef Online Facebook Group or on instagram by tagging @onlinepastrychef and using hashtag #pcorecipe.
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Thanks, and enjoy!
Old-Fashioned Vinegar Pie
Many of the early American pioneers, who really came from all over the world to live here, were masters of making something delicious out of next to nothing. The humble and unlikely sounding vinegar pie is one of these pies made out of the desperate want of something sweet, even in the dead of winter. This is an easy to make, comforting pie that tastes very similar to a lightly flavored lemon pie. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 crust for a single crust pie, your favorite recipe or store-bought
- 3-4 large eggs, at room temperature (three will give you a softer set)
- 1 cup light brown sugar*, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, I used Morton's (yes, that much)
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 sticks)**, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
For the Crust
- Line a 9" pie pan (not deep dish) with your pastry. Crimp however you'd like.
- Line the crust with parchment or a large coffee filter and then fill it with beans or other weights. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.***
- Carefully remove lining and weights and set aside. Brush crust all over with egg wash (1 egg beaten well with a pinch of salt). Prick the bottom crust well with the tip of a sharp knife, and then bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the bottom of the pie crust looks dry. If the crust bubbles up at all with air pockets, carefully press them out.**
- Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. The crust will be pale. It's okay, it will bake some more once you put the filling in.
For the Filling
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and salt until well combined and smooth.
- Drizzle in the melted butter while whisking constantly.
- Whisk in the apple cider vinegar.
- Pour into the crust and bake for about 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the pie is 165F. The filling will rise up and be nicely browned on the top. It will sink back to level as it cools.
- Remove pie from oven and cool to room temperature. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled from the fridge. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Notes
*Most recipes I researched call for white sugar. I think brown sugar is more likely since it was probably less expensive than white sugar. I also think Ma Ingalls could have possibly sweetened her pie with maple syrup. You can do that too, if you want.
**A reader made this and had an issue with some of the butter leaking out. If you are concerned about this happening, you may cut back the amount of butter to 4 Tablespoons, or half a stick.
***You do not have to blind bake your crust if you don't want to, but it will take a few extra minutes to bake it through. In that case, once the filling is a nice golden brown, loosely tent the pie with foil so it can finish baking.
****For more wonderful, old-fashioned pie recipes, including another tried and true recipe for vinegar pie, please check out Nancie MacDermott's Southern Pies, linked below.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1/8 pieAmount Per Serving Calories 313Saturated Fat 7gCholesterol 115mgSodium 276mgCarbohydrates 37gSugar 26gProtein 4g
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Thanks for spending some time with me today, friends. Take care, and have a lovely day.
Sara says
Jenni, what a lovely pie! Simple and easy and I so appreciate the history and information you share. We can’t wait to make this one.
Jennifer Field says
Yay! I hope you guys enjoy it–the minis can totally help. That is how easy it is to make!
[email protected] says
Am diabetic,and on low fat ,how can I have pie?
Jennifer Field says
Let me direct you to the wonderful blog All Day I Dream About Food. Carolyn is diabetic and has all sorts of keto/diabetic-friendly desserts, and I’m sure that includes pies! https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com/
Gina says
Wonderful post! You always make it look so easy. FYI, you are correct in assuming that brown sugar would have been the sugar of choice in the pioneering days. It wasn’t until the late 1880s that white sugar became a preferred thing. A note on vinegar: back then vinegar was used as a seasoning for all sorts of desserts. It was sweeter and usually tasted of the ingredient it was made from (like balsamic). Apple cider vinegar was the most common. And now I need to make my own vinegar pie!
Jennifer Field says
Thanks for the confirmation on the brown sugar, and on the vinegar info. I imagine it was also more concentrated, flavor-wise, since many vinegars are now diluted to a certain percent? Now, get thee to the kitchen and make a vinegar pie, Gina! 🙂
SR says
Prior to the 1880s, where granulated sugar was called for, the sugar used depended on the region of the country in which the baker lived. In New England and the northern Midwest, the availability of sugar maples and appropriate tapping weather made maple sugar less expensive than refined, white cane sugar. In the South, unrefined cane sugar was generally used day-to-day. White table sugar was more widely available at lower cost by the 1880s, because 50% of global supply came from sugar beets.
A note on brown sugar: if you’re aiming for an authentic 19th century flavor, consider using muscovado, demerarra, piloncillo, or even unrefined evaporated cane juice crystals. Commercially available brown sugar is currently made by spraying molasses onto refined white sugar (to avoid uneven coloration).
