Butterscotch Pie has a richly flavored butterscotch filling, with a texture like a Southern chess pie, encased in a flaky pie shell. Served topped with whipped cream, this mini butterscotch pie delivers big flavor!
Make the pie shell: Prepare a half recipe for a double pie crust (see Recipe Notes). Roll the dough out to a 12-inch circle, about ⅛- to ¼-inch thick. Ease the dough into the pie pan, and trim the edges to about ½-inch.
Fold the overhang under and crimp decoratively. Save any scraps in the fridge, just in case you need to patch any holes later. Dock the bottom of the pie shell with a fork.
To par-bake the crust, spray a piece of foil with baking spray (or butter it well), and press tightly into the pie pan, covering the dough and wrapping it around the rim to fit the sides of the pie pan. Freeze the wrapped crust for 15 minutes, then bake the frozen pie shell for 20 minutes.
Make the filling: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over Medium heat. Add the brown sugar and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fully combined and starting to bubble, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the heavy cream, lifting off the heat if necessary to keep the butterscotch from bubbling over. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
Whisk in the eggs into the cooled filling, one at a time, then add the vanilla. Set the filling aside while the shell is par-baking.
Remove the par-baked pie crust from the oven and take off the foil. If any parts of the shell have puffed up, just press them gently back into place. Patch any tears or cracks with reserved dough scraps.
Pour the pie filling into the hot pie shell and return the pan to the oven.
Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 400 °F, then reduce the heat to 300 °F and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the pie jiggles slightly in the center when moved. Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Serve chilled or at room temperature with lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Storage instructions: Butterscotch pie can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for about a week.
A mini butterscotch is rich and flavorful, so for us it makes 6 slices. Your yield may vary.
Recipe Notes
You can make a homemade pie crust or use a store-bought crust. I prefer my flaky all butter pie crust, using a 6 : 4 : 2 recipe ratio of flour : fat : liquid for half of a double pie crust. This makes enough for a smaller pie pan without too much waste.Dark brown sugar will provide a deeper molasses flavor, while light brown sugar will be less intense.Freezing the unbaked pie shell and wrapping it in foil will help hold the in place during the par-bake so you won't need baking beads. This is the same technique used for the Basic Shortcrust Pastry.For a full-sized pie, double the recipe filling ingredients. Prepare a single pie crust (using the 9 : 6 : 3 recipe ratio), and use a 9-inch pie pan. Bake the filled pie for 10 minutes at 400°F, and then reduce heat to 300°F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes longer.