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.

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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.

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.

Uncle Ray:

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 and Etymology

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.

Usage 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.

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Why is it called "vinegar pie"?

Because vinegar replaces citrus juice to give the pie a tangy, lemon-like flavor.

Is vinegar pie still made today?

Yes - it’s a heritage recipe seeing a revival in Southern cookbooks and Appalachian food blogs.

Is vinegar pie unique to Appalachia?

It’s most strongly associated with Southern and Appalachian kitchens but also appeared in Midwestern farm cookbooks as a thrifty dessert.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 25). Vinegar Pie. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/vinegar-pie
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Vinegar Pie." HillbillySlang.com, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/vinegar-pie.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Vinegar Pie." HillbillySlang.com. September 25, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/vinegar-pie.