Flapper Pie- The Lost Prairie Pie

A slice of cream pie with a crumb crust and meringue sits on a pink plate. Behind it is a recipe box with a handwritten recipe card and a red pot with green leafy plants.

4.97 from 26 votes

Flapper Pie- The Lost Prairie 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.

Prep Time25

Cook Time10

Refrigerator Time3

Total Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: pies

Servings:

Calories: 437kcal

Author: Karlynn Johnston

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

If you do have to keep the pie overnight, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. It will be edible, but the meringue will weep. It still tastes good!

Nutrition