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Slice of mini Shoofly Pie slice with whipped cream on a blue & white plate.

Dry Bottom Shoofly Pie (Molasses Pie)

By Tammy Spencer
This Dry Bottom Shoofly Pie (Molasses Pie) pairs a rich molasses filling with a buttery brown sugar crumb topping and flaky pie crust. Unlike the gooey wet-bottom version, the filling bakes up soft and cake-like. Perfect with a cup of coffee or as an old-fashioned dessert!
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Cooling Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 252kcal

Special Equipment

Ingredients

For the pie crust

  • 1 recipe (1 recipe) single pie crust, homemade or store bought, see Recipe Notes

For the filling

  • 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup (140 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter, cold, grated or cubed
  • ¾ cup (177 grams) boiling water
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) baking soda
  • ¾ cup (253 grams) molasses, mild, or dark unsulphured molasses, see Recipe Notes
  • 1 (50 grams) large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
  • whipped cream, for garnish

Instructions

  • Make the crust: Prepare a pie crust for a single crust pie. Ease the crust into a 9-inch pie pan and chill while you make the filling.
  • Preheat oven to 400 °F.
  • Make the filling: Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour and ⅔ cup dark brown sugar in a medium bowl. Cut the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Measure out ½ cup (67 grams) of the mixture for the crumb topping and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, dissolve the 1 teaspoon baking soda in ¾ cup boiling water. Stir in ¾ cup molasses until it's fully incorporated.
  • Add the molasses mixture, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract into the remaining crumb mixture and whisk well.
  • Pour the batter into the chilled pie shell, then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the top.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 °F and bake another 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is set and no longer noticeably jiggles when the pie is gently shaken.
  • Remove the pie from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and cool for 30 minutes.
  • Serve the pie warm with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!
  • Storage instructions: Once the pie has cooled, cover and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Bring individual slices to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly if you prefer.
    For longer storage, wrap the cooled pie well and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight, then bring it to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes

My all butter pie crust recipe is based on the 3 : 2 : 1 recipe ratio of 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat. and 1 part liquid (by weight), so for a single pie crust that would be 9 ounces (250 grams) flour, 6 ounces (170 grams) butter, and 3 ounces (85 grams) ice water. I also throw in 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help tenderize the crust.
Use mild or dark unsulphured molasses, depending on how bold you want the flavor. I prefer dark molasses for its deeper flavor. Avoid blackstrap molasses - it's much more bitter and intense.
To make a mini Shoofly Pie: Just divide the filling ingredients by half (for the egg, beat and weigh the egg, then use half). Use a 7-inch pie pan and bake for 25 minutes total, reducing the oven temperature after 5 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 267mg | Potassium: 379mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg