Vinegar Pie
In Southern and Appalachian kitchens, vinegar pie is a classic "desperation pie" made with vinegar, sugar, eggs, and butter to create a tangy-sweet custard filling. It’s a true old-time pantry dessert born of necessity.
synonyms: custard pie, pantry pie, hillbilly lemon pie
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I've never had a 'vinegar pie,' but I've seen roadside signs for it ever since I can remember. Pronunciation
[VIN-ih-gur PIE] /ˈvɪnɪɡɚ paɪ/
Meaning & Usage
- A tangy-sweet custard pie made with vinegar (noun)
Mamaw:
We didn’t have lemons, so we made vinegar pie.
We didn’t have lemons, so we made vinegar pie.
Uncle Ray:
Best thing I ever ate at a church social.
Best thing I ever ate at a church social.★ Vinegar pie may sound strange, but it’s beloved by Southern grandmothers. A splash of vinegar brightens the sweetness and gives the pie a lemony tang without citrus. ★
Origin
Part of the Southern and Appalachian tradition of "desperation pies" dating back to the 1800s. When fruit or citrus were scarce, cooks used vinegar to mimic the tartness of lemons, creating a custard-style pie from pantry staples.
Notes
- Vinegar pie - a custard pie with sugar, eggs, butter, and vinegar for tang.
- Served at church socials, family reunions, and holidays throughout Appalachia and the South.
- One of several "desperation pies" including chess pie, buttermilk pie, and molasses pie.
- Still baked today in heritage kitchens and by food historians preserving traditional recipes.
- Considered a taste of nostalgia and frugality - a pie born of hard times and resourcefulness.