Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Our sour cream raisin pie recipe yields a rich, creamy custard pie filled with plump raisins and crowned with a fluffy, billowy meringue. It’s the perfect, easy custard pie to impress at family dinners, holiday gatherings, or whenever you’re craving a classic pie from the good old Iowa State Fair!

 

Sour cream raisin pie is a timeless classic that captures your taste buds from the first buttery bite.

This Midwest classic comes straight from farm tables and small-town diners. It became a favorite at the Iowa State Fair, winning hearts with its tangy-sweet custard and plump, chewy raisins. Somewhere along the way, it even earned the nickname “funeral pie,” not because it’ll lay you out, but because no other pie could lift your spirits quite like this one.

This sour cream raisin pie recipe utilizes simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand in your kitchen.

The filling cooks up easily on the stove, the crust is straightforward and forgiving, and the meringue pretty much makes itself if you’ve got a decent mixer.

If you’re in the mood for more blue-ribbon vintage flavors, don’t miss my recipes for homemade buttermilk pie and classic banana cream pie to keep the sweet nostalgia rolling.

Ingredients for Sour Cream Raisin Pie

Gather the ingredients needed for our Old Fashioned Sour Cream Raisin Pie recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

Can I Change Up the Recipe?

We made this sour cream raisin pie with full-fat commercial sour cream for the richest, creamiest custard filling. However, if you’re trying to lighten things up for a calorie-conscious diet, you can swap in low-fat sour cream.

For a little extra flavor, you can replace regular raisins with golden raisins. Or mix the two if you’re a true raisin lover.

You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the custard mixture to bring a hint of extra warmth and a touch of fall flavor.

How to Make a Sour Cream Raisin Pie

• Add the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
• Pulse three times to combine.
• Add the very cold butter pieces to the flour mixture.
• Pulse at one-second intervals until the butter is mixed in.
• Add the egg to the mixture.
• Pulse until the dough forms a ball on the blade of the processor.

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

• Remove the dough from the food processor and place it on a lightly floured surface. Flatten the dough into a disc, wrap it with plastic wrap, and chill for 15-20 minutes.
• Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a circle that is 2-3 inches wider than the diameter of the pie pan.
• Carefully transfer the pie crust to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim and crimp edges for a decorative finish.
• Pierce the bottom several times with a fork. Then line the pan with parchment paper, place a sheet of foil over it, and fill it with pie weights or dry beans to blind bake the crust (bake it without any filling).
• Bake on the middle oven rack for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the pan from the oven, take out the weights, and place the pie on a wire rack to cool.
• Add 1¼ cups granulated sugar and the all-purpose flour to a small saucepan.
• Whisk to combine.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

• Separate the eggs. Add the three egg yolks and sour cream to the flour mixture.
• Whisk to combine.
• Add the raisins.
• Stir to combine the custard mixture.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the hot mixture is thick, bubbly, and reaches a gentle boil. Turn off the heat, and leave the hot filling on the burner to keep it warm.
• Spread the warm raisin filling mixture into the pre-baked buttery pie crust. Smooth out the top of the custard filling with a rubber spatula.

• Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a large bowl and an electric hand mixer).
• Whisk on medium-high until really frothy.
• Slowly add the remaining ½ cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuously whipping the egg whites.
• Turn the mixer to the high speed setting and beat until you have a glossy, fluffy meringue that holds stiff peaks.
• Spoon meringue over the top of the filling, spreading it to the edges to seal the pie. Don’t leave any of the filling showing.
• Place the pan back on the middle oven rack and bake for 15 minutes, or until the meringue is lightly golden brown.
• Place the pan on a wire rack to cool at room temperature for one hour.

Refrigerate the cooled sour cream-raisin pie for 3-4 hours before slicing for best results. Serve it chilled to keep the custard firm and the meringue billowy.

Serve this delicious homemade pie to your friends and family and watch the faces light up at the first bite.

Don’t be surprised when they come back, with second helpings finding their way to every plate. But don’t let the smiles fool you, because they’ll be squabbling over the last slice like Grandma left it in her will.

To store this pie, cover it lightly with plastic wrap or keep it in an airtight container. It’ll hold nicely in the refrigerator for a few days.

You can make it a day ahead and let it chill overnight, which actually helps the flavors settle and makes slicing even easier.

It’s not ideal for freezing, since the texture won’t be the same once thawed.

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