Water Pie

The other day I was listening to the Morning Shifters Podcast, and they were talking about the “Water Pie“. My first reaction to that was, “WTH is a water pie??”.

Water pie, a quirky dish with origins dating back to the Great Depression, was initially created to stretch limited resources during a time of economic hardship. The pie consists of a simple mixture of water, sugar, flour, and a touch of vanilla, baked in a pie crust.  While it may sound unappealing by modern standards, this recipe served as a comforting, if sparse, dessert for many families struggling to make ends meet. Over the years, it faded into obscurity, only to resurface as a nostalgic reminder of resilience in difficult times.

Recently, water pie has made a surprising comeback, going viral on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Users have been sharing their attempts to recreate the dish, often with humorous commentary about its minimalist ingredients and unexpected taste. Videos showcasing the bizarre concept have garnered millions of views, sparking curiosity and playful challenges among home cooks. The trend highlights not only the creativity of online communities but also a collective fascination with vintage recipes, making water pie a symbol of both nostalgia and culinary experimentation in the digital age.

Here’s the quickest way you could make your very own Water Pie:

  • 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, unbaked
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 5 tablespoons butter, cut into 5 pieces

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 and set empty pie crust on a baking sheet.
  2. Pour 1 + 1/2 cups water into the pie crust.
  3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the water in the crust. Don’t stir.
  4. Drizzle the vanilla over the water in the pie crust. Place pats of butter on top of this.
  5. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and cover sides of crust if needed to prevent burning. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
  6. Pie will be watery when you pull it out of the oven but will gel as it cools. Allow to cool completely and then cover and place in the fridge until chilled before cutting.

No more wind pie se vacava??👀

[Source: Getty Images, Wikipedia, Google, East Idaho News]