All of that said, this recipe made a really nice pie.
Jennifer Field says
Glad you enjoyed it! Sometimes I will add a touch more molasses along with brown sugar for a more “old fashioned” or authentic taste. I need to give it a shot with maple–I imagine that’s delicious!
K says
What about molasses? Would that have been common? Would it work in this recipe do you think? I just stumbled upon this but now I want to make a shoo-fly pie…
Jennifer Field says
Hey, K, and yes, molasses would’ve been very common. The shoo fly pie I link to in the post is incredibly good, if I do say so myself. I think it would work in this recipe, but if you’re going to use molasses as the sweetener, you may as well go all in with the crumbs on top, too! Enjoy!
Judy C. says
What a great post! Love your sense of humor – you started my day with a laugh! ….and the pie sounds yummy. I looking forward to trying this one soon. With so many flavored vinegars available these days, it makes me wonder about the possibilities….
I’ll be sure to look at your other posts now that I’ve “found” you!
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Judy, and welcome! Glad you found me! Enjoy all the vinegar pies, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or anything. [email protected] or on facebook https://www.facebook.com/PastryChefOnline or https://www.facebook.com/groups/PCOFearlessKitchenFun
Katie Carberry says
I was just re-reading “Little House in the Big Woods” and came across vinegar pie. Curiosity led me to your helpful article and recipe! Can’t wait to try this!
Jennifer Field says
I love all those books! You’re going to make me want to re-read as well! The pie is really good, and very easy to make. Enjoy!
Melissa R. says
I made your pie recipe tonight. Vinegar pie is pretty much my favorite pie and I was surprised and excited to see it was so easy. But, maybe I messed up? The butter kind of separated out.
Jennifer Field says
Aw, boo, Melissa. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you as well as you would’ve liked. It’s hard to say what could’ve happened since the method is so straightforward, but I will make a note in the recipe that it happened to you. It would be totally acceptable to cut back on the butter just a touch, especially if you liked the flavor of the pie in general.
Carol Treiman says
In the old south, we call this pie “Chess Pie”.
Jennifer Field says
Here in NC, chess pie has cornmeal in it, but there is no doubt it’s almost the same thing. A pie by any other name is still delicious! 🙂
Tammie Phillips says
Hi!! If I use maple syrup instead of brown sugar how much should I use?
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Tammie. I love the idea of using maple syrup! The general rule is to use 2/3 cup of maple syrup to replace 1 cup of granulated or brown sugar. To make up for the extra liquid, use 3 eggs and a yolk rather than 4 eggs, and watch it carefully so it doesn’t cook too quickly. Please let me know how it turns out. I imagine the flavor will be great!
Heidi says
I am never one to leave a recipe as it is written. I decided to experiment a bit. I peeled and chopped an apple, tossed it with a little flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. I put it in the pie shell before adding the filling. The pie, while probably great without this, was delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
Jennifer Field says
I am with you on rarely following a recipe as written. Your apple spin sounds fantastic–thanks for sharing it, Heidi!
Jo says
Can white vinegar be used in place of apple cider vinegar?
Jennifer Field says
The original recipe was most likely made with old-school apple cider vinegar made at home and tasting much more of apple than today’s versions. I think plain white vinegar is too sharp for this recipe. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, maybe use a mixture of white vinegar and lemon juice. Let me know how it goes–hope you enjoy the pie, Jo!
Jo says
Thank you so much for your response! I have vinegar pie before but I’m visiting my sister and she hadn’t even heard of it so I’m hoping I don’t ruin it.
Jennifer Field says
I hope it turns out well–so nice of you to treat your sister, Jo!
Debbue says
We have a restaurant that makes Honey Vinegar pie. What would you recommend to try and imitate that recipe? Looking forward to trying your recipe too!
Jennifer Field says
I love the sound of that! Honey can be a pretty strong flavor, so maybe start by subbing in honey for maybe 1/3 of the brown sugar and go from there. You could also try asking the restaurant. They might share their recipe with you! Let me know how your experimentation goes, and I hope you enjoy it!
Renee Goerger says
I have always wanted to make this pie and today may be the day! I have all the ingredients on hand and some extra time this afternoon set aside for pie baking. Thanks for the delicious recipe. I’m excited!!
Jennifer Field says
I’m so excited you’ll be making this, Renee! Enjoy it!
