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Amish Raisin Cream Pie Recipe
Perhaps you've never had the privilege of tasting a slice of Amish raisin cream pie. So you may be feeling a bit skeptical and thinking, "Raisin pie? That doesn't sound very appetizing."
Let me assure you that raisin cream pie tastes a lot better than it may sound. With plump juicy raisins encased in a sweetened, creamy, custard filling and topped with whipped cream, this old-school pie is incredible! The flavors and textures work well together. And I'll take a slice of Amish raisin cream pie any day.
So unless you really hate raisins, do yourself a favor and give it a try. You might be pleasantly surprised.
Ingredients
- Raisins are sweet, dried grapes bursting with concentrated flavor and chewy texture. They are the main ingredient in this pie, providing bursts of flavor and chewy texture that beautifully contrasts the creamy filling.
- Milk serves as the base for the creamy filling. It adds richness and a smooth texture. Whole milk is preferred for its higher fat content, which enhances the creaminess.
- Brown sugar contributes sweetness and depth of flavor. Its molasses content adds a subtle caramel note that complements the raisins and enhances the overall taste of the pie.
- Cornstarch or cook-type clear jel acts as thickeners for the filling. They help to bind the ingredients together and create a smooth, pudding-like consistency. This ensures that the filling sets properly and holds its shape when sliced.
- Salt enhances the flavor of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness of the sugar.
- Eggs provide structure and stability, contributing richness and a smooth texture.
- Butter adds richness and a velvety texture to the filling. It contributes flavor and helps to enhance the creaminess of the pie.
- Vanilla extract adds warmth.
- Pre-baked pie crust serves as the base and vessel for the filling. It provides structure and adds a buttery, flaky texture to each bite.
- Whipped cream or Cool Whip adds a light and airy finish to the pie. They provide a contrast in texture to the creamy filling and enhance the overall presentation. Whipped cream adds a fresh, dairy flavor, while Cool Whip offers a convenient, stable topping with a slightly sweet taste.
How to Make Raisin Cream Pie
- Prepare Raisins: Add 1 cup of raisins to a small saucepan and cover them with water. Boil for about 5 minutes, then drain the water and set the raisins aside.
- Heat Milk: In a large saucepan, heat the milk until it reaches the boiling point.
- Prepare Sugar/Egg Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add beaten eggs and whisk until combined.
- Temper Sugar/Egg Mixture: Gradually add about a cup of the hot milk to the sugar/egg mixture to temper it. Whisk constantly while pouring to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- Combine Mixtures: Slowly pour the sugar/egg mixture into the remaining hot milk in the saucepan, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until the mixture comes to a boil. Be careful as it may bubble and splatter.
- Add Raisins and Flavorings: Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cooked raisins, butter, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Cool Mixture: Allow the pie mixture to cool to room temperature. To prevent skin from forming on top, you can place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding.
- Prepare Pie Shell: Pour the cooled pie mixture into the pre-baked 9" pie crust, spreading it evenly. (Optionally, assemble the pie closer to serving time if you've prepared ingredients ahead, to avoid a soggy crust.)
- Refrigerate: Place the pie in the refrigerator and chill for a couple of hours, or until the filling is set.
- Serve: Once the pie has chilled and set, top with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Slice and serve.
Enjoy your homemade raisin cream pie!
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One Crust Raisin Pie
This raisin pie is very easy and quick to make, especially if you already have a crust on hand. You can prebake a store-bought crust, or use my flaky pie crust recipe.
Pie crust is quite easy to make, and my recipe makes three nine-inch crusts. Although, I've also broken down the recipe for you, in case you want to make only one. But whenever I bake pies, I make three for our family. (In case you need pie plates - affiliate link.)
Last week I prebaked three pie crusts and made one peanut butter cream pie, one Pennsylvania Dutch raisin cream pie, and one chocolate pie. They're all amazing and never last long at our house.
And this recipe for raisin pie only uses one prebaked crust on the bottom. The top of the pie gets covered in sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip. For variation, feel free to top this raisin pie with a meringue topping.
How to PreBake Pie Crust
A lot of people use weights when prebaking pie crust (tips on how to prebake a crust), but I've never used any.
I roll out my pie crusts, place them in the pans, and prick them all over with a fork. Then I place slightly smaller pie pans inside of my crusts (to keep the sides from collapsing). Bake refrigerator cold crusts at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes.
Remove the pie pans and continue baking the crusts until nicely browned (mine - in the photo above - got a little darker than I usually bake them).
Old-Fashioned Raisin Pie (Raisin Pie History)
Chances are that your grandma made raisin pie sometime in her life since this pie has been around for generations. Traditionally, raisin pie was also called funeral pie.
