My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (2024)

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  1. My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie Recipe

My Grandma’s classic Canadian prairie flapper pie recipe was the first recipe that came to mind for the latest installment of the Canadian Food Experience Project.

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 even 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!

I called my recipeFlapper Pie- The Lost Prairie Piewhen I wrote it up and it since has become one of the most popular posts on my site.

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.

Flapper Pie is a cherished family pie, however it isn’t one that I grew up eating. Now, isn’t that funny to go and pick a recipe that doesn’t have any real special meaning tomefor this project? I promise, my choice will make sense in a moment.

The cherished part of the recipe comes from my retrieving the recipe from my Grandma’s archives and creating my Mom’s favorite pie from her childhood, making it all the more special because it was for someone else and not myself that I brought to life this old and treasured recipe.

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (2)

My parents were just up this weekend, actually and I baked this pie up fresh last night for my Mom and Dad.

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (3)

Those beautiful peaks of meringue and the cinnamon laced graham crumbs are so very divine on this pie.

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (4)

No matter how many times I make this pie – and it’s only a few special times a year – the whole family enjoys remembering how much they love this recipe.

There is always inevitably a discussion about my grandma, my mom’s childhood and how much she loved this pie as a child growing up in Manitoba. My husband is always thrilled when I bake this up, it’s a new pie in his repertoire – him being an Easterner and never having this pie as a child, poor thing- and the smile on his face when he hears we are having it for dessert also is a reason why it’s one of my favorites.

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (6)

The other reason that my flapper pie recipe is one of my most treasured Canadian recipes was the response from all of you readers. My recipe has evoked such emotion, memories and happiness from so many people that it makes my heart so very darn happy reading all the comments from you all!

A few of those treasured comments from you are:

-Thank you for posting this – I’m thrilled to share a little bit of the prairies with my NB family 🙂

-I also grew up on Flapper pie, it is still my favorite.My mother used the recipe that used to be on the back of the graham cracker box,when they took that off the recipe got lost, I am very happy to have found recipe that isjust as good as I remember.

-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

-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

How can comments like these not thrill me? I brought the recipe back to life for my Mom and it obviously was a childhood memory for so many of you, making this truly one of my most cherished recipes.

I am so glad to share this recipe again on my site and re-visit how much this prairie pie seems to mean to everyone! I have changed one thing, I bake the graham crust for 10 minutes before I fill it. While this is not in the original recipe, it helps with creating perfect slices of pie!

Happy Baking everyone!

Love,

I Think I Sill Have a Slice in My Fridge For Lunch Today Magpie

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie

Classic Canadian Prairie Flapper pie recipe!

5 from 32 votes

My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (7)

Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
30 minutes
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
pie
Servings
6
Calories
409
Author
Karlynn Johnston

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups graham crackers
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • dash of cinnamon

Filling:

  • 2 1/2 cups of milk
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar
  • 1/4 cup of cornstarch
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • pinch of salt

Meringue Topping:

  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar

Instructions

  • Mix all the crust ingredients together, save about 2 tbsp to the side and press the rest into a 10 inch pie plate, in the bottom and up the sides.

  • Bake at 350 for 10 minutes..

  • Combine the filling ingredients together and cook on a medium heat until it boils and thickens, making sure to stir constantly!

  • Set aside to cool while you make the meringue.Beat the meringue ingredients together until they form stiff peaks.

  • Pour the filling into the crust and top with the meringue, making beautiful little spikes that will brown up all lovely on top! Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs on the top and slide into a 350 degree oven.

  • Bake until the meringue browns like below, 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.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 6g, Calories: 409kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 264mg, Potassium: 235mg, Sugar: 51g, Vitamin A: 560IU, Calcium: 152mg, Iron: 1mg

All calories and info are based on a third party calculator and are only an estimate. Actual nutritional info will vary with brands used, your measuring methods, portion sizes and more.

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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Comments & Recipe Tips Share a tip or comment!

  1. Darlene LaHaise says

    Reply

    thank you, thank you. I have been looking for this recipe since they removed from the box, about 30 years. I swear I viewed every lemon pie that pinterest showed. it wasn’t till I read it was on the box of Graham wafers that I finally hit pay dirt. the only thing that I remember that wasn’t listed was the cinnamon. I am hoping to try this very soon.

  2. Carlene Landry says

    Reply

    I wondered what I did wrong…I made it and it came out very watery…would you know what I did?

