promises are like pie-crusts, they are made to be broken-
christina rossetti

the first recorded use of this expression is by heraclitus ridens on august 16th, 1681:
"he makes no more of breaking acts of parliaments, than if they were like promises and pie-crust, made to be broken."
heraclitus ridens was an essayist, poet and satirist.

irish writer and satirist jonathan swift, however, popularized the expression in his 1738 book, polite conversation, and thus is often attributed with being the author of it:

lady smart: ay, thou has a head and so has a pin. but my lord, all the town has it that miss caper is to be married to sir peter giball; one thing is certain that she hath promis'd to have him.
lord sparkish: why, madam, you know promises are either broken or kept.
lady a: I beg your pardon, my lords, promises and pie-crust are made to be broken.