{"id":2429,"date":"2026-02-21T18:28:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T18:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=2429"},"modified":"2026-02-21T18:28:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T18:28:34","slug":"the-vintage-dessert-recipe-thats-been-passed-down-from-generation-to-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/?p=2429","title":{"rendered":"The Vintage Dessert Recipe That&#8217;s &#8216;Been Passed Down From Generation to Generation&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"mntl-sc-page_1-0\" data-sc-sticky-offset=\"90\" data-sc-ad-label-height=\"24\" data-sc-ad-track-spacing=\"100\" data-sc-min-track-height=\"250\" data-sc-max-track-height=\"600\" data-sc-breakpoint=\"50em\" data-sc-load-immediate=\"4\" data-sc-content-positions=\"[1, 1250, 1550, 1950, 2350, 2750, 3150, 3550, 3950]\" data-bind-scroll-on-start=\"true\">\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> We&#8217;ve always been taught not to judge a book by its cover, right? Well, I would argue the same for not judging a recipe by its name. We know by now that Ants on a Log is a fun, nutritious snack, Cheese Dudes have a silly name but an irresistible crunch, and Fruckies and Scotcheroos are magical delights. So when I heard about a dessert called Vinegar Pie, I was intrigued rather than put off.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"heading-toc\" id=\"toc-what-is-vinegar-pie\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mntl-sc-block_3-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block allrecipes-sc-block-heading mntl-sc-block-heading\"> <span class=\"mntl-sc-block-heading__text text-title-300\"> What Is Vinegar Pie? <\/span> <\/h2>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_4-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Vinegar pie is a vintage dish that seems to have never gotten a more appetizing moniker (much like Tomato Soup Cake). But as someone who absolutely loves all kinds of vinegar, I knew I had to try it. In the same vein as Water Pie or Chess Pie, vinegar pie is a Depression-era &#8220;desperation pie,&#8221; made popular when people were trying to stretch ingredients and &#8220;make-do&#8221; with what was on hand in the pantry. When fruit, especially citrus, was out of season or too pricey, creative home cooks used vinegar to recreate a tangy, acidic taste in sweets.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_6-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> There is evidence of vinegar pie dating back to the mid to late 1800s, though there are also many different versions of this dessert that have evolved over time. Some involved molasses (which may have developed into Shoofly Pie), some involved meringue, others added dried fruits and nuts. Common amongst most, however, are staples like butter, sugar, egg, flour, and flavoring agents; vinegar (apple cider or distilled white), vanilla, and sometimes lemon.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_8-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> I knew &#8220;Vinegar Pie&#8221; was going to be a hard sell in my house so I told everyone I was just testing a new pie recipe and to taste it first\u2014we&#8217;d talk about it second.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"heading-toc\" id=\"toc-how-to-make-vinegar-pie\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mntl-sc-block_14-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block allrecipes-sc-block-heading mntl-sc-block-heading\"> <span class=\"mntl-sc-block-heading__text text-title-300\"> How To Make Vinegar Pie <\/span> <\/h2>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_15-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Though some vinegar pies are a little more labor intensive, the recipe I followed was super easy to make\u2014seven ingredients and only two steps:\n<\/p>\n<ol id=\"mntl-sc-block_17-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\">\n<li>Combine 1\/2 cup melted, cooled butter, 1 1\/2 cups sugar, 2 tablespoons self-rising flour, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, and 3 eggs in a large bowl or blender. Mix well. Pour the filling into a 9-inch unbaked pie shell. (I used store-bought for convenience.)<\/li>\n<li>Bake in a preheated 300-degree F (150-degree C) oven for 45 minutes, until the filling is golden brown but the center is still slightly jiggly.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_19-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> That was all it took. I let it cool completely on the counter before digging in.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_21-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Note: Other versions, including this vinegar pie recipe, use the stovetop to cook the filling before pouring it into a cooked crust, avoiding the oven altogether.\n<\/p>\n<figure id=\"mntl-sc-block_23-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block allrecipes-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image mntl-sc-block-image--no-theme no-theme figure-landscape figure-high-res\"><figcaption id=\"mntl-figure-caption_1-0\" class=\"comp mntl-figure-caption text-utility-100 figure-article-caption\"> <span class=\"figure-article-caption-owner\"><\/p>\n<p>Andrea Lobas<\/p>\n<p><\/span><br \/>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span class=\"heading-toc\" id=\"toc-what-does-vinegar-pie-taste-like\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mntl-sc-block_24-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block allrecipes-sc-block-heading mntl-sc-block-heading\"> <span class=\"mntl-sc-block-heading__text text-title-300\"> What Does Vinegar Pie Taste Like? <\/span> <\/h2>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_25-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> The first bite we took didn&#8217;t give us vinegar at all. I could taste it slightly in the subsequent bites but only because I was looking for it, and only as a welcome, tangy complement to the otherwise sugar-sweet vanilla custard filling. My other tasters commented that it was like a less tart Key lime pie, with a hint of cheesecake. We cut the sweetness with fresh whipped cream.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_27-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> Overall, we found vinegar pie to be a satisfying, sticky, sweet confection\u2014though not so sweet that we could only take one bite. It&#8217;s as if a gooey sugar cookie was turned into a pie. My husband and son especially enjoyed it. Though for me, I wanted something else in there\u2014like citrus or pecans, or even a little nutmeg.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_29-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> And everyone was surprised (and confused) by the name.\n<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"heading-toc\" id=\"toc-the-bottom-line\"\/><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"mntl-sc-block_31-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block allrecipes-sc-block-heading mntl-sc-block-heading\"> <span class=\"mntl-sc-block-heading__text text-title-300\"> The Bottom Line <\/span> <\/h2>\n<p id=\"mntl-sc-block_32-0\" class=\"comp mntl-sc-block mntl-sc-block-html\"> I&#8217;m not sure I&#8217;ll be making this again but I&#8217;m certainly glad I tried it. I love to learn about food history and ponder the role this dessert may have played in kitchens of yore. I just don&#8217;t foresee an occasion when it would take the place of a favorite in my repertoire\u2014like the classic apple tart or mascarpone cheesecake. As far as new desserts go, I think I have to test this Bottle of Wine Chocolate Pie next.\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We&#8217;ve always been taught not to judge a book by its cover, right? Well, I would argue the same for not judging a recipe by its name. We know by now that Ants on a Log is a fun, nutritious snack, Cheese Dudes have a silly name but an irresistible [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2430,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kitchen-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2429\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2430"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cupcake.website\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}