Pie isn’t just dessert—it’s a slice of love and pure comfort. To me, apple pie is great, but no pie holds a candle to my Mamaw’s pecan pie . With its buttery crust, gooey caramel filling and perfectly toasted pecans, it was the highlight of the holidays. And while store-bought pies are convenient, nothing compares to homemade. Pecan pie is a classic Southern dessert that features a flaky pie crust and a gooey mixture made from eggs, sugar, butter and just a touch of vanilla. Corn syrup is a traditional ingredient that gives the filling its signature smooth texture and sweetness, though some recipes use honey or maple syrup. The highlight, though, is the layer of toasted pecans on top that provides a crisp, crunchy contrast to the gooey filling. I haven't attempted to make my Mamaw's pie recipe, but I recently saw a 110-year-old pecan pie recipe making the social media rounds. Content creator @tastinghistorywithmaxmiller shared the vintage recipe, which switches the classic nut pie up a bit. Here's what you need to know. Related: The Incredibly Simple 94-Year-Old Dessert Recipe I'm Definitely Making for Thanksgiving 😋😋 SIGN UP to get delicious recipes, handy kitchen hacks & more in our daily Pop Kitchen newsletter 🍳 🍔 View the original article to see embedded media. What is the 1914 Pecan Pie? According to Miller, this pecan pie recipe from 1914 is made without corn syrup because corn syrup wasn't invented until the 1930s. This pie doesn't have the "goopy" filling but rather features a custard filling made with eggs, milk, brown sugar, flour, salt and chopped pecans. "Without the corn syrup, the flavor of the pecans are really allowed to be the star of the pie," he said. If you like a less sweet pie, this is the recipe for you! The recipe also calls for an unusual topping: meringue. The egg white and sugar mixture is piped on top, much like whipped cream and then gets toasted in the oven or with a culinary torch to give it a toasty flavor. Related: 12 Pumpkin Pie Twists That Are, Dare We Say, Better Than the Original? What Is a Custard Pie? A custard pie is a pie with an egg-based filling that bakes up smooth and creamy. As the filling bakes, the eggs help it set up so it slices cleanly. A pumpkin pie is a classic example of a custard-style pie. A chess pie, which sometimes has a bit of cornmeal mixed into the filling, is also a custard pie. Related: The Genius Pie Trick That Will Please Everyone at the Thanksgiving Table What Are People Saying About the 1914 Pecan Pie? "This recipe may be 110 years old, but I promise it tastes so much better than a modern pecan pie," said Miller in the video. I can't wait to make it! "My daughter makes one with maple syrup instead of Karo, and she adds the smallest splash of brandy and it’s an amazing alternative too. I’ll have to try this one it looks so good," someone commented on the Instagram post. That also sounds like a wonderful recipe! "My family usually makes a corn syrup-less version as well and when I first tried a standard one, I legitimately couldn’t finish a single piece," another person commented. That filling isn't for everyone, and that's ok! There are plenty of great alternatives out there and this recipe is just one. Up Next: Related: The Simple Depression-Era Pie Recipe That's Rich, Buttery and Absolutely Magical
Once again, Towson University cannot move forward with a new doctorate due to its similarity to a degree program at Morgan State University, the Maryland Higher Education Commission has ruled. Eight of the nine commissioners present Wednesday upheld a previous ruling that the doctorate in sustainability and environmental change proposed by Towson University duplicated Morgan State’s bioenvironmental science Ph.D. “It is the role and responsibility of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to prevent unreasonable duplication and unnecessary duplication,” wrote Kristin Clarkson, director of communications for the commission, in an email to The Baltimore Sun. “We encourage institutions to develop academic programs that are not duplicative of existing programs. Moreover, the Commission prioritizes collaboration among institutions to best serve students and the needs of the State.” Morgan State’s program is the only one of its kind in Maryland’s higher education system, according to the school’s website. The degree focuses on various environmental issues affecting biological systems. The key focus of Towson’s proposed program was climate change and sustainability, and included some science courses, the university told The Sun. Students would also be required to take nonscience courses in areas such as economics, geography and political science, making it a unique program in the state, a university official said. Officials at Towson said the school will continue to “seek avenues for accelerating engagement with community partners and collaboration with other universities.” “While TU respects the decision of the commissioners, we are disappointed in and do not concur with today’s denial of our appeal to the Maryland Higher Education Commission that would have led to the approval a unique and critically important interdisciplinary doctoral program in Sustainability and Environmental Change,” a Towson University spokesperson wrote in an email. “The graduates of such a unique program would have helped our state to meet the critical environmental and climate-change related