Shoofly Pie Recipe
This Shoofly Pie Recipe is a classic Pennsylvania Dutch treat, featuring a buttery, crumbly topping layered over a rich, gooey molasses bottom.
Perfect for those who love old-fashioned sweet desserts, this pie delivers a nostalgic flavor that’s both comforting and irresistible. One slice of this sticky-sweet delight, and you’ll understand why it’s stood the test of time!
Old-Fashioned Shoofly Pie
I’ll never forget my first bite of shoo-fly pie. I hesitated, expecting an overpowering punch of molasses, even debating swapping in honey instead. But one taste of that molasses pie with its cake-like texture, and I was hooked!
Dating back to the late 1800s in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the history of shoofly pie is as rich as its flavor. Originally called “Molasses Cake” by the Amish, this humble dessert was born out of pantry staples, with molasses as the main ingredient, giving it a distinct flavor that’s sweet but surprisingly mellow.
As the pie bakes, the crumb topping turns golden brown, forming a buttery crust over the sticky-sweet filling below. The contrast between the crunchy top of the pie and the soft, spiced center is pure magic—think of it as the cozy cousin to pecan pie, but with a tender, almost coffee-cake vibe. One slice of this nostalgic treat, and you’ll be shooing away anyone who tries to steal the last piece!
Ingredients You Need
- All-purpose flour
- Dark Brown sugar
- Margarine or butter
- Eggs
- Molasses
- Hot tap water
- Baking soda
- Pie shells
Can I use store-bought pie crust for this recipe?
Absolutely! I am using store-bought pie crusts because I need the dishes to be disposable. Make your own pie dough or buy it, whichever works best for you. We’re making pies and having fun, so don’t get hung up on the idea that anything other than made-from-scratch is somehow below standard. Get in there and don’t let anyone rain on your parade!
How to Make Delicious Shoofly Pie
1. To start, preheat oven to 450°F. In a medium bowl, stir the dry ingredients together. Then cut butter in with a fork until well incorporated.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs. Then add the molasses and blend well.
3. Next, stir baking soda into a liquid measuring cup of hot water until dissolved. Add to molasses mixture and beat with an electric mixer until well blended.
4. Stir in half of the dry mixture, mix well. Pour into two prepared crusts. Top with the remaining crumb mixture. There, all ready to bake now!
5. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes or until set (no longer jiggly in the center). Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Well, according to William Woys Weaver, director of the Keystone Center for the Study of Regional Foods and Food Tourism, Shoofly Pie actually gets its name from a pretty unusual source—a boxing mule named Shoofly!
This mule was part of a popular traveling circus in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and was named after a hit song at the time. Like any celebrity, Shoofly’s name ended up on all kinds of products, including flour, molasses, horse powder, and eventually, the famous Shoofly Pie.
I wouldn’t recommend it, no. If you’re not a molasses person, this pie won’t be for you. Me? I’m a molasses person. I find that the older I get, the more I crave and adore the rich, strong flavor of deep, dark molasses.
Adding to the fact that I’m a brown sugar lover and those are the two primary ingredients in a Shoofly pie, I can’t imagine not loving it! Some people have tried making it with Karo syrup instead of molasses, but I haven’t tested the recipe this way myself.
Shoofly pie can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled. Many like it warm alongside a cup of coffee or tea, while others find that cooling the pie brings out the rich molasses flavor.
What to Serve with Shoofly Pie
This shoofly pie would be DIVINE served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with molasses! Looking for something extra special? Pair it with my Homemade Peach Ice Cream, No Churn Cherry Vanilla Ice Cream, or No Churn Ice Cream With Fresh Blackberries for something truly special. While you’re at it, make my Walnuts in Syrup for Ice Cream Sundaes for a truly unforgettable dessert experience!
Storage Tips
You can keep your shoofly pie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. After that, it’s best to move it to the refrigerator where it will stay good for another 2-3 days.
For longer storage, freeze shoofly pie by wrapping individual slices in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container. To enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat straight from frozen in the oven.
