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Butterscotch Pie

Featured in Indulgent Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Any Sweet Tooth.

This recipe teaches you to make a totally handmade butterscotch pie, featuring a luscious filling, a flaky pastry base, and a creamy whipped topping. It’s a great dessert you can make in advance, though it needs time to chill and firm up.

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Updated on Tue, 18 Mar 2025 20:53:13 GMT
A pie with a creamy filling and whipped cream, topped with caramel and a slice removed to show the texture. Pin it
A pie with a creamy filling and whipped cream, topped with caramel and a slice removed to show the texture. | chefmelt.com

Velvety Golden Butterscotch Pie

I'm instantly whisked to my grandma's cooking space whenever I whip up this Butterscotch Pie. Forget those instant pudding shortcuts - we're talking real homemade butterscotch, slowly browned until it's intense and full-bodied, then poured into a crispy shell and finished with fluffy mounds of fresh whipped cream. It's that special treat that has folks shutting their eyes and murmuring with pleasure at the very first taste.

What Makes This Treat Special

There's something truly wonderful about crafting butterscotch by hand. You'll love seeing sugar change into amber treasure, then blending with cream and setting into a smooth, lush filling. What's really great? You can prep it beforehand, cutting down on kitchen stress when company's coming. And that priceless moment when everyone's faces light up as you present it - that's the real reward.

What You'll Need

  • Pie Crust: Bake it till it's perfectly brown - it's what holds our whole creation together.
  • Dark Brown Sugar: This creates that intense, hearty butterscotch taste we're going for.
  • Egg Yolks: These make our filling incredibly luxurious and smooth.
  • Heavy Cream: We'll use this for both the filling and that dreamy whipped topping.
  • Whole Milk: Don't skimp on fat content - it makes our custard extra smooth.
  • Butter: This upgrades everything, especially our filling.
  • Vanilla Extract: A small amount pulls all flavors into harmony.
  • Rum, Bourbon, or Scotch: Add a dash if you want to get fancy - it's not required but adds magic.
  • Cornstarch: This ensures our filling firms up just right.

How To Make It

Get Your Crust Ready
Begin with a well-cooked shell, nice and toasty. I often do this step early - it saves loads of time.
Create Your Butterscotch Base
Combine your dark brown sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks and milk in a container. Then comes the exciting part - making caramel! Watch as sugar transforms - it's kitchen magic. Gradually add your cream while stirring - it'll foam and hiss but keep going.
Mix and Heat
This part needs your full attention - slowly pour that egg mix into your caramel, stirring non-stop. Heat until your gauge shows just the right temp, then mix in your butter, vanilla and maybe a splash of bourbon if you're feeling adventurous.
Put It Together
Empty that amber treasure into your shell, flatten the surface and cool overnight. Waiting is truly the toughest bit.
Finish With Cream
When you're set to serve, beat some cream with a bit of dark brown sugar and vanilla. Stack it high on your pie and watch everyone get excited.

Expert Advice

  • Go For Dark Brown Sugar: It's totally worth finding for that deep, rich taste.
  • Watch Your Caramel: Keep an eye on it constantly - it can turn from perfect to ruined in moments.
  • Use A Thermometer: This gadget removes all doubt about when things are just right.
  • Split The Work: Doing bits at different times makes the whole job way easier.
A slice of creamy pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle on a white plate. Pin it
A slice of creamy pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle on a white plate. | chefmelt.com

Keeping And Enjoying

This treat stays good in your fridge for three days, but don't add that fluffy cream topping until you're about to serve. Want to plan way ahead? Pop it in the freezer without the topping, then let it thaw in your fridge overnight when you need it.

Mix It Up

  • Try A Salty Sweet Combo: Adding a drizzle of salted caramel sauce really kicks things up.
  • Add Some Crunch: I sometimes sprinkle toasted pecans on the whipped cream - it's absolutely divine.
  • Sneak In Some Chocolate: A slim layer of chocolate between the shell and filling? Absolutely worth trying.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why should ingredients be room temperature?

It keeps your pudding smooth by stopping it from splitting or clumping up when cooked.

→ Can I use a pre-made crust?

You can! Just remember it needs to be baked to hold the filling properly.

→ Is a crumb crust okay?

Crumb-style bases aren’t sturdy enough and might fall apart under the smooth filling.

→ Can this be prepared ahead?

Of course! You can make it two days in advance and even freeze it for up to three months.

→ Why choose dark brown sugar?

Dark brown sugar creates a deeper and more flavorful caramel taste.

Butterscotch Pie

A buttery pie with rich caramel notes, layered with whipped cream on a tender crust.

Prep Time
180 Minutes
Cook Time
40 Minutes
Total Time
220 Minutes

Category: Dessert Recipes

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: American

Yield: 8 Servings (1)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 1 ready-to-use pie crust.
02 Egg wash (optional).
03 1 cup heavy cream.
04 1 teaspoon bourbon or rum.
05 3 tablespoons water.
06 3 tablespoons cornstarch.
07 2 tablespoons butter.
08 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
09 1/2 teaspoon salt.
10 4 large egg yolks.
11 3/4 cup dark brown sugar.
12 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar.
13 1/3 cup granulated sugar.
14 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
15 1 1/4 cups whole milk.
16 1 cup heavy cream.

Instructions

Step 01

Mix and prepare your pie dough a couple of hours ahead and chill it really well before rolling.

Step 02

Take the cold dough and roll it out into a 12-inch circle, then carefully place it in a 9-inch pie pan.

Step 03

Shape the edges with a neat design if you’d like, and chill the crust for at least 30 minutes.

Step 04

Heat your oven to 375°F. While you wait, line the chilled crust with parchment paper and add weights.

Step 05

Bake the crust for 15 minutes with the weights, then another 15 minutes without them, until it’s golden brown.

Step 06

Mix the brown sugar with cornstarch. Add in the milk and egg yolks, and combine thoroughly.

Step 07

In a pan, heat up the granulated sugar with water until it turns a deep caramel color, about 5-7 minutes.

Step 08

Slowly whisk in the cream to the caramel until it’s blended and silky smooth.

Step 09

Gradually pour the brown sugar mix into the caramel, stirring all the while, until it thickens to 195-200°F.

Step 10

Take the mixture off the heat, and stir in butter, salt, vanilla, and bourbon or rum until smooth.

Step 11

Let the filling cool for about 5 minutes before you spread it on the baked crust.

Step 12

Pop the pie in the fridge uncovered for at least 6 hours or even 2 days until fully set.

Step 13

Beat the cream with brown sugar and vanilla until you get those nice medium peaks.

Step 14

Spread the freshly made whipped cream on top of the chilled pie before serving.

Step 15

Cover the leftovers and store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

  1. Challenging to make.
  2. Good for prepping ahead.
  3. You can freeze it if needed.
  4. An indulgent dessert.

Tools You'll Need

  • 9-inch pie pan.
  • Weights for pie crust.
  • A small saucepan.
  • A kitchen thermometer.
  • Electric beater.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy (cream, butter).
  • Eggs are an ingredient.
  • Made with wheat (crust).

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 450
  • Total Fat: 28 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 48 g
  • Protein: 6 g