This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our privacy policy for additional information.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I’ve been making Flapper pie for years; in fact, it’s the name of my first bestselling cookbook, so I am incredibly fond of this pie! This is a fast, easy pie that uses simple ingredients that you most likely have at home. And best of all, you should eat it the same day that you make it.
Flapper pie is a long, long time family favorite of my mother’s, mainly because it’s her favorite pie on earth. My mom doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth- I inherited my sweet tooth from my dad- but a few years back my sister and I discovered that my mom loves a piece of flapper pie above all other desserts.
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: Flapper pie does use meringue so it’s a little bit finicky but not difficult. If you have baked pies before, you should be able to pull this off. I’d rate this as medium difficulty.
- Total Time: Making this pie takes about 50 minutes plus chilling time.
- Tools Needed: You’ll need a pie plate, a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
Flapper Pie
When you read the title of my newest pie recipe for pie day, you’re most likely going to be in one of two camps: either you’re going to scratch your head and think to yourself: “What the devil is flapper pie?” or you’re going to think “Wow, now there’s a pie I haven’t heard of in a long time!!”
I’ll give a small percentage of you the chance of falling into the rare category of “Ooh, that’s a family favorite!” My mom was in seventh heaven when she found it in a small cafe around Pine Lake, Alberta, and made sure to visit whenever she and my dad went out to the lake for the weekend.
What is Flapper Pie?
Flapper pie is a graham crumb crust pie filled with a decadent, creamy custard filling topped with a meringue. It’s so unique to the prairies that if you didn’t grow up here, you most likely haven’t ever heard of it. Indeed, perhaps not many Albertans have heard of flapper pie; this is a Manitoba recipe straight from the family archives, one that would have been passed around the farms!
The Lost Prairie Pie?
Flapper pie seems to have been popular with my Grandma’s generation……then just plainly died out. My mom never made it. I never had it at my friends’ houses. When I asked around, so few people have heard of it. Even fewer have ever baked it! What once was a staple in prairie kitchens is now a rarity to find, unless you are lucky enough to still find an older generation baking it in their cafe or restaurant, such as the one in Pine Lake.
I don’t ever recall having flapper pie, so even though this is something my mom grew up loving, it’s not something we had as kids. My mom isn’t a pie baker; that fell to my Grandma, and now apparently I’ve taken up the baking mitts and am carrying on the tradition.
If you read last week’s pie day post – Drunken Peach Galette – you’ll know that I spent the week at my sisters’. What you also might know if you follow me on Instagram is that my sister and I were up at 9 am baking pies one morning.
This is what Ukrainian women do. We get up. We bake pies. Sometimes in pajamas.
My sister was totally in her pajamas.
I have no pictures because I value my life.
Vintage Recipe Card Shorthand
Here is how to fit the recipe onto recipe cards if desired.
Flapper pie is notorious for being delicious and falling apart easily. It’s very hard to nail it so that it stays together, so be prepared that it won’t be picture perfect. Using butter in the crust will help solidify it when refrigerated, but really, custard and meringue? You know it’s not going to be a clean slice.
I really hope you all try this recipe. What a truly lost prairie pie this is, and I really don’t understand why! It’s so simple yet decadent. If nothing else, add it to your archives to try one day and pass it on to your kids! I know I will be including this at family meals a lot now, knowing it’s a childhood favorite of my mom’s.
Have a fabulous weekend all!
Happy Baking!
Love,
Karlynn
Flapper Pie- The Lost Prairie Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 pinch cinnamon
Filling
- 2 ½ cups milk
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch salt
Meringue Topping
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Mix all the crust ingredients together until fully combined. Reserve 2 tbsp of the crumb mixture to the side and press the rest into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate to create a crust. Place in a refrigerator to firm up while you prepare the filling.
- Combine the filling ingredients together in a medium-sized saucepan. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth with no lumps. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to ensure the filling doesn't burn, until it comes to a low boil and thickens. The filling should coat the back of a spoon and be thick and creamy. Set aside to cool while you make the meringue.
- Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar on high speed until the egg whites are foamy. Add in the white sugar and continue to beat the meringue ingredients together until they form stiff peaks.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Pour the cooled filling into the refrigerated crust and top with the meringue, making beautiful little spikes that will brown up all lovely on top. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on the top.
- Bake until the meringue browns on top, around 10 minutes,but watch it carefully! All ovens are different!
- Cool in the fridge and eat the same day. This isn’t a pie that is going to last a few days, meringue topped pies get slimy between the layers. This is best made mere hours before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
erinseanpatrick says
My Momma would call this (famously), “Tuesday Pie”! So named because it was just a middle of the week dessert, nothing fancy. It is DIVINE!!!
gramakimmy says
@erinseanpatrick I wonder if that was like when my mother in law had baking bread day, pie day, laundry day, putting food “up”. Meaning canning and other food storage. I used to think that was pretty funny and clever too. Production often key, with her family. lol
Karlynn Johnston says
Oh I hope you enjoy it!!!
jcgf122 says
so excited to see this recipe. Had my first and only slice of Flapper Pie when I was 10 and have been longing for a second ever since. Now, 35 years later, I have a recipe and a plan to bake this weekend. THANK YOU
CassieTollin says
Alberta Born and Raised! My grandma makes this pie and it is definitely my favorite! Thank you for sharing your recipe! I did not realize it was an “Alberta Pie” I know when I mention it no one knows what I am talking about!
audrey says
I grew up on this pie although not for breakfeast. When I got older my daughter and I would request this for our birthday instead of cake. So we have birthday pie instead of cake, we would have it no other way! The pie would only make it through one sitting because the three of us would not stop eating till it was all gone. My mother is from Newfoundland and has no connection to the prairies.
