Simplified recipes with alternative ingredients, including desserts such as
Depression cake, were popular during the late 1920s and 1930s when most ingredients were scarce or unaffordable.[4][5] Water pie in particular, dating back to 1929 cookbooks from the
Great Depression in the United States, was resurfaced by
TikTok users and food blogs in the 2020s, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of which highlighted its low cost and simplicity.[2][6]
Ingredients
The pie is made by adding water mixed with sugar, flour and butter, and sometimes some spice such as vanilla or
cinnamon, to a
pie crust. The
starch in the flour makes the mixture set and thicken, thus acquiring a
custard-like consistency.[1]Soft drinks such as
Sprite may be used in place of water.[7]