This is the recipe I used to make shoo fly pie. It is either the same that mom used, or very similar. It is dry bottom and we ate it in a bowl of fresh milk from the barn! Catherine Richard, the recipe source, was in mom’s life long SS Class at Sugar Creek Mennonite Church near Wayland, IA, where every potluck had a couple of shoo fly pies
Shoo Fly Pie was made from things typically found in the pantry–molasses, flour, sugar & butter. When cooling in the window, it drew flies–which became its namesake–shoo fly!
Shoo Fly Pie [dry bottom]
Molasses based, simple, tasty pie. Best eaten in a bowl with milk. A great breakfast food! Sorghum makes a lighter colored pie, and does not taste as strong as molasses.
Servings 6 slices/1@large pie
Ingredients
- 3/4 c sugar DRY MIX
- 1/2 c butter DRY MIX
- 1 1/2 c flour DRY MIX
- 1 t cinnamon DRY MIX
- 1/2 c molasses or sorghum LIQUID MIX Fresh molasses or sorghum is best, but not always available. Molasses, and sometimes sorghum, can be found at the grocery store.
- 1 1/2 c hot water LIQUID MIX
- 1/2 c sugar LIQUID MIX
- 1/2 t baking soda LIQUID MIX
Instructions
- LIQUID MIX: Make syrup using molasses, hot water, 1/2 c sugar, baking soda. Cool in fridge.
- DRY MIX: Make crumbs: in a bowl add flour, sugar, cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbs are about nickel size. Do not over mix.
- Set aside 1/4 c of dry mix to sprinkle on top before baking. Combine the cooled liquid with dry mix in the bowl; pour in pie shell.
- Sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top of each pie and bake 375 degrees/40-45 min
Notes
--place tinfoil under pies in oven in case it cooks over the sides.
--underbaking does not create a wet bottom shoo fly pie! The recipes are different.
--Freezes very well. Sometimes Often used for breakfast.
Story: Our mother use to send these in the mail to us when we moved away. Once it went to 3 different addresses before it arrived at my brother's house.
Such a pie arrived at my brother's house for his birthday. My 12 yr old nephew was home from school before his dad was home from work. Alas the expected pie was missing. Days later, a few crumbs and a box, were found under my nephew's bed.