Shoofly Pie Just Like the Classic Wet-Bottom Recipe

This dairy-free shoofly pie recipe is slightly adapted from Edna Eby Heller’s The Art of Pennsylvania Dutch Cooking. It’s one of three recipes for shoofly pie in her book. It has a “damp zone” next to the crust, which is why it is sometimes referred to as the “wet-bottom shoo-fly.” According to Heller, this is the preferred type of shoofly pie. This recipe was originally shared with us back in 2007, and today we’re giving it a big update!

This Dairy-Free Shoofly Pie is Just Like the Classic Wet-Bottom Recipe

Shoofly pie is a molasses pie that was popular among the Pennsylvania Dutch in the 1880s. It was originally a crust-less pie but pie crust was later added to make it easier to eat by hand. They often ate it for breakfast, but these days, it’s a popular dessert.

It comes in two different versions: dry-bottom and wet-bottom. The dry-bottom version is baked until fully set and has a cake-like consistency throughout. The wet-bottom version is a bit cake-like at top, where the wet mixture combines with the crumbs, but the bottom is more of a sticky, custard-like consistency.

Special Diet Notes: Shoofly Pie

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, peanut-free, nut-free, optionally soy-free, and vegetarian.

For egg-free and vegan options, see my Egg Substitute Guide.

Dairy-Free Shoofly Pie

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

This is the wet-bottom version of this American tradition.

Author: Edna Eby Heller

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Serves: 1 single-crust pie

Ingredients

• ¾ cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup molasses
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup brown sugar or white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1 unbaked 9-inch dairy-free pie shell

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Measure the boiling water in a glass measuring cup and dissolve the baking soda in it.
2. Beat the egg yolk in a medium bowl. Add the molasses and mix to combine. Add the boiling water with baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Add the shortening and whisk until evenly sized crumbs form.
4. Pour the liquid into the pie shell and top with the crumbs.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and bake for 35 minutes longer.
6. Let cool completely before slicing.

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More Picnic-Ready Dairy-Free Pie Recipes

Strawberry Shortbread Pie

Apple Pie Slices

Peanut Pie