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Shoofly Pie Recipe
If you love old-fashioned desserts with real personality, this Shoofly Pie Recipe—with its sticky molasses filling and buttery brown sugar crumb topping—is going to feel like a warm hug from the past.
What Is Shoofly Pie, Anyway?
Shoofly pie is a classic American pie, especially beloved as a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert and Amish shoofly pie specialty. Think of it as a molasses crumb pie: a tender pie crust filled with a sweet, slightly smoky molasses layer and finished with a generous brown sugar crumb topping that bakes up crisp and golden.
I grew up in the Midwest, but my Aunt Ruth lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for years. Every Christmas, she’d show up with a sticky wet bottom shoofly pie wrapped in foil, still smelling faintly of molasses and coffee. We’d cut thin slices “because it’s rich,” and then go back for seconds anyway.
This homemade shoofly pie is:
- Simple enough for a Sunday afternoon baking project
- Special enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or church potlucks
- Comforting in that very specific “vintage dessert recipe” way—like something your grandma would have pulled from her worn recipe tin
It’s not exactly a health food, but it is wholesome in the sense that it uses pantry staples: flour, butter, molasses, and eggs. No mystery ingredients, no fancy equipment. Just honest, classic American pie.
And yes, this Shoofly Pie Recipe is absolutely meant to be served warm with coffee. Morning, afternoon, or late-night snack. I don’t judge.
Why You’ll Love This Shoofly Pie Recipe
- Simple pantry ingredients – Flour, brown sugar, molasses, and butter are the stars here.
- Big nostalgic flavor – Tastes like an old fashioned shoofly pie from a farmhouse kitchen.
- Great make-ahead dessert – The flavors deepen by the next day; perfect for holidays.
- Flexible texture – You can make it more “wet bottom” and gooey or a little more firm.
- Perfect with coffee or tea – Traditionally served at breakfast, but lovely any time.
- Budget-friendly – A classic molasses pie recipe that feeds a crowd without breaking the bank.
- Easy to transport – Baked in a standard pie dish, travels well to potlucks or family dinners.
- Fun for bakers who love history – You’re making a true Pennsylvania Dutch dessert with roots going back over 100 years.
Let me explain one more thing: if you’ve never had shoofly pie, the flavor might surprise you. It’s deeper than a regular sugar pie, with a gentle bitterness from the molasses that balances the sweetness. Think gingerbread vibes, but in pie form and without the spices taking over.
Ingredients for the Best Shoofly Pie
Here’s everything you need for this classic homemade shoofly pie. I’ll list the ingredients by part so it’s easy to follow.
For the Pie Crust
You can use a good-quality store-bought crust or your favorite homemade crust.
- 1 single 9-inch pie crust, unbaked (homemade or store-bought, chilled)
If you’re making your own, use a basic all-butter crust or a butter-and-shortening mix for tenderness and flakiness. Chill it well so it holds its shape in the oven.
For the Molasses Filling
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap; Grandma’s or Brer Rabbit are great brands)
- 3/4 cup hot water (just off the boil, not simmering)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (optional but lovely)
Tips:
- Use unsulphured molasses for a smoother, more balanced flavor. Blackstrap molasses will be much more bitter.
- Room temperature egg mixes better and helps the filling bake evenly.
For the Brown Sugar Crumb Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Substitution ideas:
- You can use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel note.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or ginger for a spiced molasses crumb pie twist.
- Salted butter works too—just reduce added salt slightly.
The crumb topping is what really makes this a crumb topping pie. You want it sandy and clumpy, not pasty—like damp beach sand that you can squeeze into clumps.
Step-by-Step Directions
1. Preheat and Prep the Crust
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Fit your 9-inch pie crust into a standard pie dish, crimp the edges, and place it in the fridge while you mix the filling and crumbs.
Chilling the crust helps keep it from shrinking and gives you a more defined edge. If your kitchen runs warm, slide the crust into the freezer for 10 minutes instead.
