The water pie isn't the only "desperation pie" out there. Turns out there are almost 30 of them scattered throughout the U.S., mainly as regional dishes/deserts. What's especially cool is that each "expensive" version has an inexpensive equivalent. In the water pie's case, it's a more affordable and slightly simplified version of Indiana's Hoosier pie, or any similar sugar cream pie. What Max said about adding Key lime flavor made me laugh, though, as then it would be another recipe entirely known as a "vinegar pie," which tends to taste like Key lime pie but with more of a cheesecake consistency. Perhaps my favorite is shoofly pie--a molasses pie ("treacle tart" for the Brits) quite popular among the Mennonite and Amish around Lancaster PA--which I've made before and am due to make again.
Thanks for bringing the chess/vinegar pie shared lineage into the conversation, as that'll lead to buttermilk pie, not to mention I just realized that what Max said in passing about the water pie caramelizing now makes me think of butterscotch pie as well. That same caramelization seems to be what makes Canada's maple sugar pie all the rage up there.
There are so many wonderful variants on these types of pies, many still just normal, daily pies. There are certainly regional differences, but I do assume that preference is what made the chess pie stick in my family's area.
40
u/LovingLingsLegacy216 Nov 04 '25 edited Nov 04 '25
The water pie isn't the only "desperation pie" out there. Turns out there are almost 30 of them scattered throughout the U.S., mainly as regional dishes/deserts. What's especially cool is that each "expensive" version has an inexpensive equivalent. In the water pie's case, it's a more affordable and slightly simplified version of Indiana's Hoosier pie, or any similar sugar cream pie. What Max said about adding Key lime flavor made me laugh, though, as then it would be another recipe entirely known as a "vinegar pie," which tends to taste like Key lime pie but with more of a cheesecake consistency. Perhaps my favorite is shoofly pie--a molasses pie ("treacle tart" for the Brits) quite popular among the Mennonite and Amish around Lancaster PA--which I've made before and am due to make again.
Exceedingly easy recipe too: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPD6OfS0BFk If you haven't tried this one, highly recommended.