Despite its name, Water Pie is a surprisingly flavorful treat, where simple ingredients like water, sugar, flour & butter bake into a creamy, custard-like pie.
“Magic” Water Pie
Don’t let the name fool you – Water Pie is a flavorful sweet treat and it couldn’t be easier to make! Plain water, along with humble ingredients like sugar, flour, and butter, transform in the oven to create a rich and creamy custard-like pie.
Also known as “Hard Times Pie,” this is a simple, 6-ingredient homemade pie recipe that requires no mixing. Simply add the ingredients to a pie shell, bake, and wait for the magic to happen!
Water Pie is a testament to the resourcefulness during the Great Depression era of the 1930s. It was created by home cooks who had limited access to ingredients like milk, eggs, and fresh produce, yet still wanted to make something sweet and comforting for their families. It’s often considered a “make-do” or desperation dessert, similar to vinegar pie or mock apple pie (made with crackers instead of apples).
When Granny was growing up in the thirties and forties, it was right after the depression and at times her family didn’t not have very much food in the house.
One time she told me that they were out of food but that the local school sent home all the leftover toast with her mom and they had toast and hot cocoa for dinner. Granny considered it a treat!
Growing up we had plenty of food but some of Granny’s childhood “struggle foods” still showed up on our breakfast menu.
Sometimes we’d have milk toast, which was simply toast with hot milk poured over it. That was one of my favorites! Other times it was cinnamon toast or buttered toast with hot cocoa.
This water pie recipe is a nod to those days during the Great Depression when home cooks had to make do with what ingredients they had. Water pie is an example of how just a few simple ingredients can become something delicious.
I’ll have to admit, I was skeptical when I saw this recipe. It only has six ingredients and one of them is water!
However, once I had the pie in the oven baking, I became more hopeful. It smelled absolutely delicious.
The taste did not disappoint. The water, flour and butter melted together in the over, transforming those humble ingredients into a sweet, buttery, custard-like dessert. The pie crust became almost candied, adding a caramelized flavor and sweet crunch to the overall experience.
It’s amazing that these humble ingredients can transform into a delicious dessert in just an hour!
Ingredients
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- One unbaked pie crust
- 1.5 cups water
- 8 TB all-purpose flour
- 5 TB butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 TB vanilla extract
Helpful Kitchen Tools
Instructions
To Prep: Preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. This will help contain any spills.
- Place pie crust onto prepared pan before adding any ingredients.
- Pour water into the crust and sprinkle the rest of the ingredients into the water (no need to mix or stir).
- Place pats of butter on top.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 375°F and bake for 30 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing and serving.
Prep Tips
- Pie Crust – I used a store-bought pie crust for this recipe and that worked just great and goes along with the simplicity of the recipe. You could use your favorite pie crust recipe if you prefer.
- Baking the Pie – It is extremely helpful to place the pie crust on a baking pan before adding the other ingredients. Because water is the primary ingredient, the pie will have a tendency to splash and spill a bit when you move it from the counter to the oven. By placing the pie on a baking sheet first, you’ll contain the inevitable splashes so they don’t end up on the floor or the bottom of your oven.
- Storage – Keep leftover pie covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Do not reheat; water pie is intended to be eaten chilled or at room temperature.
More Dessert Recipes From The Great Depression
- Poor Man’s Cake
- Chocolate Depression Cake aka Wacky Cake
- Old Fashioned Zucchini Bread
- Hillbilly Cobbler
Water Pie Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Depression-Era Water Pie
Equipment
- Pie Pan
- Baking sheet with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 Pre-made pie crust uncooked
- 1.5 cups water 12 ounces
- 8 TB all-purpose flour
- 5 TB butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 TB vanilla extract
Instructions
- To Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Place pie crust onto the prepared baking sheet before adding any ingredients.
- Pour water into the crust and sprinkle in the rest of the ingredients (except butter).
- Cut the butter into squares and place on top of the pie. No need to stir or mix.
- Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes.
- Lower temperature to 375°F and cook for 30 additional minutes.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for about an hour.
Notes
Nutrition
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