For many of us, shoofly pie brings back memories of childhood: summer picnics and church socials, dessert spreads at holiday meals, or a special treat at a grandparent’s house. For Chef Jason Lewis, a culinary development chef at global culinary powerhouse Aramark, this Pennsylvania Dutch specialty is deeply tied to his Nana. As nearly all home cooks can agree, there is nothing more sacred than a family recipe, passed down between generations, and that is why it is so special that Lewis shared this heirloom recipe for Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly Pie during his visit to the Pennsylvania Kitchen.
PA Shoofly Pie
| Yield |
| Makes 1 10-inch pie |
| Prep Time |
Cook Time |
Total Time |
| 10 min |
40 min |
50 min |
Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup brown sugar
Method
- Mix the flour, shortening and brown sugar in a bowl. Use your hands or pastry cutter to mix the topping until it resembles coarse sand.
Pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup molasses
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 prepared or homemade pie shell
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pie shell into a pie pan.
- Combine molasses, hot water, cream of tartar and baking soda and whisk until smooth.
- Layer a third of the molasses filling into unbaked pie shell, followed by a third of the crumb mixture. Continue alternating layers, finishing with crumb topping.
- Bake the pie for 35 to 40 minutes until a tester or knife comes out almost dry. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve.