2. Make the Crumb Topping
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, breaking up any big sugar clumps.
- Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. You want some pea-sized pieces left.
If you squeeze some crumbs in your hand, they should hold together, then break apart when you rub them. That’s your visual cue.
3. Mix the Molasses Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk the molasses and hot water until smooth. Let it sit for 1–2 minutes so it’s warm, not steaming.
- Whisk in the baking soda and salt; the mixture may foam a little—that’s normal.
- Add the egg and vanilla, whisking until fully combined.
The baking soda helps lighten the sticky molasses filling and gives that classic, slightly bubbly texture inside the pie.
4. Assemble the Shoofly Pie
- Pour the molasses mixture into the chilled pie crust.
- Sprinkle about half of the crumb mixture evenly over the top. It will sink a bit—that’s how you get the “wet bottom” shoofly pie layer.
- Gently sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the surface, trying not to press them down too much.
You’ll see some crumbs float and some stay on top—that contrast is what gives you a sticky molasses filling underneath and a crisp, sugary lid on top.
5. Bake the Pie
- Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch drips) and transfer to the lower third of the oven.
- Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 30–35 minutes.
You’re looking for the center to be mostly set but still slightly jiggly—like soft gelatin, not liquid. The crumbs should be golden brown and the filling may bubble around the edges.
If the edges of the crust brown too fast, tent them loosely with strips of foil.
6. Cool and Serve
- Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if you like.
Shoofly pie firms up as it cools. If you cut it too early, the slices may be a little messy—still delicious, just less tidy. Honestly, I never hear complaints about that.
Servings & Timing
- Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie, about 8 slices
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Bake Time: 40–45 minutes
- Cool Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: About 3 hours (mostly hands-off while baking and cooling)
That might sound like a long time, but most of it is just letting the pie do its thing on the counter while your house smells like a bakery.
Fun Variations on This Classic Molasses Dessert
You know what? Once you master this basic Shoofly Pie Recipe, it’s very easy to play with:
- Spiced Shoofly Pie: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and a pinch of cloves to the filling for a gingerbread-like twist.
- Pecan Shoofly Pie: Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped pecans over the top crumbs before baking for crunch and a nutty flavor.
- Mini Shoofly Pies: Press pie dough into a muffin tin and bake individual mini pies—great for buffets or bake sales.
- Lighter Molasses Pie: Use half molasses and half dark corn syrup for a milder flavor if you’re new to molasses desserts.
- Crumb-Lovers Version: Increase the crumb topping by 1/2 batch for a thicker, extra-crunchy brown sugar topping.
How to Store and Reheat Shoofly Pie
One of the perks of this old fashioned shoofly pie is how well it keeps.
- Room Temperature: Once fully cooled, cover the pie loosely with foil or plastic wrap and keep at room temp for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days, well wrapped. The crumb topping stays fairly crisp.
- Freezer: Wrap slices or the whole pie tightly in plastic, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating:
- For a slice, warm in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes, or microwave for about 15–20 seconds (the oven keeps the crumbs crisper).
- From frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a low oven until just heated through.
Make-ahead tip: Bake the pie a day ahead of your event. The molasses flavor deepens overnight, and the texture cuts more cleanly the next day.
Notes from My Kitchen to Yours
- Molasses matters: Different brands taste different. If you’re unsure, taste a tiny spoonful before using. If it tastes harsh or very bitter, try a milder brand.
- Wet bottom vs. dry bottom: For a “wetter” bottom layer, use a little more filling and fewer crumbs. For a firmer pie, keep the recipe as written and bake toward the longer end of the time range.
- Don’t overbake: The most common complaint about shoofly pie is that it turns dry. Pull it from the oven while the center still has a gentle wobble. It continues to set as it cools.
- Crumb texture: If your crumb topping looks too sandy and won’t clump at all, work in 1–2 more tablespoons of butter. Just don’t turn it into a dough.
