After finding an Amish recipe for oatmeal pie, we had to try it. The oats and sugar in the filling give this pie the flavor and texture of pecan pie, but with no nuts. It's delicious!
Oatmeal Pie
Updated on Oct. 18, 2024
My curiosity was piqued when I came across a vintage recipe for oatmeal pie. Can a pie filling made of sugar, oats and little else really be that good? Oh my goodness, is it ever! And because it’s so easy to prepare, this pie will definitely be on my table for the holidays, Pi Day or any other day we’re craving an indulgent dessert. Oatmeal pie is for sure joining our list of the best pie recipes.
What is oatmeal pie?
The exact ingredients in this vintage pie vary from one recipe to the next, but quick-cooking oats are definitely the star. The filling includes sugar, eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Quick oats are stirred into the filling, then everything is put into a pie shell. The oatmeal pie recipe bakes up with a flavor and texture like a traditional pecan pie. In fact, it sometimes goes by the name of “mock pecan pie.”
The origin of oatmeal pie is a little murky: Some say it’s a Civil War-era pie created when southern pecans were scarce. Others say it’s an Amish pie—a dessert made when pecans were too expensive. It has the simple and delicious characteristics of traditional Amish recipes. Oatmeal pie recipes are also found in old community and local cookbooks.
Wherever it’s from, oatmeal pie is a tasty dessert that captures all the luscious flavor of pecan pie, costs less to make and is a perfect treat for those with nut allergies.
Ingredients for Oatmeal Pie
- Pie shell: You can use a store-bought premade pie crust or homemade pie crust for this pie.
- Eggs: You’ll need four eggs to create the custard-like filling.
- Sugars: We use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar to sweeten our recipe for oatmeal pie. Feel free to use brown sugar for both sugar measurements, but we don’t recommend doing the same with granulated sugar. If you use all granulated sugar, you’ll be left with a pretty beige pie.
- Corn syrup: Most pecan pie recipes use corn syrup to help set up the filling, so we use that in our oatmeal pie recipe too.
- Vanilla extract: There aren’t too many prominent flavors in the pie, so make sure you’re using one of the best vanilla extracts. The flavor will really stand out with the oats!
- Butter: Melt half a stick of butter before starting the recipe so it has time to cool to room temperature.
- Oats: The star of the show! Buy a container of quick-cooking oats (also known as instant oats) for this oatmeal pie recipe. Quick-cooking oats are the thinnest oats and easily soak up liquid, so don’t swap in other types of oats or they may be undercooked.
- All-purpose flour: We use a bit of all-purpose flour to help bake up the crispy oat topping.
Directions
Step 1: Roll out the pie dough
Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out your store-bought or homemade pie dough to an 1/8-inch-thick circle.
Editor’s Tip: Before preheating the oven, move the racks around based on your pie plate. For metal pie plates, the oven rack should be in the center; for glass or ceramic pie plates, move the rack down a notch to help the bottom brown.
Transfer the pie dough to a 9-inch pie plate, and trim the crust to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the plate. Flute the edges and set it aside.
Step 2: Start the filling
In a large bowl, whisk together the beaten eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup and granulated sugar.
Add the vanilla extract and salt.
Whisk in the melted butter until the mixture is smooth and combined.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients
Add the oats and flour, stirring until the oats are evenly mixed in.
Step 4: Pour into the pie crust and bake
Pour the oat-sugar mixture into the unbaked pie crust and spread it into an even layer. Bake the pie until the top is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Check the crust after 30 minutes: If it’s browning too quickly, place pieces of foil over the edges.
Remove the pie from the oven and set it on a cooling rack.
Step 5: Cool and chill
Let the pie cool at room temperature for two hours. Then, cover it with storage wrap and refrigerate the pie until it’s chilled. Use a sharp knife to cut the slices, then serve them plain or with ice cream.
Recipe Variations
- Dress it up with spices: For a cozier oatmeal pie recipe, sprinkle cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg into the batter. They’ll really make the pie feel fit for fall and winter.
- Replace the corn syrup: Not a fan of corn syrup? Replace it with maple syrup as a 1:1 substitute.
- Add in nuts: The idea for this pie’s creation resulted from wanting to avoid pecans, for one reason or another. But if you like pecans, hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts and have some sitting in your pantry, chop them up, toast the nuts, let them cool and add them to the batter for crunch and richness.
How to Store Oatmeal Pie
Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to four days. You can either keep the pie in its pan or transfer the slices to an airtight container.
Can you freeze oatmeal pie?
Yes, you can freeze oatmeal pie. Once the pie has cooled to room temperature and then set for a few hours in the fridge, wrap the pie tightly in one layer of storage wrap followed by one layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to three months. Thaw the pie in the fridge overnight and enjoy!
Oatmeal Pie Tips
Can I use old-fashioned oats instead of quick-cooking oats?
Do not replace the quick-cooking oats with old-fashioned oats. Quick-cooking oats are a must for this oatmeal pie recipe as they’re thinner than old-fashioned oats and give the pie filling texture without being too chewy.
Do I serve oatmeal pie warm, at room temperature or chilled?
A recipe for oatmeal pie needs to be served chilled, otherwise the filling will ooze out everywhere. If you’d prefer it warm or at room temperature, you can definitely follow that instinct; we just recommend serving it in a bowl.
What do I serve with oatmeal pie?
It’s best to serve something creamy with this recipe for oatmeal pie. Whipped cream or a scoop of the best vanilla ice cream from the store are the easiest toppings. For something a little more elevated, pour a homemade custard sauce or a salted caramel sauce over each slice, or serve slices with homemade vanilla ice cream instead.
Oatmeal Pie
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
40 min
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- Dough for single-crust pie
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Vanilla ice cream, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim crust to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge.
- In a large bowl, combine eggs, brown sugar, corn syrup and granulated sugar. Stir in vanilla and salt. Whisk in butter. Stir in oats and flour; pour into crust.
- Bake until golden brown, 40-45 minutes. Cover the edge with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning if necessary. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate until chilled. If desired, serve with ice cream.
Nutrition Facts
1 piece: 599 calories, 20g fat (12g saturated fat), 138mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium, 101g carbohydrate (78g sugars, 2g fiber), 7g protein.
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I adapted an old cookbook's vintage oatmeal pie recipe to make this easy dessert. The oats and sugar in the filling give it the flavor and texture of pecan pie but without nuts! —Nancy Mock, Southbridge, Massachusetts
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