Vinegar Pie

By
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
Kristina Vanni
An internationally recognized culinary authority, Kristina Vanni is well-known for her recipe development, food photography, and experience as a TV show host.
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Updated on 08/16/21
Vinegar Pie

The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 pie
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
597 Calories
33g Fat
69g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 597
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 33g 42%
Saturated Fat 11g 56%
Cholesterol 145mg 48%
Sodium 293mg 13%
Total Carbohydrate 69g 25%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Total Sugars 40g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 1mg 5%
Calcium 84mg 6%
Iron 3mg 14%
Potassium 348mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Mention to someone that a vinegar pie is on your list of desserts to make, most people will make a face and ask why—probably because common sense tells us that vinegar does not belong in a dessert. This vinegar pie will change minds. The flavor is a delicate balance of sweet and tart with a buttery crust and custardy interior. The acidic qualities of vinegar provide the perfect citrus substitute for apples or lemons. If you didn’t know vinegar was a flavoring agent in the pie, you would never guess it.  

Vinegar pie—along with buttermilk pie, chess pie, and green tomato pie—were known as “desperation” pies because they were made from a few inexpensive ingredients. That's exactly why vinegar pie was popular during the Great Depression, but it was also the idea of making something wonderful from nothing. Currently, trendy restaurants have found “desperation” pies are rising in popularity and well-accepted by the dining public. It’s not only because of renewed interest in homegrown heritage cooking but simply the fact that desperation pies taste so good. Chefs have reported going back to their grandmothers’ cookbooks to find old comfort food recipes.

Bring on the vinegar pie and celebrate an American culinary tradition!

Ingredients

  • 4 egg yolks

  • 2 egg whites

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 pinch salt

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

  • 1 cup walnuts

  • 1 cup raisins

  • 1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

  • Whipped cream, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 

    Ingredients for Vinegar Pie
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks. Set aside.

    Beat the egg yolks
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  3. In another large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Slowly mix in the sugar until stiff peaks form. 

    Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  4. Fold the beaten whites into the beaten yolks. 

    Fold egg whites into yolks
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  5. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt. 

    Combine dry ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  6. Alternately add the flour mixture with the sour cream to the egg mixture.

    Mix egg mixture, sour cream, and dry ingredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  7. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and vinegar. Stir in the walnuts and raisins.

    Combine butter and vinegar
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  8. Add the nut mixture to the egg and flour mixture.

    Mix all the igredients
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  9. Pour the mixture into the prepared pie shell. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 400 F and bake 5 minutes more. Finally, reduce the heat to 350 F and bake until the filling begins to set, about 15 minutes more. 

    Bake the vinegar pie
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

  10. Cool completely. Top with whipped cream to serve.

    Vinegar Pie
    The Spruce / Kristina Vanni

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