Pamela says
Even more curious than I am about the Vinegar Pie, which I’ve heard about for years, I’m trying to figure out where this obsession of the wife always having a beer in her hands. Truthfully, that is just about the LAST thing should would have had. Despite what they show on old western television programs and John Wayne movies, women, NOT even prostitute or “ladies of the evening” were allowed in saloons. Pioneer women didn’t sit at home wasting resources making home brew or even homemade wine. Unless you’re talking the VERY back hills of Kentucky, Tennessee and probably West Virginia, who are not pioneer women, these are the prairies of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, and moving west as the decades rolled along. Making moonshine and homemade liquor was not a thing for these families. Most, believe it or not were very religious , far far more than people today. These folks didn’t have much to base hope on and God and religion was one of the few things they did. Oh sure, there may be an odd scattering of people who did, but it was not the norm. So I’m really baffled at where you get this picture of these women, trying to feed a family and make a life with little or nothing sitting around knocking back beers.
Jennifer Field says
It is in no way based in fact, Pamela. The image of a pioneer woman drinking a beer and asking her friend to hold it a visual joke. The term “hold my beer” is similar to “just watch me,” and in no way was meant to indicate these women actually drank any sort of alcohol, let alone beer. The pie is wonderful, regardless of whether you drink or not. I hope you enjoy it!
Heide says
Pioneers, both the religious and the nones, did make beer, wine and liquor and pioneer women imbibed. Children were offered small sips. Alcohol, the making and consumption of (not to mention other mind altering substances), is an integral part of the history of humankind including the pioneers.
Michael says
Calm down Pamela.
Loucile says
Believe it or not but my family was pioneers from Virginia who came to the back hills of Kentucky as you call it. Home brew has been around forever and it was kept around for medicinal use not only for drinking. I don’t know where you got your information but way out west there were women who worked in saloons but they weren’t prostitues.
Diane A Weed says
Uuummmmm……you are much mistaken, madam.
Rosy says
Well that was a long “Shame on you” response. Hopefully my response will be short. I think you have made a mountain out of a mole hill. Is that pioneer enough? The shame is on you for making the EXPRESSION “Hold my beer” an abomination for a recipe. Really? When a person is graciously offer something to you, like a recipe. Maybe a Thank You would be more appropriate. Thank you.
Ruth Merike Vilgats says
Thanks for this very exciting recipe. I tried it also, but I am sure that I overbaked it. Tasted well, but looked like an omelette. I also added 3 tablespoons of flour, but I read again and no flour was needed. But in what temperature you put it in the oven. I tried 170 degrees celsius for about 25 minutes. Today I am sure, temperature was too high. I will like to try again and not fail .
Thanks for your nice page and comments
With best regards
Ruth
Jennifer Field says
Hi, Ruth! I’m glad you tried the pie and that you liked it enough that you want to give it another go. The recipe calls for 350F, so 170C was a good starting place. Maybe knock it back to 160-165C and keep an eye on it. I also like to check for doneness with an instant read thermometer. For a custard pie like this, you’ll shoot for 72-73C in the center. Mine took 35 minutes to bake. If you think it is browning too much on top, loosely cover the top with some foil. Please let me know how your second guy turns out, and thank you so much for leaving a comment. It’s nice to get feedback and I’m always happy to help by answering questions!
elysummers says
A little more background on vinegar pie. Back then when lemons were hard to come by in rural Virginia and West Virginia, cooks would tap the acidic qualities of vinegar to create a nearly perfect citrus substitute. So we applaud their ingenuity and culinary skill. It certainly is a delicious “desperation” pie.
Jennifer Field says
I knew that it read as lemon. I’m impressed they were able to come up with it by design and not only out of desperation for pie! Thanks for filling in some blanks, Ely!
Ruth Merike Vilgats says
Thank you so much for your answer! After some busy days I will certainly try again and let you know. But about the eggs. Did you beat the eggs very fluffy like for bisquit or just a little bit? Does it matter anyway? I thought that it was therefor so thick, that I didn´t beat the eggs correctly.
Thanks a lot for your help!
With very best cooking regards
Ruth
Jennifer Field says
Glad I could help! No, everything is just whisked together until smooth, so you don’t have to beat the eggs like for meringue or sponge cake. Let me know how round 2 goes when you have the chance!
Sally Ann says
Did you use 3 or 4 eggs? I will be making this for a pie lover and I do not bake very well!
Jennifer Field says
I think you will prefer the texture with 3 eggs. Just whisk everything together and bake. I think you will end up with a Successful Pie! Enjoy!
