Authentic Amish Shoofly Pie Recipe: Traditional Wet Bottom Style

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Few desserts are more synonymous with Amish culture than shoofly pie. When people think of Amish cooking, they inevitably think of specialties like chicken corn soup, homemade cinnamon rolls, friendship bread, and one confection always comes up on any list of favorite Amish foods: shoofly pie.

But I’m not convinced shoofly pie is immensely popular among the Amish. At least in my experience, I’ve tended to see fruit pies in Amish homes. Oatmeal pie is also one that I see a lot. But shoofly pie is not one that I see a whole lot on Amish menus in the Midwest. Maybe it’s more common in Pennsylvania.

Still, I can’t have a website about Amish cooking and culture without a fine post about shoofly pie. This traditional Amish shoofly pie recipe creates the classic wet bottom style that's beloved in Pennsylvania Dutch country - featuring a layer of sweet molasses beneath a perfectly crumbly topping.

What is Shoofly Pie?

Shoofly pie is an iconic Amish dessert that originated in Pennsylvania Dutch country. The name comes from the fact that the sweet molasses filling attracts flies, which bakers would have to "shoo" away - hence "shoofly pie." This traditional Amish recipe creates what's known as a "wet bottom" shoofly pie, where the bottom layer stays moist and gooey while the top forms a delicious crumb topping. Although I have heard that there was a "Shoofly Molasses Company" at one time in Boston that could have been in the inspiration for the pie.

My Discovery of This Classic Amish Shoofly Pie Recipe

Shoofly pie is most popular among the Amish of Pennsylvania. But I have seen it elsewhere. For instance, I attended the "Founder's Day" celebration in the quaint little hamlet of Germantown, Ohio and stumbled into a classic Amish shoofly pie recipe. At the festival, which featured hot air balloons and bands, there was a pie booth with some local ladies selling slices of the typical fair fare: cherry, apple, and...shoofly. Yes, cherry, apple and others like it are staples at festivals and fairs. But shoofly? Not something you find much here in the Midwest.

So I snagged a slice and was not disappointed. It was a classic Lancaster-style shoofly pie with a layer of molasses underneath a crumb-type topping. Ah, what a treat. It was the last slice which I heartily ate. The woman who made it said it was an old family recipe. She was supposed to email me the recipe, but I never heard from her (some people don't wish to part with old family recipes!). If there had been two slices I would have eaten one and taken the other home to reverse engineer the recipe.

About Traditional Amish Shoofly Pie

Shoofly pies from Pennsylvania tend to be more moist than their drier, crumblier midwestern cousins. But both are delicious. Some variations in shoofly pies can be found. I've seen "chocolate shoofly pie" in several Mennonite bakeries.

The authentic Amish shoofly pie recipe uses simple pantry ingredients that were readily available to Amish families: molasses, flour, sugar, and basic baking staples. This humble pie became a staple because it could be made year-round without fresh fruit.

Like molasses? Read about the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 here.

Traditional Amish Shoofly Pie Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (including cooling)
Serves: 8

Ingredients

For the Pie:

• 1 (9-inch) pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 cup molasses
• ⅔ cup boiling water
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

For the Crumb Topping:

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup shortening, softened
• Dash of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Prepare the molasses mixture: In a large bowl, combine the molasses, boiling water, and baking soda. The mixture will foam up when you add the baking soda - this is normal and creates the characteristic texture.
3. Fill the pie shell: Pour the molasses mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
4. Make the crumb topping: In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, shortening, and salt until it forms coarse crumbs. The mixture should hold together when squeezed but still be crumbly.
5. Add the topping: Spread the crumb mixture evenly on top of the molasses mixture in the pie shell.
6. Bake the pie: Bake until the center of the pie is set, about 45 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the filling should no longer jiggle when gently shaken.
7. Cool completely: Cool on a wire rack or windowsill until the pie is firm, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. This cooling time is crucial for the "wet bottom" to set properly.
8. Storage: Store any leftovers in a sealed cake safe. The pie will keep for about 5 days.

Tips for Perfect Amish Shoofly Pie

• Use quality molasses: The molasses is the star ingredient, so choose a good quality, unsulfured molasses for the best flavor
• Don't skip the cooling time: The pie needs to cool completely to achieve the proper "wet bottom" texture
• Crumb consistency matters: The topping should be crumbly but able to hold together when pressed
• Serve at room temperature: Shoofly pie is traditionally served at room temperature, not warm

Wet Bottom vs. Dry Bottom Shoofly Pie

This recipe creates a "wet bottom" shoofly pie, which is the most traditional style. The bottom layer remains moist and cake-like, while the top is covered with sweet crumbs. Some recipes create "dry bottom" versions where the entire pie has a more uniform, cake-like texture throughout.

The History Behind Amish Shoofly Pie

Shoofly pie has deep roots in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where Amish and Mennonite communities developed this recipe as a way to create a sweet treat using shelf-stable ingredients. The pie became particularly popular because it didn't require fresh fruit, eggs, or milk - ingredients that weren't always available or practical for preservation.

The molasses used in traditional shoofly pie recipes was often the only sweetener available to these communities, making this dessert both economical and delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I make this shoofly pie recipe ahead of time?
A: Yes! Shoofly pie actually improves in flavor after a day. Make it the day before serving for best results.

Q: What's the difference between shoofly pie and molasses pie?
A: While similar, shoofly pie specifically has the crumb topping that creates the signature texture contrast with the molasses bottom.

Q: Can I substitute the shortening in the crumb topping?
A: You can use butter, but shortening creates the most traditional texture for authentic Amish shoofly pie.

Q: Where can I buy authentic Amish shoofly pie?
A: You can order authentic Amish wet bottom shoofly pie directly from Pennsylvania Dutch country.

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