We Don't Know How To Feel About Utah's Pickle Pie

Known for state favorites like funeral potatoes and fry sauce, Utah's food scene may not be as well-known as iconic food states like Louisiana or Tennessee, but it certainly sets itself apart with unique dishes. One eatery that has developed a reputation for a dessert you'll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else is the Sunglow Restaurant and Motel. Located in Bicknell, a tiny town with just over 300 inhabitants, the Sunglow radiates small-town warmth with its satisfying soups and homemade pies. In addition to classics such as buttermilk and coconut cream pie, they have unconventional items including pinto bean and pickle pie. It may be surprising to hear that pickle pie has become a beloved favorite, but don't knock it until you try it!

While it's not unheard of to see dill pickle-flavored snacks like Goldfish crackers, potato chips, popcorn, ketchup, hot sauce, and even beer, they're often savory foods that draw customers in with their curious gimmick. Sunglow's pickle pie, on the other hand, is a menu staple, and definitely a sweet creation rather than savory. It traces its origins all the way back to the '60s and has remained a local favorite to this day.

In 1965, Milton Taft built the Sunglow Motel, and his sister, Cula Ekker, joined the staff as a restaurant cook. Ekker was known as the "Pie Queen" of Wayne County for her tasty Depression-era pie creations. Among Sunglow's menu items was an unusual recipe she came across in a magazine: The pickle pie. While she found the recipe lacking, she was intrigued by the prospect and decided to put her own spin on it. The process took trial and error, but eventually she perfected the recipe into the famous dish it is today.

The hit pie attracted curious tourists from all over, including some bikers who enjoyed the dish enough to ask for Ekker's secret recipe. They agreed to an exchange; one of the bikers gave her a recipe for pinto bean pie in return for instructions on how to make pickle pie. Other recipes, like Cula's apple pie and chocolate cream pie, have developed a reputation of their own. While the Sunglow's pickle pie recipe has since become not-so-secret, Cula Ekker keeps others like the pinto bean pie recipe close to her chest.

Though Cula Ekker passed away in 2014, her legacy lives on with the Sunglow. Its pies, while divisive for some (especially the pinto bean pie), have become famous for a reason. Various recreations of the dish have been constructed online, with Well Done and Gold Star Bakery making their own versions of the local favorite.

If you find yourself in the area, stop at 91 East Main Street in Bicknell and visit the Sunglow Motel and Restaurant. Try their crispy sweet potato tots and delicious salsa, and end off with their four-pie sampler that includes buttermilk, oatmeal, pinto bean, and, of course, pickle pie. The oatmeal pie is reminiscent of an oatmeal cookie and the pinto bean pie has similarities to pecan pie with a hint of coconut. Many find the pickle pie similar in texture to mincemeat with a sweet-and-sour pickle tang. It's flavored with lemon extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg, in addition to, of course, pickles. While the pairing may be unconventional, it has undoubtedly developed a legacy that put the Sunglow on the map.