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. 

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!

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Yield: 8 servings

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

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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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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