December 2, 2015

Shoofly pie

Finished shoofly pie in a glass pie plate.

Shoofly pie is a rich molasses pie with a crumb topping and spices. It makes a unique addition to your Thanksgiving and winter holiday dessert tables. 

Shoofly pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch classic dessert that you can find on the menu if you visit Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We tried it once when we were visiting the area and once I started making it at home, it has become a popular dessert request in our family.

Molasses is what makes this pie. I use a dark unsulphured molasses for a deep and rich flavor and darker color. Some recipes also use brown sugar, some use granulated. Brown sugar has extra molasses in it and adds more of that flavor and color.

You can read more about different molasses types in this article. It's important to know the difference when using them in baking and cooking. 

There are warm spices in this pie including cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. These spices make me think of the holidays. While we usually have this pie for a Thanksgiving dessert, I think it's lovely for a Christmas and winter holiday dessert as well. Or, really, anytime in the cold weather months.

Serve this pie with a hot strong cup of coffee (I've read that this is how it used to be eaten and it was served at breakfast). A dollop of whipped cream is also a nice touch, though not required. 

I love these sort of old-fashioned recipes made with simple ingredients. This is a pie that doesn't require any fresh fruit or dairy or eggs. It uses some pantry staples to create something quite delicious and flavorful.

You can read about how I make my pie crust here in this post. I always prefer a homemade crust, but store bought is also perfectly fine!

A slice of shoofly pie on a small plate with a fork.

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Yield: 8 servings
Author: Amy (Savory Moments)
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Shoofly Pie

Shoofly Pie

Shoofly pie is a rich molasses pie with a crumb topping and spices. It makes a unique addition to your Thanksgiving and winter holiday dessert tables.

Ingredients

  • 1 recipe of your favorite pie crust
  • 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 cup unsulphured dark or regular molasses
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup boiling water

Instructions

  1. Fit your pie crust to a 9-inch pie pan. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour through nutmeg. Cut in the butter until it resembles small crumbs.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together the baking soda and molasses and then stir in the water (it will foam up). Stir in 1-1/4 cups of the crumb mixture and pour it into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle to top with the remaining crumb mixture.
  4. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes, until the edges are golden and the pie is set. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.
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I hope you give this pie a try! Let me know in the comments below.

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Close up photo of the top of a finished shoofly pie.

This recipe was originally published in 2015 and has been updated in 2023 with hew text and more to improve reader experience.

Check out these other holiday pie recipes: 

Pear Almond Crumble Pie

Apple Crumb Pie

Cranberry Custard Pie 

Roasted Honeynut Squash Pie

32 comments:

  1. I am never heard of shoofly pie before, but anything with cinnamon and ginger in is good with me :)

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  2. i've always wanted to try shoofly pie! yum!

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  3. I haven't had shoofly pie in ages! Decades! It's good stuff! And your recipe looks superb. Definitely need to try this -- thanks.

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  4. Oh my goodness! This pie looks and sounds incredibly delish. Love the name 'shoofly pie', never heard of this before.

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  5. Dear Amy, your Shooefly Pie is definitely going to be on my "pies to bake" list now - it looks wonderful and like a very special treat! I had heard of it before but never gotten around to making one myself.
    Thank you for sharing another wonderful recipe!
    Andrea

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  6. It's the first tie I've heard of this. Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Looks delicious! I absolutely love shoofly pie and never grow tired of it - it's one of my favorites!

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  8. HI Amy, Thanks for sharing this recipe . I've never heard of this pie before but I'm looking forward to try it soon . Homemade pies / bakes are always the best ! I've the same experience with Panettone . We never like those store bought Panettone till the day I've decided to make one myself . And I was amazed how delicious & soft it was . Nothing compared with those dried Panettone that we've tried . ;)

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  9. I've never heard of this pie, but I just love warm spices and molasses. Definitely going to have to try it out! Thanks for sharing :)

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  10. I have to admit, I've always been curious about a shoofly pie! So fun!

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  11. I have never had shoofly pie, although I have heard of it before. It sounds yummy.

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  12. I have always been curious about shoofly pies but have never come across one. This looks so dark and delicious.

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  13. I've never heard of this pie, thanks for sharing!

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  14. This brings back so many memories of Amish country! Thanks for the big smile on this one!

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  15. My husbands mom lives in Scranton PA they love shoofly pie, this looks delicious!

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  16. Talk about taking me back to my childhood! I was raised in the south, and my mother was a real southern woman, but she knew how to make a Shoofly pie - so Good!!!! Thanks for sharing your recipe! I never got my mother's.

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  17. I have heard of it but never had it! Very interesting and so glad it turned out so well for you. It's a great feeling to find a winning recipe.

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  18. I have never heard of this pie...it looks so inviting, Amy.

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  19. i'm definitely familiar with this pie as there was a heavy concentration of amish folks where i grew up, but i've never made it--your version looks unique to me and delicious!

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  20. I tried to comment over the weekend but blogger was not letting me! It wasn't just your site but all blogger sites. I have great memories of Shoofly pie Amy! Every summer when I was a kid we camped in PA and always had it. I tried to make it once and it was a flop. Yours looks delicious! I shall have to try your recipe!

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    1. What a great memory! I hope you try making it again :-) Thank you!

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  21. Remember the old song "Shoofly Pie and Apple Pan Dowdy" Makes your eyes light up and your stomach say howdy?
    Got recipe for Apple Pan Dowdy?

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  22. Believe it or not my sons wanted to make one of these a few years ago--so good!

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  23. Looks so yummy! Thanks for linking up at Friday Frenzy Link Party! Pinned!!

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  24. I guess I have always heard of shoo-fly pie, but never knew it was blackstrap mollasses- I wonder if you could use regular mollasses?

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  25. I've never had Shoofly pie but it sounds really tasty!

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  26. One of my all time favorites but haven’t made it in a coon’s age. 😊

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  27. This sounds so interesting!! I've never tried this!

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  28. I can't even tell you how much I adore shoofly pie...it is part of my childhood, and I haven't had it in decades. MUST MAKE IT NOW!

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  29. While I've heard of shoofly pie I've never had it. I had no idea it has molasses in it. I actually have some blackstrap so this may make an appearance on our Thanksgiving dessert table.

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  30. I bet your house smelled incredible as this was baking!

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