Sally Ann says
Hi again! Thank you so much for the reply. One more question: If I use a store bought crust already in a tin pan, can I still “blind bake” it? The filling looks easy enough, but the crust scares me!
Jennifer Field says
Yes, you can absolutely do that, Sally Ann. It’s a great time saver! I hope you guys enjoy!
Tracy says
If I buy a store bought crust (pillsbury brand)..do I have to bake it first before putting the custard in? (that crust normally says to bake at 425*F) Or can I just put the filling in the unbaked crust and bake it all together? (At 350*F as your recipe states)?
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Tracy. You can bake it straightaway, but since the box calls for a much higher temperature, I think you’ll be happier with the crust if you blind bake for a few minutes first. Line the crust with parchment or a large coffee filter, pour in pie weights or dry beans and bake the crust for 10 minutes or so at 425. Remove the parchment/filter and beans, make sure to prick the crust well with the point of a knife, and bake an additional 5 minutes before turning down the heat, adding the filling, and baking the pie. If the edges appear to be getting too dark before the pie is done, tent the pie loosely with foil. I hope you enjoy it!
Tracy says
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to try it!
Jennifer Field says
I hope you and your family enjoy it!
Tracy says
It came out perfect 🙂
Jennifer Field says
I’m so pleased! Yay!
terri says
I just watched someone win the Thanksgiving cooking contest on Food Network with a meal that included a pie similar to this.
The differences are that he used honey to sweeten it and, more important for my purposes, he also used a graham cracker-pretzel crust. I’ve been reading all the questions about pre-baking the crust on this page, and I thought maybe for those of us who are less than stellar bakers, it might be easier to avoid the regular pastry crust altogether, and just go with the easier pressed-crumb crust.
Jennifer Field says
I *wondered* why everyone and their brother found this pie recipe last night! Mystery solved, Terri! And yes, you can absolutely use a Graham crust, especially if you are not super comfortable working with pie dough. You have now inspired me to develop a honey vinegar pie to go along with this one. I really hope you make one, and if you do, please let me know how you and your family enjoyed it, Terri! Thanks so much for commenting!
Tonya says
My 9-year-old learned about vinegar pie in school and asked that we try it out. She has some odd food allergies so we subbed coconut sugar for the brown sugar and ghee for the butter. I think the texture was perfect. The flavor needs work. In general, coconut sugar has a great caramel taste but is just not as sweet as brown sugar.
Lily couldn’t handle the texture (“epic fail, mom!”). Hubby would have liked it sweeter. We’ll try again — maybe using maple syrup next time.
Thank you for posting this recipe so we could try it out. I truly appreciate being able to find interesting recipes online 😀
Jennifer Field says
Oh wow, thank you for commenting! I’m glad you consider a written recipe as a basis for experimentation. No recipe is one size fits all. Lily might like the texture more if you go with 3 rather than 4 eggs. Would love to hear how your continued experimentation goes, and I think the maple syrup idea is excellent!
Adorkable says
This website on my phone is terrible. The social media buttons on the left and the favorite and search buttons on the right make anything on this site difficult to read. As if those buttons weren’t enough, there are more social media buttons on the bottom too. I had never heard of a vinegar pie and I tried reading here but I could only read the far left on the bottom of my screen and the far right on the top and middle of the page. It’s simply too much work scrolling up and down to read what I should be able to read just leaving my screen put for 30 seconds. I’ll search vinegar pie and go to another site to learn about them. Sorry.
Jennifer Field says
Thanks for letting me know all of that. I guess if your screen is small, it could be really crowded. Sorry you had a hard time, and I’m sure you’ll find another good vinegar pie recipe at a different site. Take care, and be safe.
Sha says
Hi Jennifer!
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Seems pretty easy to follow. I wonder if you can offer any advice or opinion on what your thoughts are if I were to use balsamic instead of ACav? Do you think it’ll work?
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Sha! Yes, this is a very easy whisk-everything-together kind of recipe. You *could* use balsamic, but I’d use white balsamic, just for aesthetics sake, because I think using dark balsamic would make the pie a pretty odd color. The tang of ACV cuts through the sweetness of the pie really well, so maybe consider using a mixture of the two, for that particular, rounded sweetness of balsamic with enough ACV for a little pucker factor. Whatever you decide to do, please let me know how it turns out for you!
