In a tiny town in Utah, there's a restaurant that serves an unusual dessert. People come from miles around just to try it (and pretty much that, because there's not a lot else to be found). Bicknell, Utah, about 200 miles from Salt Lake City, is a town of just over 300 people and one SunGlow Family Restaurant and Motel. The SunGlow is home to the Bicknell favorite known as pickle pie.
Now, you know that pickle flavor is super trendy with all sorts of pickle-flavored offerings on grocery store shelves. Most of those snacks are savory, but those of us in the know are well aware that pickle works as a dessert, too. At the SunGlow Cafe, pickle pie is definitely a sweet treat.
The pie filling is sweet pickles, ground and mixed with eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon extract, cream, and margarine. The pickle filling goes into a regular pie crust and is topped with whipped cream for serving.
How did the town of Bicknell and the SunGlow become home to the famous pickle pie? Back in 1965 Milton Taft built the motel, and his sister Cula Ekker became the restaurant's cook. Now, Cula was known as the "Pie Queen" of Wayne County, Utah, so it's not surprising that her pies are both creative and good.
Some folks describe the taste of this unique pie as being a little like mincemeat. There's a balance of sweet and sour that makes the pie work.
Although Cula passed away several years ago, she left her recipes to Bessie Stewart, who has worked at the Sunglow for over 30 years and makes around 14 fresh pies every day. If you make it to the SunGlow, you definitely need to try the pickle pie. You can also try a pie sampler, which comes with four smaller slices of oatmeal pie, buttermilk pie, the famous pickle pie and the almost as famous pinto-bean pie.
And if you want to try your hand at making pickle pie, here are three pickle pie recipes we think you'll like.
Utah Pickle Pie
This recipe is a version of Cula Ekker's original pie. Basically, you make a pickle custard and bake it in a pie shell for an amazing dessert.
Get the recipe here.
Pink Preggers Pickle Pie
If you're a fan of koolickles, you're going to love this pie. The combo of dill pickle and cherry Kool-aid is popular, especially in the South. And in spite of the recipe name, you don't have to be pregnant to enjoy this treat.
Get the recipe here.
Cheeseburger Pie
If the thought of pickles in dessert form is not for you, here's a savory version. It's a cheeseburger in pie form, with ground beef, cheddar cheese, chopped dill pickles and dill pickle juice baked into a pie shell. You could also bake this recipe up in mini pie shells for a fantastic party appetizer.
Get the recipe here.
This post was originally published on April 6, 2020.
