Vintage Southern Pie Recipes We Still Love

By Jenna Sims

No Southern gathering, whether it be a holiday meal or a Sunday supper, is complete without a homemade pie. We're sure you've had apple, pecan and pumpkin pies, but other old-fashioned pies you may not be as familiar with include transparent, shaker lemon, and buttermilk pies. These are the classic pie recipes that have stood the test of time. They've been enjoyed by families for generations, and will continue to be staples for years to come. The stories they tell and the memories they create are just as important to pass along as the recipes themselves. 

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Transparent Pie with Whipped Crème Fraîche and Sugared Cranberries Recipe

Put this pie in your holiday lineup for a little nod to Kentucky.

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Chess Pie

Jessica Colyer

Recipe: Classic Chess Pie

For a couple hundred years, the chess pie has been a staple on Southern dessert tables. Refrigerated pie crust helps cut prep time for this sweet dish.

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Classic Southern Buttermilk Pie

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Classic Southern Buttermilk Pie

With roots in the depression era and World War II, this pie was created to be budget-friendly by Southern women who were “making-do” with what they had on hand.
 

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Heavenly Key Lime Pie

Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Heavenly Key Lime Pie

Although it just became the official pie of the state of Florida in 2006, the key lime pie has been enjoyed by locals in Key West for over 100 years.

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Sliced Sweet Potato Pie

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Sliced Sweet Potato Pie with Molasses Whipped Cream

George Washington Carver featured a recipe for this pie in an agricultural bulletin about sweet potatoes in the early 20th century. Trust us, it's worth the prep time. 

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Pecan Pie

Photo: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton

Recipe: Pecan Pie

Pecan pie gained popularity when the recipe was printed on Karo syrup bottles, but dates back to the early 1800s.  

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Coconut Cream Pie

Photo: Lee Harrelson

Recipe: Coconut Cream Pie

Just like grandma used to make.

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Apple Pie

Photo: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Ultimate Apple Pie from Buxton Hall

Use a mix of Winesap, Mutsu, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp apples to bake the ultimate apple pie. 

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Persimmon Pie

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Persimmon Pie with Pecan Streusel

Rooted in North Carolina, persimmons are ripe right around the time the trees lose their leaves in the fall.

 

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Cushaw Pie

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cushaw Pie with Vanilla Bean Custard Sauce

If you're lucky enough to get your hands on a cushaw, a winter squash found in the Louisiana area, this pie is a must-have. If not, you can use pumpkin puree for the filling. 

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Blueberry Pie

Vast Photography/Getty Images

Recipe: Maw Maw's No-Fuss Blueberry Pie Recipe

Easy to make and even more fun to eat, this pie will bring back memories of Sothern summers with every bite. 

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Shaker Lemon Pie

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Ana Kelly

Recipe: Shaker Lemon Pie

The Charleston, West Virginia, Junior League included this Shaker Lemon Pie in its 1974 Mountain Measures cookbook—it's been a favorite of bakers ever since.

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Fudge Pie

Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Heavenly Fudge Pie

This decadent pie gets its rich flavor from semi-sweet chocolate morsels. 

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Pumpkin Pie Ever

Photo: Greg Dupree

Recipe: Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever

Pumpkin pie is easy, classic, and should never be left off the Thanksgiving menu. 

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Caramel Tart

Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Caramel Tart with Brandy Whipped Cream

Chef Edna Lewis of Virginia shared her Caramel Pie recipe in her memoir, The Taste of Country Cooking. Since the dessert is so rich, she suggests serving in a tart or very slender wedges.
 

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