- Serving suggestion: This pie is sweet. I usually serve thin slices with unsweetened whipped cream or even a strong cup of coffee to balance it out.
- Altitude or very humid kitchens: You may need a touch more flour in the crumbs for them to stay crisp; go by feel and look for that “damp sand” texture.
If you like baking from old church cookbooks or “community” recipe pamphlets, this will feel right at home with those beloved recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What does shoofly pie taste like?
It tastes like a cross between a molasses cookie and a brown sugar cake, with a gooey layer underneath and a crunchy crumb topping.
2. Is this a traditional shoofly pie recipe?
Yes—this version is very close to traditional Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish shoofly pie, with a wet bottom style and classic brown sugar crumbs.
3. Can I make shoofly pie without molasses?
If you skip molasses entirely, it’s no longer a true shoofly pie, but you can replace part of it with dark corn syrup or maple syrup for a milder flavor.
4. My filling bubbled up and swallowed the crumbs—what happened?
That usually means the oven was a bit too hot or the pan was placed on a very high rack; use the lower third of the oven and don’t overfill the crust.
5. How do I know when the pie is done?
The edges should be set, the crumbs golden, and the center should jiggle slightly but not slosh when you gently nudge the pan.
6. Can I use a graham cracker crust?
You can, but it will taste more like a modern molasses pie than a classic shoofly pie; still delicious, just different from the traditional version.
7. Do I need to blind-bake the crust?
No, for this recipe you don’t need to pre-bake the crust—the long bake time is enough to cook it through, especially if your crust is well chilled.
8. Can I reduce the sugar?
You can cut the brown sugar in the crumbs by about 1/4 cup without big issues, but going much lower may affect texture and crumble.
Final Thoughts and a Little Nudge
This Shoofly Pie Recipe has everything I love in a vintage dessert: simple ingredients, big nostalgic flavor, and a story baked right into it. The sticky molasses filling, the brown sugar crumb topping, and that tender crust make it a classic American pie that never quite goes out of style.
If you’ve never tried shoofly pie, I hope you’ll give this version a whirl and tell me how it turned out for you. Leave a comment with your tweaks, share it with a friend who loves old-fashioned baking, and while you’re at it, peek around for more simple molasses dessert ideas—this might just be the start of your new favorite baking tradition.
Shoofly Pie
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust single crust, unbaked; homemade or store-bought, well chilled
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses not blackstrap; Grandma’s or Brer Rabbit are good choices
- 3/4 cup hot water just off the boil, not simmering
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional but recommended
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed; dark brown sugar may be substituted for deeper flavor
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cut into small cubes
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream optional, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and place a rack in the lower third of the oven. Fit the single 9-inch pie crust into a standard pie dish, crimp the edges, and refrigerate while you prepare the filling and crumb topping.1 9-inch pie crust
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, packed light brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, breaking up any large sugar clumps. Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. The crumbs should clump when squeezed, then break apart when rubbed.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In a large bowl, whisk together the unsulphured molasses and hot water until smooth. Let sit for 1–2 minutes so the mixture is warm but not steaming. Whisk in the baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; the mixture may foam slightly. Add the egg and vanilla extract and whisk until fully combined and smooth.1 cup unsulphured molasses, 3/4 cup hot water, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Pour the molasses filling into the chilled pie crust. Sprinkle about half of the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the filling; some crumbs will sink into the filling and create the characteristic "wet bottom" layer. Gently sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the surface without pressing them down.1 9-inch pie crust, 1 cup unsulphured molasses, 3/4 cup hot water, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips and transfer it to the lower third of the preheated oven. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door and continue baking for 30–35 minutes. The center should be mostly set with a slight jiggle, and the crumbs should be golden brown. If the crust edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.
- Remove the pie from the oven and cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to set. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and a cup of coffee if desired.Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