challenges we all face today and increasingly will face in the future.” Morgan State officials referred questions to the higher education commission. It’s not the first time TU had a proposal for a graduate program rebuffed because the curriculum was ruled too similar to one offered at Baltimore’s Morgan State, which is a historically Black university about 4 miles away. In June 2023, to Towson University’s request to start a doctoral program in business analytics because they believed it duplicated a program already taught at the Cold Spring Lane campus. TU’s request was originally denied by a commission employee for being duplicative. The commission’s board overruled that decision in a 4-3 vote that allowed Towson to proceed, but the state’s , saying the vote was invalid. Towson eventually . “Preventing the duplication of academic programs at Maryland’s colleges and universities has a long history rooted in desegregation efforts,” Clarkson said. In May 2021, for the state to settle a lawsuit over the treatment of its four historically Black universities — Morgan State, Bowie State University, Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore — with $555 million in extra funding over 10 years. Alumni and supporters of the schools alleged the state systematically undermined the institutions and made it difficult to compete with the state’s other public universities for students and resources. In January, was assigned to evaluate policies for approving or denying college degree programs offered a list of recommendations for the higher education commission. Several of these recommendations focused on preventing program duplication.
Once again, Towson University cannot move forward with a new doctorate due to its similarity to a degree program at Morgan State University, the Maryland Higher Education Commission has ruled. Eight of the nine commissioners present Wednesday upheld a previous ruling that the doctorate in sustainability and environmental change proposed by Towson University duplicated Morgan State’s bioenvironmental science Ph.D. “It is the role and responsibility of the Maryland Higher Education Commission to prevent unreasonable duplication and unnecessary duplication,” wrote Kristin Clarkson, director of communications for the commission, in an email to The Baltimore Sun. “We encourage institutions to develop academic programs that are not duplicative of existing programs. Moreover, the Commission prioritizes collaboration among institutions to best serve students and the needs of the State.” Morgan State’s program is the only one of its kind in Maryland’s higher education system, according to the school’s website. The degree focuses on various environmental issues affecting biological systems. The key focus of Towson’s proposed program was climate change and sustainability, and included some science courses, the university told The Sun. Students would also be required to take nonscience courses in areas such as economics, geography and political science, making it a unique program in the state, a university official said. Officials at Towson said the school will continue to “seek avenues for accelerating engagement with community partners and collaboration with other universities.” “While TU respects the decision of the commissioners, we are disappointed in and do not concur with today’s denial of our appeal to the Maryland Higher Education Commission that would have led to the approval a unique and critically important interdisciplinary doctoral program in Sustainability and Environmental Change,” a Towson University spokesperson wrote in an email. “The graduates of such a unique program would have helped our state to meet the critical environmental and climate-change related challenges we all face today and increasingly will face in the future.” Morgan State officials referred questions to the higher education commission. It’s not the first time TU had a proposal for a graduate program rebuffed because the curriculum was ruled too similar to one offered at Baltimore’s Morgan State, which is a historically Black university about 4 miles away. In June 2023, to Towson University’s request to start a doctoral program in business analytics because they believed it duplicated a program already taught at the Cold Spring Lane campus. TU’s request was originally denied by a commission employee for being duplicative. The commission’s board overruled that decision in a 4-3 vote that allowed Towson to proceed, but the state’s , saying the vote was invalid. Towson eventually . “Preventing the duplication of academic programs at Maryland’s colleges and universities has a long history rooted in desegregation efforts,” Clarkson said. In May 2021, for the state to settle a lawsuit over the treatment of its four historically Black universities — Morgan State, Bowie State University, Coppin State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore — with $555 million in extra funding over 10 years. Alumni and supporters of the schools alleged the state systematically undermined the institutions and made it difficult to compete with the state’s other public universities for students and resources. In January, was assigned to evaluate policies for approving or denying college degree programs offered a list of recommendations for the higher education commission. Several of these recommendations focused on preventing program duplication.