28 Worst Rated American Pies

Spaghetti pie is a traditional pie originating from Colorado. Although it’s often dubbed the most iconic pie of Colorado, spaghetti pie is savory and not sweet, like most other iconic state pies. It’s made with a combination of spaghetti, ground beef, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, butter, beaten eggs, and cheese such as mozzarella, ricotta, or parmesan. Parsley, basil, and oregano are often added to elevate the flavors. Once assembled, this savory pie is topped with cheese and baked in the oven until the cheese melts and the pasta becomes golden brown. Expand

Natchitoches are traditional meat pies originating from Louisiana. These small, savory pies are filled with a combination of ground beef and pork, onions, garlic, red bell peppers, celery, oregano, red pepper, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. The pie dough is made from flour, lard, eggs, whole milk, and baking powder. It's rolled and cut into circles that are filled and folded so the meat pies look like half-moons. The pies are fried in hot oil until golden brown, then drained and served. In the past, the pies were usually sold from street carts, but nowadays you can even order frozen Natchitoches meat pies online.Expand

Crawfish pie is a traditional savory American pie originating from Louisiana. These pies usually consist of a pie shell that's filled with a combination of crawfish tails, bell peppers, green onions, garlic, stock, parsley, milk, butter, cornstarch, and seasonings. The ingredients are cooked until the mixture thickens, and the filling is then poured into the pie crust. The pie is baked in the oven until the crust becomes golden brown and the filling is bubbling. This Cajun delicacy is especially popular on weekends. Interestingly, crawfish pie was even mentioned in the Hank Williams song Jambalaya (On the Bayou).Expand

Cheeseburger pie is a savory American pie that’s especially popular in Kansas, the biggest producer of beef in the United States. It’s usually made with a combination of ground beef, onions, cheddar cheese, cornstarch, sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and a pie crust. The meat and cheese are cooked with the other ingredients, and the resulting mixture is then poured into pie shells. The pie is baked until golden brown and puffy. It’s usually served as a simple and comforting weeknight meal.Expand

A specialty of southeastern Pennsylvania, this gooey, dark pie is an interesting combination of a rich filling made with molasses, brown sugar, butter, and a crunchy, crumbly topping. There are two theories to its origin: one says that the filling was so sweet that flies had to be shooed away as it was left to cool down, and the other theory says that it was inspired by Shoofly Molasses, a product that was popular in Pennsylvania in the 1800s when pies by that name first appeared. Regardless of its origins, shoofly pie is extremely similar to the sweet British treacle tart, made since medieval days in Europe. In Pennsylvanian Dutch country, populated by Mennonites, Moravians, and Amish, the pie was a staple dessert in the wintertime, when fruit supplies were scarce, and the expensive eggs were better off in other dishes. Shoofly pie was traditionally consumed for breakfast as a nourishing food that gave one enough energy to last until lunch-time. Today, it's almost always a dessert, a sweet treat, and a great example of regional American food.Expand

Although not much is known about the origin of this classic pie, it is typically associated with Midwestern and Southern American states. The pie is assembled with a pre-baked pastry shell that is filled with a butterscotch base—usually prepared with a combination of caramelized sugar, butter, milk, and eggs. Butterscotch pie can be served plain, but it is also commonly topped with whipped cream or lightly browned meringue.Expand

Haupia pie is a traditional pie originating from Hawaii. This chilled layered pie consists of a base of chocolate pudding and whipped cream topping, and in between, there is a layer of haupia (a gelatinous coconut pudding made with coconut milk, cornstarch, and sugar). The pie also contains an outer shell, a pie crust that’s baked until golden brown. Before serving, this Hawaiian staple is usually garnished with chocolate shaving over the whipped cream topping. Haupia pie can be found as a signature dish at most coffee shops and bakeries in Hawaii.Expand

With meringue being its ultimate inspiration, chiffon pie was originally made with the incredibly light, mousse-like filling based on egg whites and a crisp shell of graham crackers acting as a base. This American classic is said to have been invented in Los Angeles in 1926 by a baker named Monroe Boston Strause. Within a couple of years of his invention, Strause boasted the largest pie business in the West, and became known as the nation's champion pie maker, or simply the Pie King. The delicate chiffon pie is still today one of country's favorite desserts and it most often comes with a zesty, lemon-flavored filling.Expand

Luscious cream pies are one of the most famous American desserts. Uncomplicated and refreshing, they are usually made with a crunchy bottom crust and a rich, creamy filling, all topped with generous amounts of whipped cream. It is not clear when and where the first cream pie was created, but in the 19th century, they started to appear in the most notable cookbooks at the time. Originally, the crust was made with a basic flour and lard or butter mix, creating a flaky foundation for the decadent filling. Nowadays, the bottom is also commonly made with crushed or crumbled cookies and graham crackers. Primarily, the filling for cream pies was only vanilla-based; it was a custard or a pudding-like cream, thick and lush, created with egg yolks and vanilla. Although a subtle vanilla custard is still the predominant flavor, numerous other varieties, primarily chocolate, have been introduced to become new American favorites. Mocha, butterscotch, caramel, and peanut butter are only a few of the most famous varieties. However, the coconut cream pie and banana cream pie are probably the most important kinds which have become hallmark desserts in the United States. Cream pies are usually associated with traditional American diners where they are prepared and served on a daily basis as the universal American dessert.Expand

Possum pie is a traditional pie originating from Arkansas, where it enjoys a cult-like status. The name of the pie is a play on words because to play possum means to be asleep or dead, referring to the fact that the whipped cream topping of this pie hides two more layers underneath – one made of chocolate, and the other of cream cheese, vanilla pudding, or sour cream. Sometimes, the chocolate custard is replaced with fruit, but it’s not as common. Once done, possum pie is usually sprinkled with chopped pecans and then served.Expand