Authentic Shoo Fly Pie (Straight from Lancaster Co.)

Submitted by Sherie717

"Born, raised & still residing in Lancaster County Amish/PA Dutch Country this is as authentic as it gets. This recipe is from the Mennonite Community Cookbook that's older than me & given to me by my mother. I saw a few other versions posted, but none were like this one. You could use 9 inch pre-pared pie crust but for the real deal you may want to start from scratch (see my recipe #163245 for the crust that goes with)."

 

• Ready In: 45mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Yields: 1 pie

ingredients

• Bottom Part

• 3⁄4 cup dark molasses (sorghum or dark Karo)
• 3⁄4 cup boiling water
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

• Top Part

• 1 1⁄2 cups flour
• 1⁄4 cup shortening or 1/4 cup butter
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1 (9 inch) pastry dough

directions

1. Dissolve baking soda in hot water and add molasses.
2. Combine sugar and flour and rub in shortening to make crumbs.
3. Pour 1/3 of the liquid into an unbaked crust.
4. Add 1/3 of the crumb mixture.
5. Continue alternating layers, ending with crumbs on top.
6. Bake at 375 for approximately 35 minutes.

Reviews

[brkitdwn]

This is how I make it. Anyone who says it was a liquid mess doesn't know what they are doing. For the liquid part. Put 1 cup of water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and pour in half a bottle of Grandma's molasses (yellow label) 12 oz bottle. Grandma's is the best to use for this recipe. Most other brands are too bitter or just taste funky. Stir some then add 1 tsp of baking soda. It will foam some. Stir lightly till dissolved, and set aside for 5 min. Now add a slightly beaten egg to the liquid, as it will be cool enough not to cook the egg. Whisk or use fork to mix in, then set aside. In a medium bowl, add 1 and 1/3 cup of flour. 1/2 cup of slightly packed brown sugar, and 3 Tbsp of room temp butter, and 1 heaping Tbsp of Crisco shortening. The Crisco shortening helps with taste, and keeps the pie from getting too brown when baking. Cut the flour, brown sugar, butter and shortening with two knives or pastry cutter until mix becomes finely mixed crumbs. Get your homemade or frozen pie crust. Make sure it's 9-10 inch. Sprinkle just a little of the dry crumbs into the pie shell. About 3 or 4 Tbsp worth. I usually put my pie shell on the pulled out rack so it does't move all around trying to move it to the oven. Then pour the liquid in the pie crust, and sprinkle carefully the dry mix over the top evenly. Carefully push the rack in, and start the oven at 400 for 10 min. Then reduce to 350, and then cook it for 30 to 35 min. Don't over or under cook it. When tapping the center it should have a little movement from the liquid mix. Key word is little. My grandmother, mother, and aunts always made this, and it was perfected. This recipe is as close to theirs as it gets. Let cool for 45 min, then serve. Best served warm. This was a pie usually made in the early morning while the men were in the field, then eaten after breakfast.

 

[hanifan_12897916]

I can tell you are from Dutch Country, I used to live in Lenhartsville; the people there also end their sentences with, "with." Cute. I have been looking for a Shoofly Pie recipe because my one girlfriend's Mom has requested it. She used to live in Lancaster when she was young; she's now 82 and is in poor health. I want to make her a fabulous pie and I think your recipe is the one I have been looking for. Thanks!!

 

[tammy]

I'm originally from York county - Just outside of Lancaster and I've been craving a "taste of home". Shoo Fly Pie was a treat when I was growing up - and it HAD to come from Lancaster county! This recipe didn't dissapoint! It took me back into my childhood and many, many fond memories of Lancaster county! Thanks for sharing such an AMAZING recipe!

 

[Claudia S.]

I love this recipe as is. I took a trip to Lancaster as a child and this is what I remember shoo fly pie tasted like. My husband likes it dryer. I don't like egg in mine.

 

[Richard E.]

If the molasses isn't on the bottom, something went wrong. And, yes, yes, yes, use molasses and nothing but! (Karo? Never! Don't start until you have molasses!) Light to golden brown and loose with little clumps of topping (lighter is better), moist in the middle, gooey on the bottom, and farmer Stolzfuss will approve. :D - - - Seriously, the surprise with shoofly pie is it starts with the molasses on top, but it's on the bottom when it comes out of the oven. "Get to know vat good is oncet!" is the Amish phrase to remember.