11 Regional Types Of Pie You Should Try At Least Once

"As American as apple pie," the saying goes. And sure, classic apple pie is well-loved across the U.S. According to YouGov, it's only actually disliked by 6% of the population. But is one pie really enough to define an entire nation of people? We'll answer that for you: No, it isn't.

We get it, "as American as apple pie" has a nice ring to it, but it just doesn't tell the full story. Across the country, many different regions and states have their own beloved pies. Many come with a healthy dose of history attached, created thanks to a mix of local traditions, generational know-how, and seasonal ingredients.

Here, we've listed some of the best regional pies in the U.S. that everyone should try at least once. From crumbly Pennsylvanian shoofly to Mississippi's ultra-indulgent mud pie and Delaware's juicy peach dessert, there is arguably something for everyone.

If you're a passionate amateur baker, we'll hold your hand while we say this: There was a time when baking powder didn't exist. Yes, this ingenious leavening agent that helps baked goods to rise wasn't actually patented until the mid-1800s, and didn't hit the mainstream until a few decades later. The invention led to the development of some beloved baked goods, including Pennsylvania's shoofly pie.

This simple pie, made with just a handful of baking staples, including molasses and sugar, is reminiscent of an English treacle tart with its crumbly top, gooey inside, and incredibly sweet, rich flavor. While it's still popular in many Pennsylvania Dutch households, it is an example of an American pie that has been widely forgotten, but many believe it deserves more mainstream recognition. "I grew up in South Central PA. The Mennonites, one local shop, and my Great Grandma all made shoo fly pie that I loved," reads one Reddit post. Another adds: "Growing up near the Amish, there was shoofly pie in every diner. It's the best."

Oh, and if you're wondering about that unique name, we're sorry to say we don't have a definitive origin story for you. Some claim it's named after an old brand of molasses, while others say it comes from waving flies away from the sugary treat. Shoo, fly — get it?

Nobody knows who, exactly, invented key lime pie, but we do know that recipes started to appear in the early 1900s, and over the 20th century, it became a Floridian classic. In fact, by the 1990s, it was so beloved, it was officially recognized by law as a symbol of The Sunshine State. Made with ingredients like condensed milk, egg yolks, and lime juice, the pie's appeal lies in its zesty, sweet, and slightly tart flavor profile, but also its bouncy center and golden crust.

Authentic key lime pie is hard to come by these days. A Miami drought in the 1960s nearly wiped out most of Florida's homegrown limes, and now, most are shipped in from Mexico. Although, truly, it depends on your definition of authentic. Key lime pie might be from Florida, but key limes were actually brought to the U.S. from Mexico in the first place back in the early 20th century (and before that, they had been native to Southeast Asia).

Authenticity aside, key lime pie is well worth a spot on your table. Its signature tang means it's not sickly sweet like some other dessert pies, and helps it cut through heavy, savory meals beautifully. If you don't want to make it from scratch, you can always stock up on a store bought version. Our taste-tester's favorite? Kenny's All-Natural Key Lime Pie, which is "perfectly balanced" and "tastes amazing."

If you love the zesty, tangy flavor of key lime pie, another pie you should try at least once is Ohio's Shaker lemon pie. As the name suggests, this dessert was initially created by Ohio's Shaker community, who settled in the state in the early 1800s.

Shakers, who valued frugality as a part of their faith, specialized in baking many pies with just a handful of ingredients. A Shaker apple pie, for example, comes together with just apples, rosewater, sugar, and cream. But the lemon pie, made with eggs, sugar, and lemons (including the rinds) is among the most flavorful. "If you make only one [Shaker pie recipe], make the Shaker Lemon Pie," said one redditor under a post of old Shaker recipes. "It's my favorite lemon pie recipe out there, hands down."

The lemons, which are sliced thin and macerated in sugar, do most of the heavy lifting in this tart, sweet, zesty dessert, so it's important to choose the right kind. Many find that Meyer lemons work best, thanks to their natural sweetness and fragrant, herbal aroma.

Maple syrup is one of the best dessert ingredients out there, especially during the fall months. But, of course, nobody understands that better than New Englanders. In fact, people in this Northeastern region have been maple sugaring (harvesting sap from maple trees to make sugar) since long before the arrival of European pilgrims in the 1600s.

It's hard to pin down exactly who came up with the idea of using maple and cream to make a pie, but one early recipe can be credited to Wayside Restaurant, Bakery & Creamery in Montpelier, Vermont. The eatery has been making its signature New England fare since 1918, and its maple cream pie is one of its most beloved desserts.

If you enjoy crème brûlée, there's a strong chance you'll like maple cream pie. Just like the popular French dessert, the top is caramelized, sweet, and crunchy, while the filling is smooth and velvety. There is also a Québécois version of maple cream pie (which makes sense, given Canada's love of maple syrup), which is similar, but has a more custard-like texture.

Sweet potato pie is synonymous with Southern food, but it didn't actually originate there. It was the 16th century Europeans who first started combining potatoes with eggs and spices to make a sweet, warming dessert. In fact, rumor has it sweet potato pie was a favorite of King Henry VIII. Still, the pie that exists today — with its natural sweet and earthy flavor, harmonious balance of spices, and velvety texture — was refined and mastered by Southern cooks. Specifically, Black Southern cooks. In many African countries, yams are the tuber of choice, but in the Deep South, enslaved people made use of what they had. Today, sweet potato, native to the Americas, is a cornerstone of many Southern dishes.

Many maintain that sweet potato pie trumps traditional pumpkin pie, especially during holiday celebrations. And across the South, people still make recipes for the sweet dish passed down through generations. But even if you don't have a family recipe, the internet is flooded with advice on how to perfect this classic Southern dessert. Some swear by using baked sweet potatoes, for example, while others are adamant that a splash of lemon will take the pie to the next level. But of course, many are all about keeping it simple, with classic ingredients like sweet potato puree, butter, eggs, and warm spices.

