Shoofly Pie Is a Pennsylvania Classic For a Reason, and This Easy Recipe Has Us Hooked

If you've never tried Shoofly Pie, prepare to be mind-blown by this classic Pennsylvania tradition. Perfect for holiday dessert, it's a molasses or cake-style pie created by the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 1880s that is comforting, flaky, and delicious. Shoofly pie is a tradition hailing from the state's Amish community, and it likely got its name from the flies that were attracted to it because it's so sweet. Filled with a molasses crumb cake, you probably already have all the ingredients for this in your kitchen, except maybe the molasses (a quick run to the grocery store should fix that). And preparation is easy and to-the-point: simply mix the filling in one bowl and the topping in another, fill your pie crust, and watch it bake to perfection. Use your favourite pie dough recipe, or use a deep-dish store-bought pie crust if you're in a pinch. Great for holiday gatherings — or for yourself, with strong black coffee for breakfast, as is tradition.

Related:

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Shoofly Pie

Taste of Home

Notes

Let pie weights cool before storing. Beans and rice may be reused as pie weights, but not for cooking.

Ingredients

1. Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)

1. For the filling:
   1/2 cup packed brown sugar
   1/2 cup molasses
   1 large egg, room temperature
   1 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
   1/2 teaspoon baking soda
   1 cup boiling water
   1 large egg yolk, room temperature, lightly beaten

1. For the topping:
   1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   3/4 cup packed brown sugar
   3/4 teaspoon baking soda
   Dash salt
   6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. On a floured surface, roll dough to fit a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Trim and flute edge. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix brown sugar, molasses, egg, flour and baking soda. Gradually stir in boiling water; cool completely.
4. Line un-pricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans or uncooked rice. Bake on a lower oven rack 15 minutes. Remove foil and pie weights; brush crust with egg yolk. Bake 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Reduce oven setting to 350°F.
6. In another bowl, whisk together first four topping ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add filling to crust; sprinkle with topping. Cover edge of pie with foil.
7. Bake until filling is set and golden brown, 45-50 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
8. Store in the refrigerator.

Information

Category

Desserts, Pies/Tarts

Yield

1 pie, serves 8

Total Time

1 hour, 4 minutes, 59 seconds