If you think oatmeal and coconut together sound like the beginning of granola or breakfast, think again. This is a delicious pie that will keep you coming back for seconds. This isn’t your dainty cream pie… it has flavor and texture and is perfect baked in a traditional 9-inch pie pan. Be sure to put this pie on your calendar as a must-try and you may just find that it becomes a family favorite. 

One of my favorite part of making pies is the fact that easy everyday kitchen ingredients can be combined for delicious flavors. This pie is no exception. Another great part of this pie is that it can be prepared as a gluten free pie. Just substitute a gluten free flour for the all-purpose flour as well as the flour in your pie crust and use certified gluten free oats. Both of these ingredients are available at Kitchen Kneads. Most of the ingredients needed for this pie are known as bare bones ingredients. Give it a try!!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pie

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
• ¾ cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¾ cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Mix well. Add the evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla. Mix well.
3. In a small bowl, combine the oats, coconut, and flour. Add the oat mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until blended.
4. Pour into a prepared unbaked pie crust. Top with chopped pecans and bake for 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 30-35 minutes. Bake until the center is set. Test by touching the pie center slightly to see if it is almost firm. Do not over bake.
5. Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Serve with one of the following or a combination to your liking – whipped cream, fresh fruit, or ice cream. Store left overs tightly sealed in the refrigerator. 

Source:  adapted from savingdessert.com

Pinto bean pie may not sound all that appetizing at first, but I assure you it’s much better than it sounds. I’ve discovered since making 20 pies in the last 3 weeks that you can make pie out of pretty much anything as long as you have flour and sugar. For example, the vinegar pie that was born out of desperation. And honestly, I think that’s pretty neat. Use what you have to make a treat. In this case, it’s pinto beans.

From the top it looks mostly like a pecan pie. Maybe because it does have a few pecans in it. Pinto beans are pretty mild in flavor and can soak up other flavors and sweetness pretty well. I actually think this pie is pretty good. Give it a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised!

Pinto Bean Pie

• Pastry for single crust pie (9-inch)
• 3/4 cup pinto beans (warmed and lightly mashed)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Roll out pastry for crust to 1/8-inch circle. Place in pie pan, trim edges, and flute as desired. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the pinto beans, sugar, eggs, butter, pecans, vanilla, and salt.
4. Pour into prepared pie shell.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pie is set, but the center is still slightly jiggly.
6. Cool completely.