If you're familiar with Hawaiian food, you've probably tasted haupia at some point. It's a rich, sweet, and bouncy pudding, made by combining coconut milk with sugar, cornstarch, and water. Stemming from indigenous Polynesian cuisine, the dessert has been eaten across Hawaii for generations. But the haupia chocolate pie is a much more recent invention; it was developed by accident, when Ted Nakamura of Ted's Bakery in Oahu decided to experiment with combining haupia with shortcut pastry and chocolate custard in the 1980s. In short, people loved it.

Decades on from Nakamura's initial experiment, haupia chocolate pie isn't just one of Ted's Bakery's best sellers, it's a beloved Hawaiian staple. And for good reason; sweet, silky haupia and smooth, decadent chocolate custard complement each other perfectly against the crumbly texture of the shortcut pastry.

Fun fact, in Hawaii, even McDonald's offers its own haupia pie, but many say that nothing beats Ted's. "If you're looking for something like what they have at Ted's Bakery I have yet to find it," reads one comment in the r/BigIsland subreddit, in response to a person willing to drive across the Island of Hawaiʻi for a taste of some decent haupia chocolate pie.

When you think of peaches, your mind probably goes straight to Georgia. It is fondly known as the Peach State, after all. But while the state does indeed have a ripe appetite for peaches and a history of farming the fruit, it is not the home of peach pie. Nope, this sweet, juicy dessert belongs to Delaware. In fact, Delaware loves peach pie so much, it has even adopted the dish as the state's official dessert. It's not surprising really, given that, much like Georgia, Delaware has a long and profitable history of growing peaches. Before disease ravaged its peach crops in the early 20th century, Delaware was one of the biggest peach producers in the U.S.

There is an abundance of ways to perfect a peach pie, and many home cooks have their own signature twists on the recipe. Some older recipes call for ingredients like peach Jell-O and Cool Whip, while others say it's best to use fresh, peeled peaches to get the juiciest, sweetest, most refreshing flavor. Ina Garten is a fan of peach pie, and her special trick? Add a splash of orange juice and some orange zest to cut through the sweetness and bring a little tang to the popular dessert.

Possums are a pretty common sight in Arkansas, but they're not exactly well-loved. They can damage property and kill farm animals, and sometimes, this nuisance behavior can get them into trouble with the locals. But don't worry, the rodents aren't usually killed and baked into pies. That's not where this is going.

However, as the name suggests, possums are, indeed, the inspiration behind possum pie. The dessert usually features several layers of indulgent goodness. There's chocolate pudding, cream cheese, and a shortbread crust, which is all covered up with a generous layer of whipped cream. This is where the possum comes in; it's a tenuous link, granted, but the cream is supposed to be deceitful, hiding the filling from view. A possum is also a little deceitful when it enacts its classic defense mechanism of playing dead. We told you, tenuous.

Anyway, questionable name aside, possum pie has a lot of fans. Not just for the rich, decadent taste, but also because it's easy to make. It doesn't even need to go in the oven — layer cream cheese, chocolate pudding, and whipped cream with pecans (if you fancy it) over a store bought pie crust, refrigerate, and you're good to go.

It's not surprising that Maine's official state dessert is a blueberry pie. The New England state is renowned for its wild blueberries, which grow naturally in the height of summer and are known for their small size and strong, sharp, sweet taste. Some might say they are the blueberriest of the blueberries, thanks to their potent flavor. It's no surprise that, alongside lobster rolls and red snapper hot dogs, they made our writer's list of the iconic Maine eats everyone should try once.

While there are many ways to enjoy Maine's blueberries, a pie is arguably one of the best. A traditional Maine blueberry pie is incredibly simple, allowing the fruit to be the overriding flavor. There is no hidden chocolate or an elaborate layer of cream; instead, the pie is made up of simple ingredients like flour, sugar, pastry, and maybe a splash of lemon juice as a flavor enhancer.

Don't fret, just as possum pie isn't actually made with possum, Mississippi mud pie isn't actually made with mud either. It's called mud pie because of the way it looks — the rich chocolatey pie usually appears dark, gooey, and dense, just like the mud from the Mississippi River.

A misleading name isn't the only thing mud pies have in common with possum pies. Just like Arkansas' beloved sweet treat, mud pies are also usually made with chocolate custard and whipped cream. However, this Southern dessert arguably takes indulgence to the next level. Everyone has their own spin on the pie; some add a layer of chocolate brownie, too, while others opt for an Oreo crust or crushed pecans.

When it comes to mud pie, it seems there are no hard and fast rules. You can throw in layers of marshmallows, cookies, or cake, anything to make it as chocolatey, sweet, and as rich as possible.

Pecans have a long history with the land that we now call Texas. In fact, some reports suggest that the nut has grown there since prehistoric times. So when we say long, we mean like, really, really long. We don't know exactly when Texans started baking pecans into pie, but some of the earliest written recipes appear in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Different families had their own way of making the nutty dessert; but in general, it was a pretty simple pie, consisting of just pecans, eggs, butter, molasses, and pie crust. In the 1930s, people started adding Karo corn syrup to their pecan pie recipes, and the brand used the dish in many of its marketing materials throughout the mid-20th century. In fact, this is why some people refer to pecan pie as Karo pie.

Karo's marketing push wasn't the only reason that pecan pie soared in popularity. The dessert speaks for itself, with its delicious balance of flavors. The syrup gives it a rich, caramel-like flavor, but the nuttiness of the pecans helps to prevent it from becoming too saccharine. However, to really cut through the sweetness, try Martha Stewart's trick of adding some grated lemon zest.