Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pie
Servings: 8
Calories: 520kcal
This old-fashioned Butterscotch Pie has a silky brown sugar filling nestled in a flaky crust and topped with homemade whipped cream. Make it ahead for an easy, nostalgic holiday dessert.
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Equipment
- Pie dish
- Parchment paper
- Pie weights or dried beans, or coin
Ingredients
- 1 pie dough for a 9-inch pie dish
For the Filling
- 5 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2¼ cups whole milk divided
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Topping
- 1 cup heavy cream cold
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup caramel sauce warmed, optional
Instructions
Prep the Pie Crust
- If making from scratch, prepare the pie dough, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use (up to 2 days in advance).1 pie dough
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the dough out to about 12-14 inches. Transfer to your pie dish. Flute the edges, if desired, or cut the dough along the top of the dish.
- Line the pie crust with parchment and fill with weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment, then bake for 8–12 minutes more, until golden. Cool completely.
Prepare the Filling
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until glossy and fragrant. It may look a little grainy at first—that’s fine.5 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 cup dark brown sugar
- In a bowl, whisk the cornstarch, salt, and ½ cup of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks.¼ cup cornstarch, ½ tsp salt, 2¼ cups whole milk, 4 large egg yolks
- Slowly whisk the remaining milk into the brown-sugar mixture. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently.
- Gradually whisk about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg-yolk mixture to temper it. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan.
- Cook, whisking constantly, until the filling becomes thick and bubbles gently, about 2–4 minutes. Let it bubble for 30 seconds while whisking, then remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla.1 tsp vanilla
- Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until fully set, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Top and Serve
- Place the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl (preferably chilled). Beat the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until soft peaks form.1 cup heavy cream, 2 tbsp powdered sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Spoon the whipped cream over the surface of the pie (remove the plastic wrap first). Drizzle warmed caramel sauce over the top, if desired. Slice and serve!1 cup caramel sauce
Video
Notes
NOTE: Watch the video in the recipe card for visual guidance.
- Use a fully baked, cooled pie crust before adding the filling.
- Whisk the filling constantly, especially after adding the egg yolks, to keep it smooth.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, before slicing.
- Add the whipped cream just before serving.
- For a gluten-free pie, use a gluten-free crust and confirm the cornstarch is labeled gluten-free.
- Cover and refrigerate leftover pie for up to 3 days. Add whipped cream just before serving, or store it separately.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 376mg | Potassium: 220mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g | Vitamin A: 915IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 1mg