Shoofly Pie Recipe

If you love old-fashioned desserts with rich flavor and cozy bakery-style texture, this shoofly pie recipe is a must-try. This classic Pennsylvania Dutch pie features a flaky crust filled with a sweet molasses filling and topped with buttery crumb streusel that bakes into a soft, gooey center. The flavor is deep, warm, and caramel-like with hints of spice and brown sugar in every bite.

This homemade shoofly pie recipe is surprisingly simple to make, even for beginner bakers. The combination of crumb topping and silky molasses filling creates the perfect balance between cake-like texture and sticky pie filling. From start to finish, the entire recipe takes just over an hour, making it ideal for holidays, weekend baking, or comforting family desserts.

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

For the Crumb Topping

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Molasses Filling

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

For Serving

• Fresh whipped cream
• Vanilla ice cream

How to Make Shoofly Pie Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 220°C or 200°C fan. Place a shelf in the middle of the oven so the pie bakes evenly and develops a golden crumb topping.
• Prepare the pie crust: Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges neatly. Place the prepared crust in the refrigerator while making the filling.
• Make the crumb topping: In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour in the melted butter and mix with a fork until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
• Reserve the crumbs: Set aside half of the crumb mixture for the top of the pie. The remaining crumbs will go into the bottom of the crust.
• Mix the filling: In another bowl, whisk together the egg, molasses, and boiling water until smooth. Stir in the baking soda carefully as the mixture will foam slightly.
• Assemble the pie: Sprinkle half of the crumb mixture into the prepared pie crust. Slowly pour the molasses filling over the crumbs. Finish by scattering the remaining crumb topping evenly over the top.
• Bake the pie: Bake for 15 minutes at 220°C. Reduce the oven temperature to 175°C or 160°C fan and continue baking for 30 minutes until the center is mostly set and the top looks golden.
• Cool before slicing: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature. This helps the filling set properly and improves the texture.

Tips for the Best Shoofly Pie

How do I keep shoofly pie from becoming runny?

Allow the pie to cool completely before slicing. The filling continues to set as it cools, giving you cleaner slices and better texture.

What type of molasses works best?

Use regular or mild molasses for the best flavor. Blackstrap molasses can taste too bitter and overpower the pie.

Why is my crumb topping dry?

If the crumb mixture seems too dry, add an extra tablespoon of melted butter until it resembles damp sand.

Can I use homemade pie crust?

Absolutely. Homemade buttery pie crust works beautifully and adds extra flavor and flakiness to the finished pie.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve slightly warm with whipped cream
• Pair with vanilla ice cream for a classic dessert
• Enjoy with hot coffee or spiced tea
• Dust lightly with powdered sugar before serving

Storage

Room Temperature

Store the pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

Refrigerator

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Let slices come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

Freezing

Wrap the cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing. Freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Protein: 4g
• Fat: 18g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Sodium: 210mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Shoofly Pie Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

slices

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

65

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

1

hour 

5

minutes

Traditional shoofly pie with a flaky crust, rich molasses filling, and buttery crumb topping. A classic Pennsylvania Dutch dessert perfect for holidays and cozy gatherings.

Ingredients

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

• 1 large egg

• 3/4 cup molasses

• 3/4 cup boiling water

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• Whipped cream for serving

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Place the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edges.
• In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and melted butter until crumbly.
• Reserve half of the crumb mixture for the topping.
• In another bowl, whisk together egg, molasses, and boiling water.
• Stir baking soda into the molasses mixture until combined.
• Sprinkle half the crumb mixture into the pie crust.
• Pour the molasses filling carefully over the crumbs.
• Top evenly with the remaining crumb mixture.
• Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 175°C (160°C fan) and bake for another 30 minutes until set.
• Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

• Use mild molasses for a sweeter flavor.
• Allow the pie to cool fully before slicing for clean pieces.
• The pie tastes even better the next day.