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Shoofly Pie

Shoofly pie is a Pennsylvania Dutch original recipe. Settling near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, around 1730, these early pioneers came to North America by boat bringing with them nonperishable staples such as flour, brown sugar, molasses, lard, salt, and spices. Shoofly pie was one of the dishes the settlers were able to create using those staple ingredients, helping ensure their survival until the first crops were harvested. Some believe the name shoofly comes from Shoofly the Boxing Mule, an animal that was part of a popular traveling circus and namesake of Shoofly brand molasses. Others think the name comes from flies being attracted to the sweet, sticky molasses and bakers having to “shoo” flies away.

Recipe Servings: 8

Prep Time
15 minutes
+ 2 hours resting
Cook Time
35 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 50 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Crust:
  • 1½ cups flour, plus a bit to dust pan
  • 1 tsp fine salt
  • 7 Tbsp butter, chilled
  • ¼ cup water, ice cold
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Crumble:
Filling:

Directions

    For Crust:
  1. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
  2. Add the butter. Rub and pinch the butter into the flour using your fingers to coat the butter pieces and form small pea-sized balls.
  3. Create a well in the center of the mixture and add the water, mixing it together with your hands.
  4. Pull away walnut-size pieces of dough and smear them using the heel of your hand. This technique is called fraisage, and it helps produce flaky layers.
  5. Form the flattened pieces into a ball and then slightly flatten it to form a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  6. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough. Roll a floured rolling pin from the center of dough disk to the edge rotating the dough until the circle is an ⅛ inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
  7. Wrap the dough around the rolling pin and lift the pin over the edge of a 9-inch glass pie pan. Gently unroll the dough over the pan. Lightly press the dough into the bottom and sides of the pan.
  8. Crimp the edge of the crust by placing two fingers on the crust’s outside rim while placing one finger on the inside and pressing outward to form a V.
  9. Brush the pie crust with lightly beaten egg.
  10. For Crumble:
  11. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  12. Combine the flour and brown sugar in a medium bowl.
  13. Add the butter and mix until crumbs form.
  14. Divide the mixture and set half of it aside for topping.
  15. For Filling:
  16. Whisk together the molasses, egg, cold water, and baking soda water in a large bowl. Add half of the crumbs and whisk until just combined.
  17. Pour the filling into the pie pan.
  18. Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top.
  19. Bake the pie for 35 minutes. If the crust appears to be browning too quickly, cover it with strips of foil.
  20. Let the pie cool completely before cutting and serving.

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