Amish Raisin Pie Recipe

Perhaps you've never had the privilege of tasting a slice of Amish raisin cream pie, so you might be feeling a bit skeptical and thinking, "Raisin pie? That doesn't sound very appetizing."

Let me assure you, raisin cream pie tastes so much better than it sounds. With plump, juicy raisins in a sweet, creamy custard filling and topped with whipped cream, this old-school pie is downright incredible. The flavors and textures work really well together.

Honestly, I'll take a slice of Amish raisin cream pie any day. So unless you truly hate raisins, do yourself a favor and give it a try - you just might be pleasantly surprised.

Ingredients

1. Raisins are sweet, dried grapes bursting with concentrated flavor and chewy texture. They are the main ingredient in this pie, providing bursts of flavor and chewy texture that beautifully contrasts the creamy filling.
2. Milk serves as the base for the creamy filling. It adds richness and a smooth texture. Whole milk is preferred for its higher fat content, which enhances the creaminess.
3. Brown sugar contributes sweetness and depth of flavor. Its molasses content adds a subtle caramel note that complements the raisins.
4. Cornstarch or cook-type clear jel acts as thickeners for the filling. They help to bind the ingredients together and create a smooth, pudding-like consistency. This helps the filling sets properly and holds its shape when sliced.
5. Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness of the sugar.
6. Eggs provide structure and stability, contributing richness and a smooth texture.
7. Butter adds richness and a velvety texture to the filling. It contributes flavor and helps to enhance the creaminess. (I use salted butter.)
8. Vanilla extract adds warmth.
9. Pre-baked pie crust serves as the base and vessel for the filling. It provides structure and adds a buttery, flaky texture to each bite.
10. Whipped cream or Cool Whip adds a light and airy finish to the pie. It provides a contrast in texture to the creamy filling and enhances the overall presentation. Whipped cream adds a fresh, dairy flavor, while Cool Whip offers a convenient, stable topping with a slightly sweet taste.

Enjoy your homemade raisin cream pie!

One Crust Raisin Pie

This raisin pie is very easy and quick to make, especially if you already have a crust on hand. You can prebake a store-bought crust, or use my flaky pie crust recipe.

Pie crust is quite easy to make, and my recipe makes three nine-inch crusts. Although, I've also broken down the recipe for you, in case you want to make only one. But whenever I bake pies, I make three for our family. (Here's an affiliate link to glass pie pans, in case you need more. 🙂 )

Last week I prebaked three pie crusts and made one peanut butter cream pie, one Pennsylvania Dutch raisin cream pie, and one chocolate pie. They're all amazing and never last long at our house.

And this recipe for raisin pie only uses one prebaked crust on the bottom. The top of the pie gets covered in sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip. For variation, feel free to top this raisin pie with a meringue topping.

How to PreBake Pie Crust

A lot of people use weights when prebaking pie crust (tips on how to prebake a crust), but I've never used any.

I roll out my pie crusts, place them in the pans, and prick them all over with a fork. Then I place slightly smaller pie pans inside of my crusts (to keep the sides from collapsing). Bake refrigerator cold crusts at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Then remove the pie pans and continue baking the crusts until nicely browned (mine - in the photo above - got a little darker than I usually bake them).

Old-Fashioned Raisin Pie (Raisin Pie History)

Chances are that your grandma made raisin pie sometime in her life since this pie has been around for generations. Traditionally, raisin pie was also called funeral pie.

Dating to the 18th century, German colonists in the early United States often brought raisin pie to funerals, giving it the nickname "funeral pie." And the reason for this was very practical.

Before there was refrigeration, fresh fruits were not readily available. But since raisins have a long shelf life and are available year-round most homes had dried raisins on hand. And these dried fruits made a delicious pie filling no matter what time of year a funeral occurred.

Although, their recipe for homemade raisin pie was probably different than this creamy raisin pie. It would most likely have had a filling made with water, raisins, sugar, spices, etc., and topped with a second crust.