Southern Brown Sugar Pie is quick to make (only 5 ingredients!), richly flavored, and pleasingly sweet. Served with fresh whipped cream, this pie is a real crowd pleaser!
Back when I was in culinary school, one of the first lab classes I took was American Regional Cuisine (ahh…memories). Each week we made a meal based on the area of the country we were studying, and it was an interesting class for me because I was unfamiliar with many of the dishes.
When we got to Cuisine of the South, there were lots of new dishes for me (Hush Puppies? Hoppin’ John Salad? Shrimp Perloo?). Some items I had known and loved, especially the desserts like Pecan Pralines, but had never made.
I thought of this class recently because my favorite show, Outlander, is back from hiatus (or “Droughtlander” as us fans call it…we’re a humorous bunch), and this season the show is set in Colonial North Carolina.
Now, I write a blog post on the OutlanderCast.com fan site called How they made it discussing the food and drink of the Outlander timeframes. Since the show setting is now in the New World of the 1760s, I’ve been looking at recipes from the South that would fit in that time to write about for that column.
That’s how I discovered another unfamiliar but wonderfully easy and delicious pie, and I wanted to share it here…Dear Reader, let me present Southern Brown Sugar Pie!
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What is Brown Sugar Pie?
Kind of like a cross between Butterscotch Pie and Pecan Pie (minus the pecans), Pizzazzerie's Southern Brown Sugar Pie recipe is very quick to throw together...only five ingredients! Well, eight if you're making the pie crust, which I usually do. Don't be picky.
Speaking of pie crust, I use my all-butter pie crust recipe with the 9-6-3 recipe ratio. You, of course, can use your favorite homemade or store-bought shell. I promise I won't take it personally.
Making the pie is as simple as mixing all the shell ingredients and pouring it into an unbaked pie shell. And boy, does the house smell good while it's baking!
Scale the Brown Sugar Pie recipe up or down
I scaled my version of the recipe for Brown Sugar Pie down from the original to make one 9-inch pie. I've also made one 6-inch Brown Sugar Pie for Two using 1 egg and less baking time.
If you want a deep dish or two 9-inch pies, just double the recipe (except use 3 eggs) and just adjust the baking time accordingly. I've even converted the recipe into Southern Brown Sugar Pie Bars, a fun twist for pie in bar form.
One idea I have (but haven’t tried…yet) is to reduce the vanilla to 1 tsp and add 1 Tbsp of bourbon. I add spirits in wherever I can!
Served with fresh whipped cream, Brown Sugar Pie really is a crowd pleaser, especially since most people (in my acquaintance, at least) haven’t had it before. I highly recommend you give it a go!
I served my Brown Sugar Pie at the Outlander Season 4 premiere party I attended with lightly sweetened whipped cream and a wee dram of The Balvenie Doublewood 12 year old. Heavenly!
What a great way to end Droughtlander…with friends, good food, good scotch, and great TV!
Slainté! L’chaim! Cheers!
Tammy
More recipes for pie
If you're looking for more interesting pie recipes, take a look at these ideas!
Southern Brown Sugar Pie
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 single pie crust, see Recipe Notes (7-1/2 oz, 213g)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (2 oz, 56g)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, optional
Procedure
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Roll out the pie dough, then ease into a 9-inch pie pan.
- Break up any lumps in the brown sugar (use your fingers, a fork, or both...actually it's kind of fun!)
- Whisk together the eggs, then add in the brown sugar, butter, salt, and vanilla, stirring until well combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the pie pan.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown. Check to see that the pie is baked through (it will be gooey but it should be set). If you're making a 6-inch pie (see Recipe Notes), reduce the baking time to 30-40 minutes. If you make one deep dish (instead of two 9-inch pies), then increase baking time slightly.
- Allow pie to cool on a cooling rack, then refrigerate to set up further.
- An hour before serving, take the pie from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature (not strictly necessary, but that's how I like it). Serve with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Recipe Notes