Dating to the 18th century, German colonists in the early United States often brought raisin pie to funerals, giving it the nickname “funeral pie.” And the reason for this was very practical.
Before there was refrigeration, fresh fruits were not readily available. But since raisins have a long shelf life and are available year-round most homes had dried raisins on hand. And these dried fruits made a delicious pie filling no matter what time of year a funeral occurred.
Although, their recipe for homemade raisin pie was probably different than this creamy raisin pie. It would most likely have had a filling made with water, raisins, sugar, spices, etc., and topped with a second crust.
But honestly, I much prefer creamy Amish raisin pie.
If You Love Amish Pies, You May Want to Try More of My Pie Recipes...
Amish Lemon Sponge Pie recipe
Creamy Pecan Pie recipe
Amish Pumpkin Custard Pie recipe
Apple Schnitz Pie recipe
Dutch Apple Pie recipe
Amish Wet-Bottom Shoofly Pie recipe
I hope you enjoy Amish raisin pie! If you try this recipe, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
Amish Raisin Cream Pie Recipe
With plump juicy raisins encased in a sweetened creamy custard filling, this old-fashioned raisin pie is incredible!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Chill 2 hours hrs
Total Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Amish
Servings 6 servings
Calories 638 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 c. raisins
- 2 ¼ c. milk
- ¾ c. brown sugar
- 4 Tbsp. cornstarch or clear jel
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 pre-baked 9" pie crust
Whipped Cream:
- 1 - 1 ½ c. heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
Add the raisins to a small saucepan and cover with water. Boil for about 5 minutes. Drain the water and set the raisins aside.
1 c. raisins
Heat the milk in a large saucepan to the boiling point.
2 ¼ c. milk
In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the beaten eggs and whisk.
¾ c. brown sugar, 4 Tbsp. cornstarch or clear jel, ½ tsp. salt, 2 large eggs
Add about a cup of the hot milk to the sugar/egg mixture to temper it.
Slowly, while whisking, pour the sugar/egg mixture into the hot milk and whisk constantly until it comes to a boil. (Be careful because when it comes to a boil it will bubble and splatter.)
Remove from the heat and add the cooked raisins, butter, and vanilla. Mix and set aside to cool. (To prevent a skin from forming on the top, you can place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding.)
1 Tbsp. butter, 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Once the pie mixture has cooled to room temperature, pour it into the baked pie shell and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
1 pre-baked 9" pie crust
To make whipped cream:
Add whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl and whip it until it is thickened.
1 - 1 ½ c. heavy whipping cream, 2 Tbsp. sugar, 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Spread over the top of the chilled pie filling before serving.
Keep the pie refrigerated with a plastic wrap covering the filling. (I don't like to cover pies tightly, as the crust will get soggy faster.)
Notes
Feel free to add ½ tsp. cinnamon and ⅛ tsp. ground cloves to the pie filling, if desired.
To make this pie ahead, you can bake the crust and make the filling a day or two in advance. Lightly cover the prebaked crust with a tea towel. Place the creamed mixture into an airtight container and refrigerate it. Assemble the pie just a little while before serving.
Thawed Cool Whip can be used instead of whipped cream.
Cream pies are the best when eaten within two or three days after being assembled.
*Nutrition is approximate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 638kcalCarbohydrates: 93gProtein: 9gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 385mgPotassium: 578mgFiber: 3gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 811IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 183mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Amish Raisin Cream Pie Recipe, Amish Raisin Pie, One crust raisin pie
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
More Amish Recipes
- Amish-Style Chicken Gumbo (Amish Chicken Casserole)
- Amish Peach Crumb Pie Recipe
- Amish Lime Slushy Recipe
- 17 Easy Amish Cake Recipes
Reader Interactions
Comments
Wanda
I grew up in Western Kentucky as a descendant of Pennsylvania Dutch as many in my area were, but not raised Amish. I was anemic much of my life and would ask my Mom to make raisin pie when I got to feeling extremely tired and exhausted. Since raisins are high in iron I guess my body was signaling I needed iron! I don’t remember her pie being creamy, but she did cook the raisins and thicken them. I very much enjoyed my raisin pie! Thank you for the recipe. I will give it a try.
Reply
Anna
I hope you enjoy it!
Reply
Lois Luckovich
I'll definitely be trying this recipe soon as I am a fan of raisin pie
Reply
Anna
Yay! Let me know how it turns out.
Reply
Rosie
Fantastic recipe! Thank you for sharing it as many other recipes I found were not as good according to the ingredients list. Happy I chose yours . Only thing I did different was use the egg whites and made it a meringue topped pie !!! Appreciated!!Reply
Anna
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Reply
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