The Most Famous Pies In Southern History

Learn the stories behind these beloved desserts.

By
Krissy Tiglias
KrissyTigliasphoto
Krissy Tiglias
Krissy has spent her career creating content and working at brands in the publishing industry. Before Southern Living, Krissy held various editorial positions at brands including Family Circle, Quick & Simple, The Knot, Redbook, Real Simple, and Domino. At Southern Living, Krissy oversees content across all platforms always prioritizing the brand's mission and audience as we tell stories.
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Updated on August 28, 2024
Pumpkin Lemon Cream Cheese Chess Pie
Photo: Alison Miksch

Our Southern pies have places of honor in our recipe boxes and cookbooks. They are as storied as the Southerners who share them, adapt them, and make these pies their own. A pie has the ability to transport you to childhood, to nostalgic moments spent in the kitchens of mothers and grandmothers. We remember rolling out piecrusts, mixing filling, and impatiently awaiting the pie's emergence from the oven (or, in the case of the icebox pie, its emergence from the refrigerator). These are the stories (and recipes!) of the most famous and beloved pies in Southern history.

41 Savory Southern Pie Recipes That Are Comfort In A Crust
01 of 05

Pumpkin Pie

Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever

Greg Dupree

Pumpkin was first cultivated by indigenous people of North America. When European colonizers arrived, they took the gourd back with them to Europe, where it became popular, and was eventually used as an ingredient for pie. The pie recipe itself then spread in the British colonies and eventually became synonymous with the holiday of Thanksgiving. Today, a good pumpkin pie transcends Thanksgiving, though a holiday meal without the dessert is bereft indeed. It is creamy and autumnal, a celebration of cinnamon and the advent of brisk weather. Try the recipe for Our Easiest Pumpkin Pie Ever—anyone can master it, we promise. If you're looking for something a little different, try a variation on the classic pumpkin pie with our recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Pie. It's the best of both worlds.

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02 of 05

Pecan Pie

Tennessee Whiskey-Pecan Pie
Jennifer Davick

The pecan pie has a storied Southern history. It's a true American pie, because the pecan tree is native to the area. The first recorded recipe for pecan pie appeared in church cookbooks published in the 19th century. Variations of the pie became popular in Texas, and recipes spread throughout the South thanks in large part to the now-infamous recipe printed on the Karo syrup can (and later, the Karo syrup bottle). Who still uses that classic corn syrup for their pecan pies? Take it a step further by adding the touches of chocolate and bourbon called for in our Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie. It's so indulgent, so pretty, and so very delicious.

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03 of 05

Icebox Pie

Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie
Jennifer Davick

These no-cook desserts emerged during the early 19th century and get their name from the iceboxes that they were stored in. Iceboxes were an early version of the refrigerator, and they were cooled using a giant block of ice. Because this pie requires no cook time and can be chilled in the refrigerator until time for dessert, it is still popular today. We're partial to sweet, fruity recipes like the Strawberry-Pretzel Icebox Pie or creamy versions like the Peanut Butter-Banana Icebox Pie.

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04 of 05

Key Lime Pie

Praline Key Lime Pie
Jennifer Davick

This is the southernmost of the Southern pies, thanks to the coordinates of Key West, the home of this beloved pie. It traces back to William Curry, Key West's first millionaire, who also imported the condensed milk needed for the recipe. If you find yourself in Key West, visit Kermit's Key Lime Shop or the Key West Key Lime Pie Co. for authentic Key lime pies. Or you can make one yourself—we'd recommend our Test Kitchen-favorite Heavenly Key Lime Pie or our classic-with-a-special-touch Praline Key Lime Pie.

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05 of 05

Classic Chess Pie

Pumpkin Lemon Cream Cheese Chess Pie
Alison Miksch

We can all agree that we love chess pie, but we can't seem to agree where the dessert got its name. The mixture of eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla, and flour made its way to the American South from England. It became popular in Virginia and has had many incarnations, from the Classic Chess Pie to fruity versions, like Lemon Chess Pie. Because the pie was kept in pie chests, some say the name "chess" comes from "chest." Others say that the pie was often served during evenings spent playing chess. Still others claim that "chess" is a variant of the British "cheese" pie. No matter the origin, this pie has become a Southern staple.

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