posted Nov 25, 2025

Lancaster County Recipes

Missing Lancaster and all the wonderful food it has to offer? We’ve got your back! Follow the recipes below to bring a taste of Lancaster County into your kitchen.

Shoofly Pie

Whoopie Pies

Ham Balls

Pennsylvania Dutch Hot Bacon Dressing

Shoofly Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4lb (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 9" single crust pie pastry in a pie plate

Directions:

Heat oven to 450°F
Mix the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a bowl. Cut in the butter and mix to create the crumb topping
Combine together the water, molasses, and baking soda in a bowl and then pour the mixture into the pastry shell in the pie plate
Add the crumb topping on top
Bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for another 20 minutes, or until set.

Source: NY Times Recipe

Whoopie Pies

Ingredients for Cookie:

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 cup baking cocoa
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup hot water

Ingredients for Filling:

2 egg whites, beaten
4 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup shortening

Directions:

Start the cookies by creaming together sugar and shortening, then add 2 eggs
Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt. Add to creamed mixture alternating with milk, then add the vanilla
Dissolve baking soda in hot water, and add to mixture and combine well
Scoop onto baking tray like a cookie, bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes
While cookies bake, mix together egg whites, vanilla extract, milk, and 2 cups powdered sugar
Beat in the shortening and the remaining powdered sugar
On a cooled cookie, spread filling on the flat side, then top with another cookie

Source: Food.com Recipe

Chicken Corn Soup

Ingredients:

2 3lb chickens, cut into pieces
3 quarts of water
2 onions, minced
1 cup chopped celery
2 1/2 tablespoons salt
1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
10 ears of corn
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 cup milk

Directions:

In a large pot on medium heat, add the chicken, water, onions, celery, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 2 hours, adding water as needed until chicken is tender.
Remove chicken from soup and refrigerate both the soup and the chicken. When the fat solidifies on the surface of the soup, remove from the fridge and remove the fat.
Remove corn from the cob.
Add to the remaining soup in a pot on medium heat and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until corn is tender (approx 10-15 mins).
While completing step 3, place 2 eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let sit in hot water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop the eggs
Cut up cooled chicken and add to soup. In a medium bowl, beat the remaining egg until light in color, then beat in flour and milk until smooth. Drop this batter by small spoonfuls
into hot broth to make small dumplings.
Stir constantly for 2-5 minutes, until dumplings hold shape and float to the surface.
Stir in the chopped-up eggs

Source: All Recipes

Red Beet Eggs

Ingredients:

6 hard boiled eggs
1 can small sliced beets
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Start with cooled, peeled, hard boiled eggs
Strain liquid from canned beets into a small saucepan and set the beets aside
Combine the vinegars, sugar, and salt with the beet juice in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes
Put eggs and beets in a jar, pour the vinegar mixture over the eggs and beets
Cover and refrigerate. Best after at least two days in the mixture

Source: Crafty Cooking Mama Recipe

Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken & Waffles

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1/2 chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
1 stalk celery
1 medium carrot
1 small onion, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 cans of chicken broth
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup cold water
Waffles

Directions:

Heat oil in a stew pan on high
While cooking, make waffles
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken, add to pan and brown on both sides
Add celery, carrot, onion, bay leaf, and broth
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender (approx 1 hour)
Remove the chicken from the pot, cool and pull apart meat into small pieces
Skim excess fat from both, remove vegetables
Mix flour and water until smooth
Bring broth to a slow boil, and add flour/water mixture gradually, stirring after each addition. Continue until gravy is desired thickness and taste
Add chicken and keep warm on low heat
Serve with chicken and gravy on top of the waffles

Source: Food.com Recipe

Pennsylvania Dutch Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

1 cup flour, and some extra for rolling the dough
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
2 bone-in chicken breasts
8 cups chicken broth
4 medium yukon potatoes, peeled and largely diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and largely diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and quartered
Pinch of ground turmeric

Directions

Blend egg, milk, and melted butter together
Add the blend to the flour and salt, mix until combined but don’t overmix
Sprinkle extra flour on the dough to avoid stickiness, and roll dough to approx. ⅛” thick. Cut into squares approx. 2” x 2
Lay noodles onto flour dusted wax paper, cover and set aside.
In a large pot add chicken broth, chicken and a pinch of ground turmeric. Bring to a slow simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked to 170°F internally. Remove chicken from broth and allow to cool, then remove skin and pull meat apart into large pieces
Add potatoes, carrots, celery and onion to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered at a low simmer
Bring pot to a boil and slowly add noodles, once they have all been added reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until veggies and noodles are tender
Add chicken and continue to cook uncovered on a low simmer for about another 20 minutes
Season with salt and pepper to taste

Source: Bell and Evans Recipe

Ham Balls

Ingredients for the Ham Balls:

1lb cooked ham, cubed
1lb ground pork
1 cup milk
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the Glaze:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon ground mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F
Pulse ham in batches in a food processor until finely ground
Combine finely ground ham with the ground pork, milk, crushed cornflakes, egg, brown sugar, ground mustard, and salt
Shape the combination into 1” balls
Place the ham balls in a single layer greased baking pan
To make the glaze, add the brown sugar, vinegar, and ground mustard to a small saucepan and cook on medium heat until sugar is dissolved
Spoon the glaze over the ham balls, and bake until they begin to brown (30-35 mins, rotating the pan halfway through)
Serve warm

Source: Taste of Home Recipe

Pennsylvania Dutch Hot Bacon Dressing

Ingredients:

5 slices bacon cut up and fried. Set aside to cool , save bacon drippings from pan.
3 eggs. Salt and pepper to taste.
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup water

Directions: