The Kentucky Pie You'll Want To Eat Every Night Of The Week (It's That Good)

If you're not from Kentucky, you might not know about sawdust pie. Unlike derby pie (a fun twist on pecan pie), which has similarly Kentuckian origins, it's relatively little known outside of the state. This is a shame since it really is quite delicious (and completely sawdust-free). Sawdust pie is made from a mixture of crushed graham crackers, pecans, sugar, coconut flakes, and egg whites that's baked in a pie shell, covered in whipped cream, and served with sliced bananas.

Its flavor has been compared to a macaroon or the frosting of a German chocolate cake (which isn't German, by the way). Both of these comparisons are apt, but incomplete. While the pie does have a prominent coconut taste similar to macaroons or German chocolate cake frosting, it carries an additional warmth and complexity thanks to the addition of graham crackers and the nuttiness of pecans. Paired with a light dollop of whipped cream and banana, which complements the warm taste of the filling, this pie is a uniquely delicious treat. You can enjoy it cool, at room temp, or warm, and it's okay if the filling is a little soft in the center — it only adds to the experience. This pie makes the perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic as well as the Thanksgiving dinner table.

The pie itself is relatively easy to make, but there are a few tips and tricks to amp up this pie's flavor potential, starting with eggs. While the original pie recipe calls only for whites in the filling, you could substitute this for whole eggs if you want something richer (or if you simply don't feel like dividing eggs). The function of the whites is to bind the other ingredients, which whole eggs can do just as well.

Additionally, toast and crush your pecans before adding them to your filling. This further complements the toastiness of your graham crackers. To add to this unique flavor interplay, you could also swap regular sugar for brown sugar; the caramel-like flavor of brown sugar plays very well with the other filling ingredients. Adding on to this theme, add a thin layer of caramel to the top of your cooled pie (which you can easily make with a can of sweetened condensed milk), just below your whipped cream. All of these add-ins give this classic a fresh, sweet twist, though if you haven't had this pie before, you really ought to try it according to its original recipe first. It's a classic for a reason.

You may be wondering how sawdust pie came to be. After all, the combination of sugar, pecans, graham crackers, and coconut flakes isn't exactly intuitive (even if it is delicious). So who is to thank for this tasty, eclectic treat? That would be Patti Tullar. She opened a hotel with her husband, Bill Tullar, in 1975. This hotel quickly spiraled into several local businesses, including Patti's restaurant endeavor, Patti's 1880 Settlement (still a Kentucky institution). It was here that Tullar invented sawdust pie in 1977. Safe to say, it was a hit. In fact, it was such a hit that the one and only Bon Appétit reached out to Tullar for the pie recipe in 1983. As to how the pie got its name, that came from Tullar's children, who pointed out the pie's resemblance to sawdust when baked.