Shoofly Pie

This wet bottom Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly Pie is the perfect pantry pie recipe. If you love molasses and simple ingredients, this pie is for you. The strong molasses flavor is tempered with butter and a warm-spice crumble topping. This pie is just what your coffee break needs.

By
Irvin Lin
Irvin Lin
Irvin Lin
Irvin is a critically acclaimed cookbook author and food blogger. His cookbook "Marbled, Swirled, and Layered" was chosen as one of the best baking cookbooks of 2016 in the New York Times.
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Updated July 19, 2022
Irvin Lin
Shoo-fly pie on a white plate with a fork next to it.
Irvin Lin

My husband AJ had never had Shoofly Pie before, which makes sense, as he was born and raised in the Midwest before moving to California. Shoofly pie is mostly a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert, one that is less common outside of Central Pennsylvania and the surrounding area.

But after I asked if he wanted a bite of my slice, he proceeded to eat the entire piece, which was not part of my initial offering! Thankfully, I had more pie left. I took a sip of coffee, cut myself another slice, and made sure not to offer him anymore bites off of my plate.

What Is Shoofly Pie?

This uniquely-named pie is sometimes lumped together with other “desperation pies” like chess pie, vinegar pie, and sugar pies. You can find references to it all over the web with the spelling as Shoofly, Shoo Fly or Shoo-fly Pie.

Regardless of how you spell it, the pie ingredients are pretty much the same. Shoofly Pie is made with simple pantry staples, the sort you always have around the house, which means you can have dessert practically any time.

Unlike most “desperation pies” associated with the South, according to Anne Byrn, author of the book American Cake, Shoofly pie is part of the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that dates back to 1876. Shoofly pie was actually a Centennial cake, made in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The cake later morphed into a pie, with a crust, which allowed it to be eaten without a plate or fork and with a strong cup of coffee for breakfast.

A slice of shoo fly pie on a plate with the rest of the pie behind it along with a cup of coffee.
Irvin Lin

What Does Shoofly Pie Taste Like?

The dominant flavor of Shoofly Pie is molasses. It’s a strong flavor, but it's tempered with the buttery spiced flour topping on the pie.

It’s no wonder the pie is often served with a strong cup of coffee, as the dark, bitter hot beverage elevates the sweetness of the molasses while cutting the richness of the pie.

Wet Bottom Vs. Dry Bottom Pie

Shoofly Pie comes in two different versions: wet bottom or dry bottom. Wet bottom pie has the filling in the pie baked until it is just set, with an oozy custard texture.

For my recipe, I opted for the wet bottom version. The dry bottom pie is baked longer with more flour and, occasionally, an egg added to the filling, leading to a drier, cake-like center.

Overhead view of shoo-fly pie with a piece removed and set on a white plate.
Irvin Lin

What Is the Best Molasses for This Pie?

Molasses comes in different flavors and varieties, and it can get confusing, especially when some brands have different labeling categories.

I recommend opting for light molasses, which has the mildest flavor. If you really like the flavor of molasses, you can opt for regular/medium flavored molasses or dark/robust molasses, both of which are more assertive in flavor.

However, avoid blackstrap molasses. It’s extremely dark and has a bitter, burnt flavor, which can be overwhelming in this pie.

Tips and Tricks for Making a Successful Shoofly Pie

  • Make the pie crust in advance: I recommend making the pie crust ahead of time and letting it chill in the fridge for an hour or longer. If you have the forethought, make the pie crust the night before and let it chill overnight. The gluten in the crust will relax, and the water will fully hydrate the flour, making the crust easier to roll out.
  • Chill the crust after you roll it out: Once you’ve rolled out the crust, place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes. This does two things. It relaxes the gluten, so the dough won’t shrink or slump when baked, and it chills the butter, which will lead to a flakier crust.
  • For crispier crust, blind bake or pre-bake the crust. There are instructions for how to do that at the bottom of our perfect pie crust recipe.
  • Mix a little bit of the crumb into the filling: This gives the filling a little bit of body and form so it’s not so liquid-y. If you prefer a firmer filling, double the crumb topping and mix half of it into the filling, reserving the other half for the top of the pie.
  • Chill the pie before slicing: Warm pie will mean the filling will be a little oozy. If you want a nice even cut, try chilling the pie in the fridge for 30 minutes. A cooler pie will firm up the molasses and result in cleaner slices.
A crumb topped easy shoofly pie.
Irvin Lin

Can You Make Shoofly Pie Ahead of Time?

