Shoofly Pie
It might have a funny name, but shoofly pie is a seriously delicious dessert! It’s an old-fashioned molasses pie with a rich, caramel-like filling and a buttery crumb topping—and I cracked the code to make it vegan!
Shoofly pie is a classic Pennsylvania Dutch dessert, but you’ll find it anywhere with an Amish community. Like gingersnap molasses cookies, it’s a molasses lover’s dream come true, with loads of rich flavour. The traditional version is made with egg and shortening and while I settled on vegan butter for the shortening pretty quickly, the egg was a bit more challenging. I ended up testing the pie without adding any egg replacement at all and I was pleased to find that it worked beautifully! The filling doesn’t set like a traditional shoofly pie, but I appreciated the sticky, caramel-like texture.
Why This Shoofly Pie Recipe Is a (Vegan!) Classic
If you love vegan desserts with classic, nostalgic flavours, you’re going to fall hard for this shoofly pie.
- Deep molasses flavour. The filling is sweet yet bold thanks to a generous amount of unsulphured molasses.
- Irresistible buttery crumb topping. The crumb topping bakes into a mix of crisp, crumbly bits and soft layers that soak into the filling.
- Simple ingredients. The ingredient list is surprisingly short and I’d bet you have everything on hand right now!
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this shoofly pie recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and full instructions.
- Pie crust – Use your favourite homemade crust or try my vegan pie crust recipe.
- All-purpose flour – Forms the base of the crumb topping.
- Brown sugar – To sweeten the crumbs and also add a note of caramel flavour to them.
- Salt – Balances the sweetness.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warmly spiced note to the topping.
- Vegan butter – Cold butter creates the perfect crumb texture. I like to use my homemade vegan butter.
- Baking soda and boiling water – The water helps activate the baking soda.
- Unsulphured molasses – This gives the filling its deep, rich flavour. Don’t use blackstrap molasses, as it’s much too bitter for a shoofly pie.
- Vanilla extract – Adds warmth and rounds out the flavour.
How to Make Shoofly Pie
Below you’ll find step-by-step photos showing the process of making this vegan shoofly pie, but the full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Prepare the oven and crust. Preheat the oven and place the prepared pie crust into a pie plate. Set it aside while you prepare the filling and topping.
- Make the crumb topping. In a bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Work the cold vegan butter into the mixture with your fingers until coarse crumbs form.
- Prepare the molasses filling. Stir the baking soda into the molasses until combined. Slowly pour in the boiling water while stirring—the mixture will foam and bubble. Add the vanilla and mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the pie crust.
- Top the pie. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the surface.
- Bake in two stages. Start baking at 425ºF to set the top, then after 10 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking until the topping is golden and the filling is mostly set.
- Cool completely. Allow the pie to cool fully before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Shoofly pie is traditionally served with a hot cup of coffee to balance the sweetness. (Of course, a pumpkin spice latte wouldn’t be a bad idea either!) A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or a dollop of coconut whipped cream would also be divine.
Storage
- Room temperature: Cover shoofly pie loosely and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
More Vegan Pie Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this shoofly pie recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Vegan Shoofly Pie
Ingredients
Vegan Pie Crust
- 1 vegan pie crust, homemade or storebought, unbaked
Crumb Topping
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour , 150g
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed – 150g
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1.5g
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5g
- 6 tablespoons vegan butter, cold and cubed – 85g
Molasses Filling
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3.75g
- 1 cup boiling water, 240mL
- 1 cup unsulphured molasses, 240mL
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 5mL
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place your prepared pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and set aside.
- Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cold vegan butter and rub it in with your fingers until you get chunky, uneven crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Set aside.
- Prepare the molasses filling: In a heatproof measuring jug or bowl, add the molasses. Stir in the baking soda directly into the molasses until fully combined (the mixture will slightly lighten in color).
- Carefully pour in the boiling water while stirring continuously. The mixture will foam and bubble — this is normal.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Carefully pour the molasses mixture into the unbaked pie crust. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the surface without pressing it down.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 10 minutes to quickly set the top. Without removing the pie, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for 35–40 minutes, until the crumb topping is deep golden and the filling looks set with only a slight jiggle in the center.
- If the crust edges brown too fast, loosely cover them with foil.
- Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for at least 1–2 hours. The filling firms up as it cools—cutting too early will give you a loose center.
Notes
- Room temperature: Cover shoofly pie loosely and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
