Sugar Cream Pie in Indianapolis: What It Is, How to Order

Sugar cream pie is Indiana's unofficial state pie: a smooth, sweet filling of sugar and cream in a pastry shell, dusted with nutmeg or cinnamon. In Indianapolis it turns up on dessert menus and bakery counters year round. This guide explains where it came from, what a good slice should be like and how to order one with confidence.

This guide covers the history, the ingredients, the eggs argument and how to keep notes on every slice you try.

What is sugar cream pie, the Hoosier pie?

The Indiana Historical Society describes it as a "desperation pie," one made without seasonal ingredients such as fruit. Sugar is the only ingredient every recipe shares. Most add cream or milk, vanilla, nutmeg or cinnamon, and sometimes a thickener such as flour or cornstarch. Wikipedia lists it as a custard pie with a filling of cream, sugar and cornstarch, also called sugar pie, baked briefly at high heat and then chilled.

The result is a pale, creamy slice with a soft set and a flavor that is mostly sweet cream, with spice on top. It is a plain pie, so it shows off small differences: how well the filling is cooked, how fresh the cream tastes and how crisp the crust stays.

Where did Indiana's state pie come from?

According to the Indiana Historical Society, as reported by WFYI, recipes for the pie go back to the early days of Indiana statehood. The society's own answer on the pie says it probably began with Shaker communities and later arose separately in Amish baking, and notes that the full name "sugar cream pie" seems to be more recent, not common in cookbooks until after World War II. Wikipedia repeats a belief that Quaker settlers from North Carolina brought it to East Central Indiana in the early 1800s. The accounts differ, so treat the origin as a good story with several authors.

It is called a desperation pie because the ingredients sit in any pantry. WFYI reports that a bill to rename it Hoosier pie never reached the governor's desk, which is why it remains the unofficial state pie. The Hoosier Pie Trail across the state shows how seriously Indiana takes it.

Does real sugar cream pie have eggs?

This is the argument you will hear at any table. WFYI reports that enthusiasts agree a true sugar cream pie does not include eggs. The Indiana Historical Society says a pie can have eggs but probably should not, and that too many is a problem, while some bakers insist any pie with eggs is a custard pie by another name. Wikipedia says eggs are sometimes used but most enthusiasts consider them improper.

You do not need to take a side. If the texture matters to you, ask how the pie is made. A pie without eggs tends to set softer and taste more of cream; one with eggs can be firmer and more like a classic custard. Neither is wrong, but now you know what you are comparing.

How do you order and judge a slice in Indianapolis?

Ask whether the pie is made in house or brought in, whether it is served chilled or at room temperature and whether the crust is baked fresh. A good slice holds its shape on the fork without turning rubbery, tastes of cream before sugar and carries a light dusting of spice rather than a heavy one. Be wary of a filling that is weeping liquid, a crust gone soft and wet, or a flavor that is only sweetness.

Pair it the way many Hoosiers do, with plain black coffee, which cuts the sugar. Share a slice after a big meal, since it is rich. If you want to compare, order the plain version at each stop before you try variations with chocolate, fruit or extra spice.

What should you ask about ingredients?

The pie contains dairy and sugar and almost always wheat in the crust, and many recipes use flour or cornstarch to thicken the filling. Some versions use eggs. If you avoid any of these, ask the kitchen how this pie is made. Say the need first, ask whether the crust is made in the same space as other baking, and treat the answer as that day's information. Recipes and cooks change.

How can Mosey help you remember a slice?

Open the Mosey app after dessert and rate the pie as a dish, with a few words on the filling, the crust and the spice. Only the place and the stars are required. Add a tag, attach a photo and tag the friend who shared the slice, who can add their own rating of the same dessert.

Keep your slices in a list called Pie comparisons and send the invite link so a friend can add theirs, even if they have not joined Mosey yet. Follow friends to see what they rated and saved. The ratings page explains rating by the dish and the lists page explains shared lists.

Mosey is a food app for rating dishes, keeping lists and sharing them with friends, so a slice you loved is easy to find again.

Where else can you read about Indianapolis?

For a savory Indiana classic, see the pork tenderloin sandwich guide, and for a method that works anywhere in town, read how to find good food in Indianapolis. The Mass Ave guide, the food halls guide and the cheap eats guide cover where to wander. See the Indianapolis page, the Indiana page and the US food guides.

Next time a slice lands on your table in Indianapolis, rate it in the Mosey app and start your pie list.