Robin P says
Thanks for the recipe! I may have to make this again with some variations because I really did not enjoy it. I followed the recipe perfectly, but something didn’t work out. The flavor was just okay, but the “custard” was very firm and eggy, despite not overbaking. It was still liquidy when it came from the oven but tasted like a chewy omelet when it had cooled. I will try using three instead of four eggs next time. Otherwise, it was a very simple recipe. I did like the vinegar, as it added a little tang and was the perfect amount for the pie.
Jennifer Field says
Yes, I suggest if you want a softer set to use 3 eggs, so it all depends on what texture you like. If you have an instant read thermometer, check the pie’s temp in the center and take it out when it hits 165F.
Ron says
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. My aunt was telling me about her mother’s favorite pie and how she would love to have some. When she told me it was a vinegar pie I was like” WHAT DID YOU SAY, gross” lol but WOW what a great little slice of heaven this pie is. I used 3 eggs and I made one change, I added a little vinilla extract to mine and because of the moist cold weather we are having a few extre minutes in the oven but other than that I followed the recipe exact and a perfect pie, let me tell you, I watched my aunt go back in time one bite at a time and for that thank you very much
Jennifer Field says
Oh, Ron, I am so glad you were able to give your aunt a slice of memory–that’s the best kind of baking possible, and I am so happy I was even a small part of that. And not that you need it, but I 100% support your modifications. Also, I’m really happy to hear that the texture with 3 eggs is so good. Next time I make this, I will use 3 instead of 4 also. I hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday, and thank you for this comment. It’s like a little Christmas gift.
Karin and Gordon says
You shouldn’t use our LORD’S name in vain.
Jennifer Field says
Duly noted.
Katy says
Can the baked pie be frozen?
Jennifer Field says
Custard pies, or in this case, an egg-set pie, don’t freeze as well as fruit pies. You can do it, but the pie will probably weep some when thawed and the texture may suffer. You can bake the pie a day ahead or up to 3 days ahead. For best flavor, cut slices and let them come up to room temperature for 30-45 minutes before serving. Hope that helps!
Scott G. says
Freaking awesome pie! Good thing Pioneer days included lots of hard manual labor or else everyone would have weighed 400 pounds if this was the pie of choice. Very rich, sweet and just satisfying. Going into my regular rotation of pies. Love old pie recipes and this one will be one that is turned to time and again.
Jennifer Field says
Oh, wonderful, Scott! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for letting me know. Hope you have a great Thanksgiving!
Jenn says
Cook time was WAY off for me, checked it at 25 mins and it was already about 175° 🙁
Jennifer Field says
Interesting, but it probably worked out okay. 175 isn’t too too far off. Do you know if your oven is accurate? Did you use the convection setting? Either of these variables could affect the bake time. Let me know. Happy to help troubleshoot.
Dee pee says
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I wish I hadn’t ruined it! Somehow mine was a burnt scary wreck. But the filling tasty soooo good before pouring it in the crust. I will try again, but maybe in my convection oven. Haha
Jennifer Field says
Yikes, I’m so sorry your oven betrayed you! Grab an inexpensive oven thermometer at the grocery store and make sure it’s heating accurately. I hope Round 2 works out well for you!
April says
Why can’t a deep dish pie she’ll be used? I spilled some of the sugar cream trying to put it in the oven.
Jennifer Field says
There’s no hard and fast rule that you can’t, but this recipe won’t really fill a deep dish pie. Maybe if you multiply it by 1.5. If spilling is an issue, put the unfilled pie shell on a rack and then pour in the filling before gently pushing the rack in. Much less chance of spilling that way. Enjoy your pie!
s says
Love the idea of this! If one were to use all lemon juice instead of vinegar, it be the same amount or would there need to be an adjustment? Thanks
Jennifer Field says
Hey there, yes, I’d do a 1:1 substitution, but go ahead and use the zest of a lemon or two for a more floral lemon flavor. Should be really lovely. Enjoy!
Amanda says
I came across this recipe randomly and can’t wait to try it. Just wanted to say that it really warmed my heart and renewed my faith in humanity to see how you responded so kindly and generously to all the commenters here, even the inexplicably rude ones! ❤️
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Amanda! I’m so glad you’re here and that you’re excited to try the recipe. I really hope you enjoy it. 🙂 And, even if my first, knee-jerk reaction is to respond with snark, I just tell myself “It costs nothing to be kind.” Happy Thanksgiving!
Wonderful cook says
This vinegar pie came out perfectly. This one was the most successful pie for me! I will definitely make this recipe again. Thanks.
Jennifer Field says
Oh, I’m thrilled! Thanks so much for letting me know!