  3. Maureen says

    Reply

    My mom made the very best flapper pie. Your recipe is close to accurate but you are missing one secret ingredient that puts it over the top. We call it engagement pie because over 40 years ago my then boyfriend tasted it for the first time at a family dinner and proposed to me. Married 41 years and still in love – with this pie!My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (12)

  4. Marjorie McGrath says

    Reply

    Here’s my story on flapper pie. My Vet from Turner Valley, Alta loves flapper pie. I’m from NS and live in Calgary and had never heard of flapper pie, however I love making pies and have made many kinds over the years.
    The Blackfoot Rest Stop in Calgary is know for their flapper pie and it is home made so I cheated and took my Vet a piece. He loved it but now I’ll will try my first Flapper Pie after finding your grandmothers recipe on Pinterest. Thank you for all the comments on your site.

  5. Deborah says

    Reply

    To answer the first question above, the cornstarch has to cook and the custard loses its starchy taste before it is thick enough. It will suddenly thicken up when ready, cook another 5 minutes more as it bubbles to be sure it is fully cooked. To answer the second question above, let the pie cool to room temperature before refrigerating. We eat it room temperature the first day, then chilled the next. My nephew asked my mother to make this for his birthday over twenty-five years ago. We all shared one pie, he had his own entire pie. Now his sister, our daughter also want it every year. Grandma is gone now. She made it when I was a child in Edmonton, and I have been making it myself once married with a family. I add 2 tablespoons or more of some lemon juice to the crust instead of cinnamon, to offset the richness. If you put your refrigerated eggs in a bowl of warm water for ten minutes, they separate more easily and the meringue is fluffier.

    • Deborah says

      Reply

      Oh and about 8 or 9 double graham crackers makes the correct amount of crumbs, but you can buy packaged crumbs ready to go. I hand mix so I need prepared crumbs before starting.

  6. Michelle says

    Reply

    My MIL would make this for hubs bday and when we moved away “shared” her recipe so I could carry on the tradition. I’ve always hated making it because the custard never set right for me. I think she did me dirty because her version doesn’t have any cornstarch. Will try yours next year!

  7. Claire Mish says

    Reply

    My custard did not set up – not sure where I messed up. How thick should it be before you remove from heat?

    • Kaylin says

      Reply

      I wait until it’s pudding like consistency before I remove from heat

  8. Kendra says

    Reply

    My dad has requested this for his birthday this year, and I had never heard of it before! Looking forward to trying it out.

    Silly question, but how long do you cool it on a rack before moving it to the fridge? Or does it go straight from oven to fridge?

  9. Sandy says

    Reply

    My favorite pie. My mother made it,now so do I. My children always request it when they come to visit. As do my brothers. I’m from B.C. And the receipe came from the graham wafer box. I copied it years ago. The original didn’t have the cinnamon in the crust. That’s what makes the crust special.

  10. LaVerne Jutila says

    Reply

    I just found your recipe and tyvm
    My mom use to make this every year for my birthday was my only request each yr. I don’t think I have had it in like 20yrs
    Going go make it now for my hubby for Valentine’s day dessert

  11. Deb French says

    Reply

    My grandma would use cooked pie filling. We also had it topped with whipped cream. I’ll have to try the meringue. Good memories

    • Kay says

      Reply

      Would you share the recipe if you have it with the whipped cream? What do you mean by cooked pie filling? It is impossible to find the recipe with whipped cream and that is what I grew up to love. I would love to mimick Fuddruckers Flapper Pie in Saskatoon if anyone can send a recipe similar I’d be so grateful! 7788600203 Thx!

  12. Zoe G says

    Reply

    Thank you so much for this recipe! My father in law requested this for Thanksgiving dessert this year, and while I come from a long line of home bakers I had never heard of Flapper Pie before. I am so happy I found your recipe here, he absolutely loved it and it was the highlight of his Thanksgiving. He just celebrated his 80th birthday and this was one of his favorite desserts his mother made from his childhood. It’s a keeper, and made our holiday so special 🙂My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (13)

  13. Melanie says

    Reply

    My mom used to make this all the time yet didn’t leave any of us the recipe. Never knew that it was called Flapper Pie so I couldn’t search for it.

    Used Google to search out the ingredients and there it was on Pinterest!

    I use maple syrup instead of vanilla…truly a Canadian pie!

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My Cherished Canadian Recipe: Flapper Pie (2024)

FAQs

What is flapper pie made of? ›

A custard pie made with a graham cracker crumb crust and topped with meringue.

Why is my flapper pie runny? ›

Meringue pies will ''weep'' water because of the interaction between the filling and the whipped meringue. If one or the other is overcooked, water beads will form and weep. Egg whites can also weep if they are over-beaten or are from old eggs.

