My husband AJ had never had Shoofly Pie before, which makes sense, as he was born and raised in the Midwest before moving to California. Shoofly pie is mostly a Pennsylvania Dutch dessert, one that is less common outside of Central Pennsylvania and the surrounding area.

But after I asked if he wanted a bite of my slice, he proceeded to eat the entire piece, which was not part of my initial offering! Thankfully, I had more pie left. I took a sip of coffee, cut myself another slice, and made sure not to offer him anymore bites off of my plate.

This uniquely-named pie is sometimes lumped together with other “desperation pies” like chess pie, vinegar pie, and sugar pies. You can find references to it all over the web with the spelling as Shoofly, Shoo Fly or Shoo-fly Pie.

Regardless of how you spell it, the pie ingredients are pretty much the same. Shoofly Pie is made with simple pantry staples, the sort you always have around the house, which means you can have dessert practically any time.

Unlike most “desperation pies” associated with the South, according to Anne Byrn, author of the book American Cake, Shoofly pie is part of the Pennsylvania Dutch tradition that dates back to 1876. Shoofly pie was actually a Centennial cake, made in celebration of the 100-year anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The cake later morphed into a pie, with a crust, which allowed it to be eaten without a plate or fork and with a strong cup of coffee for breakfast.

The dominant flavor of Shoofly Pie is molasses. It’s a strong flavor, but it’s tempered with the buttery spiced flour topping on the pie.

It’s no wonder the pie is often served with a strong cup of coffee, as the dark, bitter hot beverage elevates the sweetness of the molasses while cutting the richness of the pie.

Shoofly Pie comes in two different versions: wet bottom or dry bottom. Wet bottom pie has the filling in the pie baked until it is just set, with an oozy custard texture.

For my recipe, I opted for the wet bottom version. The dry bottom pie is baked longer with more flour and, occasionally, an egg added to the filling, leading to a drier, cake-like center.

Molasses comes in different flavors and varieties, and it can get confusing, especially when some brands have different labeling categories.

I recommend opting for light molasses, which has the mildest flavor. If you really like the flavor of molasses, you can opt for regular/medium flavored molasses or dark/robust molasses, both of which are more assertive in flavor.

However, avoid blackstrap molasses. It’s extremely dark and has a bitter, burnt flavor, which can be overwhelming in this pie.

• Make the pie crust in advance: I recommend making the pie crust ahead of time and letting it chill in the fridge for an hour or longer. If you have the forethought, make the pie crust the night before and let it chill overnight. The gluten in the crust will relax, and the water will fully hydrate the flour, making the crust easier to roll out.
• Chill the crust after you roll it out: Once you’ve rolled out the crust, place it back in the fridge for 30 minutes. This does two things. It relaxes the gluten, so the dough won’t shrink or slump when baked, and it chills the butter, which will lead to a flakier crust.
• For crispier crust, blind bake or pre-bake the crust. There are instructions for how to do that at the bottom of our perfect pie crust recipe.
• Mix a little bit of the crumb into the filling: This gives the filling a little bit of body and form so it’s not so liquid-y. If you prefer a firmer filling, double the crumb topping and mix half of it into the filling, reserving the other half for the top of the pie.
• Chill the pie before slicing: Warm pie will mean the filling will be a little oozy. If you want a nice even cut, try chilling the pie in the fridge for 30 minutes. A cooler pie will firm up the molasses and result in cleaner slices.

You can make this pie ahead of time, but keep in mind the crumb topping won’t be as fresh. Shoofly Pie, because it’s mostly made of molasses, keeps fairly well.

Store it at room temperature for three days or in the fridge for up to five days. Just keep it covered with plastic wrap or under a cake dome to keep the flies away!

Yes! Shoofly Pie freezes well. Again, just keep in mind the crumb topping will thaw out and be less crisp.

Once the pie has been baked and cooled completely, cover it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and slip the whole pie into a large heavy-duty resealable freezer bag.

You can freeze the pie whole as stated above or cut the pie into individual slices and freeze them in a container, allowing you to thaw out one slice at a time on the countertop.