Easy Sour Cream Raisin Pie

This is the most stripped-down sour cream raisin pie recipe out there. Five ingredients, one bowl, no stovetop work. Mix sour cream, sugar, raisins, and an egg straight into an unbaked shell and let the oven do everything from there.

The low temperature is the trick. Ninety minutes at 275°F (135°C) gives the egg and sour cream time to set into a tender custard without scrambling or weeping. A higher heat would crack the surface and turn the filling grainy. Patience is the active ingredient here.

The raisins plump as they sit in the wet filling, swelling with sour cream and sugar so each bite carries a burst of fruit against the creamy custard background. Use plump, fresh raisins, not the rock-hard ones that have been sitting in your pantry since last Christmas.

Chef Tips

• Whisk just until everything is combined. Overbeating incorporates air that turns the custard foamy and uneven.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any spillover. The shell is filled close to the brim and a sheet pan saves you from oven-bottom cleanup.
• Tent the crust edges with foil after 60 minutes if they brown too fast. The total bake is long enough to risk overdone edges.
• Cool fully on a wire rack before slicing. The custard sets up properly only when completely cool.

Variations

• Add ¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a spiced version.
• Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts for crunch and earthy contrast.
• Use golden raisins or a mix of golden and dark for visual contrast and a sharper fruit flavor.