Hough’s Mushrooom Pie
A Savory Taste of Cleveland History
Hough Bakery’s Mushroom Pie is a savory Cleveland classic that once found its way onto Thanksgiving and holiday tables throughout Northeast Ohio. With earthy mushrooms tucked into a rich, creamy filling and surrounded by a flaky double crust, it’s easy to understand why this unusual savory pie became such a favorite.
Although Hough Bakery closed in 1992, memories of its baked goods—and recipes inspired by them—have lived on. This mushroom pie brings a little of that Cleveland nostalgia back to the table. Check out the links to Hough Bakery’s stories at the end of this post.
Why You’ll Love It
This isn't your typical mushroom pie. The mushrooms and onions are cooked in butter, then combined with cream and just a hint of nutmeg to create a rich, velvety filling. Wrapped in a golden, flaky double crust, it's hearty enough to serve as a meatless main dish but also makes a wonderful addition to a Thanksgiving or holiday table.
Ingredients
12 ounces fresh button mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped onion
7 tablespoons butter, divided
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
Milk, as needed to make 2 cups total liquid*
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash of black pepper
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 8-inch unbaked double-crust pie shell
*The reserved mushroom cooking liquid, heavy cream, and milk should equal 2 cups total.
Instructions
Cook the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms and onion in 2 tablespoons of the butter until softened. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid, and set the mushroom mixture aside.
Make the roux. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring, until bubbly.
Make the cream sauce. Combine the reserved mushroom liquid with the heavy cream. Add enough milk to make 2 cups of liquid total. Slowly whisk this mixture into the butter and flour.
Thicken the filling. Continue cooking over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce has thickened.
Finish the filling. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in the mushroom and onion mixture and heat through.
Assemble the pie. Pour the mushroom filling into the unbaked bottom pie crust. Cover with the top crust, seal the edges and cut several small vents in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the filling is hot.
Allow the pie to rest briefly before slicing. Serve warm.
Dan’s Tips
Don't throw away the mushroom liquid. That concentrated cooking liquid becomes part of the cream sauce and adds considerably more mushroom flavor.
Let it rest before slicing. Give the finished pie about 10–15 minutes to settle after it comes out of the oven. The creamy filling will hold together better when sliced.
Make it your own. Button mushrooms keep this close to the traditional recipe, but cremini mushrooms can add a deeper, earthier flavor.
For Thanksgiving: This makes an especially nice vegetarian addition to the holiday table and is substantial enough to serve as a main dish.
To Freeze
The original recipe notes that the pie can be frozen unbaked. Cool the filling completely before assembling and freezing. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator before baking.
A Taste of Cleveland History: Hough Bakery
For nearly 90 years, Hough Bakery was more than a bakery—it was part of growing up in Cleveland. Founded by Lionel A. Pile in 1903 with a single shop on Hough Avenue, the family business grew to become the largest multiple-unit bakery in Ohio and one of the ten largest in the country.
Generations of Northeast Ohio families celebrated birthdays, weddings, holidays and everyday occasions with Hough’s signature cakes, pastries, breads and other favorites. At its height, the company employed more than 1,000 people and operated dozens of locations throughout the region.
Hough Bakery closed abruptly in August 1992, but for many Clevelanders, the name still brings back memories of bakery boxes, special occasions—and flavors they haven't forgotten.
That history makes Hough’s Mushroom Pie more than an old recipe. It’s a little taste of Cleveland history.
Read more about Hough Bakery’s history and see historic photographs at Cleveland Historical
Line-up After V-J Holidays, 1945 Customers form a line outside of a Hough Bakery the day after V-J (or Victory in Japan) Day, which celebrated the end of World War II in 1945. It is likely that the bakeries were closed on V-J Day, leading to the rush of shoppers looking to restock their pantries the following day. Image courtesy of Cleveland State University Library Special Collections
Hough Southgate, 1955 Employees admire the display of baked goods at Hough's Southgate Shopping Center location in 1955. Hough grew to have dozens of retail stores in the Greater Cleveland area as it expanded in the decades following World War II. Image courtesty of Cleveland State University Library Special Collections
Pile Bros., 1945 Picture left to right, Robert, Kenneth, Lawrence and Arthur Pile look on as John Odoski decorates one of Hough Bakeries signature cakes in 1945. Source: Cleveland State University Library Special Collections
Production, 1953 Bakers pour batter into various cake molds at Hough's main plant at 1519 Lakeview Road in Cleveland. Image courtesy of Cleveland State University Library Special Collections