You can make this pie ahead of time, but keep in mind the crumb topping won’t be as fresh. Shoofly Pie, because it’s mostly made of molasses, keeps fairly well.

Store it at room temperature for three days or in the fridge for up to five days. Just keep it covered with plastic wrap or under a cake dome to keep the flies away!

Can You Freeze Shoofly Pie?

Yes! Shoofly Pie freezes well. Again, just keep in mind the crumb topping will thaw out and be less crisp.

Once the pie has been baked and cooled completely, cover it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and slip the whole pie into a large heavy-duty resealable freezer bag.

You can freeze the pie whole as stated above or cut the pie into individual slices and freeze them in a container, allowing you to thaw out one slice at a time on the countertop.

More Great Pie Recipes

1:45

Watch This Delicious Shoofly Pie Recipe

Shoofly Pie

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1 1/4 cup (175g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon white sugar

  • 1/2 cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water

For the crumb topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups (210g) all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 cup (110g) packed dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup (115g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

For the filling:

  • 3/4 cup (230g) molasses, light or regular strength

  • 3/4 cup (160g) hot water (from the tap is fine)

  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Special Equipment

  • Food processor

Method

  1. Make the crust:

    Into the bowl of a food processor add the flour, salt, and sugar. Pulse a couple of times to blend. Add the butter cubes and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the butter has been broken down into pea-sized pieces.

    Drizzle 3 tablespoons of water over the ingredients, then pulse again until the mixture starts to look like small pebbles roughly the shape of peas.

    When pressed with your fingers, the dough should stick together. If the mixture is too dry, add the additional 1 tablespoon of water.

    Cubed butter in a food processor to make easy shoofly pie.
    Irvin Lin
    Flour mixed with butter inside a food processor to make shoo-fly pie.
    Irvin Lin
    Water being added to the best shoofly pie dough.
    Irvin Lin
    View of the pie crust dough inside the food processor to make the best shoofly pie.
    Irvin Lin
  2. Chill the dough:

    Dump the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, then form it into a round disk, about 1-inch thick. Wrap tightly with the plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or overnight.

    How to make shoo fly pie crust dough.
    Irvin Lin
  3. Roll out the dough and chill the crust again:

    Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator, unwrap it, and roll it out on a floured surface to a 12-inch disk, and fit it into a pie pan. Trim the edges of the pie crust.

    Decoratively crimp the edges, pressing down onto the pan to make sure the crust is anchored to the pan. Place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes.

    A long thin rolling pin is set on top of a disk of pie dough to make shoo-fly pie.
    Irvin Lin
    Shoo fly pie crust rolled out on a marble background with a rolling pin to the right.
    Irvin Lin
    Trimming a pie crust with scissors to show how to make shoofly pie.
    Irvin Lin
    Pennsylvania dutch shoofly pie crust being crimped at the edges by two hands.
    Irvin Lin
  4. Preheat the oven:

    While the crust is chilling, preheat the oven to 450°F.

  5. Make the crumb topping:

    In a large bowl, place the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk the ingredients until they are evenly distributed and uniform in color.

    Sprinkle the butter cubes over the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, break the butter apart and smoosh the cubes into flat, small pieces. Set aside.

    How to make shoofly pie crumb topping in a glass bowl.
    Irvin Lin
    Butter pressed into flour to show how to make pie dough for the best shoofly pie.
    Irvin Lin
    Crumb topping mixed in a glass bowl to make the best shoofly pie.
    Irvin Lin
  6. Make the filling:

    In a large bowl, combine the molasses and hot water. Stir in the baking soda, then stir in about 1/3 of the crumb topping (about 3/4 cup).

    Pour the filling into the chilled pie crust. Then sprinkle the remaining crumb topping over the pie filling.

    Shoo fly pie filling being made in a glass measuring cup.
    Irvin Lin
    How to make shoo fly pie by pouring the dark molasses filling into an unbaked pie crust.
    Irvin Lin
    How to make shoofly pie by topping the filling with crumb topping.
    Irvin Lin
    Easy shoofly pie unbaked and crumb topped.
    Irvin Lin
  7. Bake the pie:

    Place the pie in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 25 minutes.

    Best shoofly pie with a crumb topping and the filling visible along the edges.
    Irvin Lin
  8. Cool and serve:

    Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack before slicing into it. Serve pie with a piping-hot cup of coffee.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
501 Calories
24g Fat
68g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 501
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 24g 31%
Saturated Fat 15g 73%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 216mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 88mg 7%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 494mg 11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.