What pie is famous in Canada? ›

Below are some examples of Canada's specialty pies you should try from each of our provinces:
  • Newfoundland: Seal Flipper Pie.
  • Prince Edward Island: Rhubarb pie.
  • Nova Scotia: Rappie pie.
  • Quebec: Tourtière.
  • Ontario: Butter Tarts.
  • Manitoba: Apple pie.
  • Saskatchewan: Cloudberry pie.
  • Alberta: Flapper pie.
Mar 14, 2019

How did flapper pie get its name? ›

They called it Flapper pie because it was popularized in the same era as the Flapper girls - fabulous! This pie is absolutely delicious! With a brown sugar and graham cracker crumb crust, filled with a luscious vanilla custard filling and topped with a generous amount of toasted meringue.

What is Dolly Parton pie? ›

Calling all Dolly Parton fans! This dessert legendary holiday walnut pie is a delicious and easy play on a pecan pie using walnuts instead of pecans. A bit of sugar, corn syrup, and melted butter comes together as a smooth, subtle filling. Save the recipe for Thanksgiving, we are sure you'll enjoy it.

What is Elvis Presley pie? ›

Chef Paula Haney shares with Duff the bakery's recipe for the Fat Elvis Pie, which was inspired by Elvis Presley's love of peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches. The pie includes chocolate pastry cream, peanut butter filling and slices of banana in a crust made of graham cracker crumbs, dry roasted peanuts and pretzels.

Does cream of tartar keep meringue from weeping? ›

The bottom line: For smooth, stiff beaten egg whites that keep their shape, don't skip the cream of tartar. If you don't have cream of tartar, substituting 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar per egg white works almost as well. To avoid meringues that weep, don't skip the cream of tartar...

Can you over beat meringue? ›

Over whip the egg whites and you risk making them too firm and they will risk losing the moisture that they hold. This will affect your meringue's crispness, as well as making it more likely to collapse or weep beads of sugar. As my meringue guru Gary Mehigan advises: “If you over whip the egg whites you cannot fix it.

Can you put uncooked meringue in the fridge? ›

You're best off using uncooked meringue immediately, but if you need to store it, keep it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to twenty-four hours.

What is Canada's most famous dessert? ›

1. Nanaimo Bar. Named after the city it was invented in (Nanaimo, British Columbia on the west coast of Canada), this no-bake dessert has been hailed as Canada's most iconic treat.

What is Canada's favorite dessert? ›

Butter Tart Recipe

Among the most beloved dessert recipes is butter tarts, a Canadian treat featuring a gooey, sweet filling encased in a flaky pastry crust. Served warm so the filling melts in your mouth, this treat is perfect for those with a sweet tooth.

What is the national sweet of Canada? ›

All locals should experience one of the tastiest things to come out of the True North. In a land not so far away, north of the 49th parallel, every bakery worth its butter, every cookbook, everyone's grandmother knows the secret to heaven on earth.

Why is it no longer called Crack Pie? ›

The name Crack Pie falls short of this mission,” she wrote. She decided on the name Milk Bar Pie because “it's been on the Milk Bar menu since day one” and that “the old name was getting in the way of letting the gooey, buttery slice bring happiness— my only goal in creating the thing in the first place.”

What was the flapper look? ›

A typical flapper chose dresses that were of a straight style, sleeveless, and often low-cut as well as short—about knee-length, which was rather scandalous at the time. She wore stockings, often rolled to below the knee; had a bobbed, or chin-length, hairstyle; and used cosmetics on her face in a bold manner.

What is a 1920 flapper girl? ›

Flappers of the 1920s were young women known for their energetic freedom, embracing a lifestyle viewed by many at the time as outrageous, immoral or downright dangerous. Now considered the first generation of independent American women, flappers pushed barriers to economic, political and sexual freedom for women.

What meat is used for flipper pie? ›

Flipper pie is a traditional Eastern Canadian meat pie made from harp seal flippers. It is similar to a pot pie in that the seal flippers are cooked with vegetables in a thick sauce and then covered with pastry.

What is Oreo pie made of? ›

This crust could be baked, but for this no-bake Oreo pie recipe—the crust is placed in the freezer to set. The filling is a mixture of whipped cream cheese, heavy cream, sour cream, powdered sugar and crushed Oreo cookies.

What were medieval pies made of? ›

In medieval England, they were called pyes, and instead of being predominantly sweet, they were most often filled with meat — beef, lamb, wild duck, magpie pigeon — spiced with pepper, currants or dates.

What is the porcelain bird in pie? ›

Pie birds are hollow ceramic baking tools that vent pies while they're baking. These quaint funnels collect moisture from bubbling pie filling and send it up through the beaks as hot steam. This prevents the filling from overflowing.

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