Sour Cream Raisin Pie
Sour Cream Raisin Pie features a creamy cinnamon-flavored filling, plump raisins, toasted meringue, and a buttery crust. It’s the perfect blend of luscious tastes and textures!
As I was perusing vintage cookbooks and newspaper clippings for pie recipes, Sour Cream Raisin Pie kept popping up. Dozens of times, even!
I had to see what all of the fuss was about. Especially since it’s so unlike lots of traditional pies like Sweet Potato Pie and Old Fashioned Pecan Pie.
This Sour Cream Raisin Pie is decadently rich and sweet. A little slice is all you’ll need to experience a piece of pie heaven!
Plump raisins add a nice contrast to the smooth and creamy, cinnamon infused filling, both in texture and in tartness. (The raisins are actually less sweet than the filling, ha!)
I adapted the meringue topping for the pie from an Ann Landers’ newspaper column for lemon meringue pie. It’s a fool-proof meringue recipe that doesn’t weep and holds up nicely in the refrigerator for days.
The meringue has a few extra steps, but it’s worth the attention to detail for the final result.
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Tips for making the best Sour Cream Raisin Pie
- Stir constantly while making the filling. I know 8-10 minutes seems like a long time to stir, but this will prevent the eggs from curdling.
- You may be tempted to skip the step of soaking the raisins in boiling water, but don’t do it! When you soak the raisins, it makes them plump and juicy.
- Making the meringue is a multi-step process that requires the cornstarch mixture to cool down. To save time (and a headache!), make the cornstarch mixture before starting the filling.
- After the pie has cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours so that the pie can set fully.
Ingredients
For the filling and crust:
- Raisins are the star of the show! They will be soaked in water before adding them to the filling so that they swell with juices.
- Granulated sugar provides sweetness.
- A little cornstarch helps to thicken the filling and provides stability.
- Salt balances the sweetness nicely.
- Ground cinnamon gives the pie a distinctly warm, fall flavor.
- The creamy texture of the filling is made with sour cream. You’ll need to use full-fat sour cream, or the filling won’t set properly.
- I recommend using large egg yolks when baking. Egg yolks are essential to making a rich custard filling that sets properly.
- You can use any 9-inch pie crust you like. Make sure to fully bake it before making the filling. Alternately, you can use a no-bake graham cracker crust if you prefer.
For the meringue:
- You’ll need 5 large egg whites to make this fool-proof meringue.
- Cornstarch is used to make the meringue pillowy and stable.
- Granulated sugar adds a little sweetness.
- Use a high quality vanilla extract for rich flavor.
- Add a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness of the pie.
How to Make Sour Cream Raisin Pie
Prepare to bake:
Make a 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought) and set aside to cool.
Boil 1½ cups of water.
Prepare the cornstarch mixture for the meringue by placing the cornstarch in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons cold water. Stir to dissolve.
Pour in ½ cup boiling water, and place the saucepan over medium heat. Let cook until thickened, 1–2 minutes. The cornstarch mixture needs to cool completely and then be set aside for use later. You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process, if desired.
Place raisins in a medium bowl. Pour 1 cup boiling water over the top. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain well.
To make the filling:
Mix 1¼ cups granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, sour cream, and egg yolks in a mixing bowl.
Pour the egg mixture into a large saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat. Whisk well, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 8–10 minutes). Do not walk away or the eggs may curdle!
Stir in the softened raisins.
Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust and let sit while you make the meringue.
To make the fool-proof meringue:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until foamy.
Add ¼ cup sugar, and beat until stiff peaks form.
Add the vanilla, salt, and cooled cornstarch mixture you made earlier. Beat just until combined.
Pile the meringue on the raisin pie. Spread all the way to the edges of the crust, and make swirls with the back of a spoon to create that beautiful decorative top.
To finish the pie:
Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
Note: There are other ways to brown the meringue. If you prefer, you can broil the meringue topped pie for 2–3 minutes, adjusting the pie under the broiler as necessary for even browning. You can also use a culinary blowtorch.
Let pie cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Cut into slices, and serve. Enjoy within one day of making it for best texture. Store in the refrigerator.
Storage Information
Although this raisin pie can be refrigerated for several days, it tastes best when eaten within 24 hours of making it so the crust doesn’t get soggy.
Any uneaten pie should be stored in the refrigerator.
I don’t recommend freezing this pie because it will compromise the texture of the meringue. It just doesn’t thaw well.
Variations
- Add chopped nuts to the filling for a little bit of crunch. I’d suggest using finely chopped pecans or walnuts.
- You can skip the raisins completely if you’re not a raisin fan.
- Experiment with the spices by adding ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg OR freshly ground cloves (or ¼ teaspoon of each).
- Instead of using a baked crust, try making the pie in a graham cracker crust.
More delicious old fashioned pie recipes
Looking for more pie inspiration? Try some of my other favorite pie recipes.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or comment below!
📖 Recipe
Sour Cream Raisin Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust fully baked, can sub graham cracker crust
For the filling:
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup boiling water for soaking the raisins, drain well after soaking
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups sour cream (not low fat)
- 5 large egg yolks
For the meringue:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ cup boiling water
- 3 large egg whites
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Prepare to bake:
- Prepare the crust, and bake it according to directions. You can use a homemade or premade crust. Set aside to cool.
- Boil 1½ cups of water.
- Place cornstarch in a small saucepan with 2 tablespoons cold water. Stir to dissolve.
- Pour in ½ cup boiling water, and place the saucepan over medium heat. Let cook until thickened, 1–2 minutes. Let this mixture cool completely, and set it aside to be used in the meringue. You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process, if desired.
- Place raisins in a medium bowl. Pour 1 cup of boiling water over the top. Let sit for 10 minutes, then drain well.
To make the filling:
- Place the 1¼ cups sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, sour cream, and egg yolks in a mixing bowl and combine.
- Pour the egg mixture into a large saucepan and cook over medium heat. Whisk well, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 8–10 minutes). Do not walk away or the eggs may curdle!
- Stir in the softened raisins.
- Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust, and let sit while you make the meringue.
To make the fool-proof meringue:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until foamy.
- Add ¼ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
- Add the vanilla, salt, and cooled cornstarch mixture. Beat just until combined.
- Pile the meringue on the raisin pie. Spread all the way to the edges of the crust, and make swirls with the back of a spoon to create that beautiful decorative top.
To finish the pie:
- Bake for 10–15 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Let pie cool, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
- Cut into slices, and serve. Enjoy within one day of making it for best taste and texture. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Refrigerate to set
After the pie has cooled, refrigerate for at least 4 hours.Storage information
This raisin pie can be refrigerated for several days. It tastes best when eaten within 24 hours of making it. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Do not freeze the pie.Variations
- Add chopped nuts, like finely chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Skip the raisins.
- Add more spices, like ½ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg OR freshly ground cloves (or ¼ teaspoon of each).
- Use a graham cracker crust instead of a baked crust.