Kevin Monahan says
My mom made it all the time and since she passed I haven’t seen it so went searching and found your site. Am going to make it myself as it was a favorite of mine 35 yrs ago Thanks Kevin
liz63 says
something is missing in the ingredients tried it and taste bland
Karlynn Johnston says
Grammyof4boys I love the responses I received for this recipe. It seems to bring back memories for everyone, a true Canadian prairie classic pie!
grammyof4boys says
I remember Flapper Pie and have always thought it to be one of my favorites. I haven’t had it for years, and this post brings back the memories. Thanks for the recipe, will surely try it soon!!!
Rob Nutter says
you are so funny,making flapper pie tomorrow for christmas.havn,t made it since I was in highschool foods class.
Rob Nutter chef extrordinare,Castlegar BC
thekitchenmagpie says
Rob Nutter Oh, what a lovely pie for Christmas! Now I’m craving it!
Rob Nutter says
thekitchenmagpie
KimberleyMann says
I grew up making and eating this pie. I learned it whilst growing up in Red Deer AB. We also baked the crust for 10 minutes before adding filling.
Alberta Rose says
The Alberta way is to bake the crust for 5 to 7 minutes, cool and then finish the pie. It doesn’t break apart then.
Lindaliz63 says
You use to get Flapper Pie at a cafe located between Innisfail and Red Deer Alberta. My last 2 visits out west we went there 2-3 times for the pie and going back in January and will be there again. My Mom was raised in Innisifail and we have family there. She used to make this years ago.
happy guest says
Our grandparents came to Alberta in the late 1800’s from other parts of Europe. They made flapper pie too. It is our favorite pie as well. After checking recipes, I landed on your page here. It’s a sweet site. I’m going to surf it from my living room in Calgary. Thank you..
Laura MacDonald says
My mom grew up on a farm around Medicine Hat, flapper pie is on of her favs.
Kelti says
Saskatchewan here!.. You may have more success with your pie filling if you bring the milk and sugar to a boil slowly whisking in corn starch…once it boils break in egg yolks and keep stirring at a ow medium heat until it thickens…add vanilla once you remove off heat.
CookTheStory says
Hmmm…I’m Manitoban and I have not heard of this. I feel like I’m missing out on some part of my heritage. I’m going to post to FB now and hope that this brings back some nice memories for my Manitoban friends and family. The pie looks and sounds deelish, btw.
Donna McGougan says
Mmmm, my fav! Thanks for posting!
karacooks says
Interesting. I’ve never heard of Flapper Pie, but the recipe sounds exactly like the standard cream pie recipe that I use. I normally top mine with whipped cream but I’ve seen it topped with meringue as well.
I also use this recipe w/ about half the cornstarch when making pudding – less cornstarch makes it set up less. Then add bananas and ‘nilla wafers for Southern style banana pudding. 🙂
thekitchenmagpie says
karacooks Flapper pie is definitely a Canadian term for this pie! The bananas sound soooo yummy!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Oh, you’d be #1 daughter if you did Kandice LOL!
Kandice Martinez says
Mmmm, flapper pie is one of my all time Faves! Brings back really great memories of my Grandma It is also my Mom’s fave but she says its hard to find a place that makes a good one. Might have to try this recipe myself and surprise her 🙂
Katie Brown Mell says
yes Alberta born and raised
The Kitchen Magpie says
Yay Breanne! I love to hear more people are tackling pies! Pastry still gives me a hard time too on occasion, its a learning process for sure! And eating the practice pies is an ok deal 😉
The Kitchen Magpie says
Linda it sure is a generational pie, isn’t it? It’s a pie I think should be brought back into todays kitchens! Easy and soooo delicious!
JanetBrown says
Yipeee!!!! My mom made flapper pie all the time when I was a kid. Manitoba RULES!!! Thanks for this recipe. A tip…if you cut it with a really hot knife it will cut cleaner.
thekitchenmagpie says
JanetBrown Oh good tip!!! I will have to try that next time I make it! Yes, Manitoba farm recipes are sure something!
Linda White says
Thank you; Brings my mom back …..
Breanne Abigail says
And by bye I think I meant now. Not at all the same word…silly auto correct
Breanne Abigail says
Sounds delicious!! I’ve never had it, but will bye have to make one. I’ve been taking a cue from you, and have been making pies here, there and everywhere! I like that this one doesn’t have a pastry crust…they’ve been giving me a headache lately!
The Kitchen Magpie says
Are you a Prairie girl too?
Katie Brown Mell says
i love flapper pie!!