Shoofly Pie Recipe
This classic Pennsylvania Dutch shoofly pie has a rich molasses filling topped with a sweet, crumbly layer. It bakes up with the perfect mix of gooey and cakey textures, making it a nostalgic dessert everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 6 tbsp margarine or butter, cut into slices
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups molasses
- 1 1/8 cups hot tap water
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 pie shells baked
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- In a medium bowl, stir flour and sugar together. Cut butter in with a fork until well incorporated.
- In large bowl, beat eggs. Add molasses and blend well.
- Stir baking soda into a liquid measuring cup of hot water until dissolved. Add to molasses mixture and beat with an electric mixer until well blended. Stir in half of dry mixture, mix well.
- Pour your filling into two prepared crusts. Top with remaining crumb mixture.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 30 minutes or until set (no longer jiggly in the center).
Not sure which I liked better the recipe or the pics of the kids making it! Soooo cute!!
Oh! Here I am again…just wanted to let you know how much you are appreciated for all that you put into sending Southern Plate our way! I know I speak for many. Thank you!!
Bountiful Blessings!
why can’t you make your recipes so they can be printed
It’s this whole weird attachment to sleep thing that I have going on. I’m hoping to evolve past it though! In the meantime, below are the easy peasy instructions for you to do just that, taken directly from my Frequently Asked Questions page.
I wish I could do more but I’m putting in about nine hours or more a day on Southern Plate things at it is and my kids are still my number one priority. I’m THRILLED to have all of you here reading and even more delighted to be able to give you all of this free of charge so I really hope these instructions help and thank you so much for your kindness and understanding. 🙂
Gratefully,
Christy 🙂
I love your recipes! Do I have to print out all of the pictures to get them, though?
Thank you! I love you reading my recipes! You don’t have to do that excessive printing unless you just want to. Here is how you copy and paste:
*Simply place your curser in front of the title to the recipe, hold down your mouse button and drag your mouse to the bottom of the recipe so that it is all highlighted.
*Hold down the “Control” button and press “C”.
*Now open up a word document such as microsoft word.
*Click inside the document and hold down “Control” again and press “V”.
The recipe is now pasted and you can simply print out one page and have what you need.
Or even easier, if you have a Windows PC, highlight the text as listed above and click the right mouse button. Select Print from the pop-up menu! Easy as shoofly pie! 😉
I haven’t seen any food blogs that offer recipes that can be printed in index card format. Recipe databases, yes, but not blogs. Don’t feel bad, Christy! You’re doing great!
Oops. Never mind the instructions to right click. That will give you the full document! If you select File -> Print -> Selection from your browser that will just give you the highlighted text. It at least skips the step of going to a word processing program!
uuumm hey -WHEN is the bake sale ~grinning cause I happen to know which school it is~
I just love little helpers in the kitchen! Just this weekend my 3 yr old daughter and I were baking cookies. At one point, I turned my head for just a second, and she had her whole head in the bowl licking the batter! She was a mess, in it up to her elbows! Those times are so precious!!
Hi Christy,
Loved this post about the trip to TN (God’s country)–we lived for quite a few years just northeast of Nashville. My husband was born in PA and when we married one of the recipes his Mom passed on to me was the making of shoofly pie. Absolutely yummy stuff–their family would eat it for breakfast so I’ve never used it as a dessert. The only real variation from what you made (as noted by someone in a previous comment) is that none of the crumb mixture is mixed into the liquid filling but is added to the top of the pie after the liquid is poured in the shell. The crumbs and liquid mix together but there is a definite “liquid” layer on the bottom after baking. “Mit der goo on the bottom” is a compliment to show the pie came out of the oven perfect!
Katy and Brady are going to be such good cooks–that’s exactly how I learned to cook and love the process (and results) to this day. They are adorable kids.
Judy in KY
I love your website, Christy. I’ve never had Shoo fly pie, but always heard my mom and mammaw talk about it. One question, is there any way to highlight just your recipes and print them? I’m always trying new recipes out on my Italian hubby. I’m making my own recipe collection of all the recipes he likes, but my hand gets tired of writing all of your wonderful recipes down!! Thanks for bringing back my southern roots!
hi veronica…..from one southerner to another and just to be helpful to you for christy, look on her website under the FAQ section. it will tell you how to print out the recipes. ~waves~ bye ya’ll.
Thanks Terri!