Old-Fashioned Shoofly Pie
The list of pies made from a scarcity of ingredients is overwhelmingly long. For centuries, ingenious bakers in this country learned to make something wonderful out of the limited ingredients they had access to—chess pies, vinegar pies, buttermilk pies, and more. We often refer to these as “Desperation Pies” because they were made, well, when means were desperate.The shoofly pie is no different. Made in the Pennsylvania Dutch communities of the east, this dessert has filtered its way into community and church cookbooks around the country. Its base is simply a mixture of molasses, hot water, baking soda, and an egg. It's topped with a sprinkling of simple shortbread crumbles that bake into the molasses mixture. The result is a gooey, crumbly, buttery, and magically different pie, with the tangy and complex flavor of molasses mingling with the familiar richness of shortbread. As far as simplicity, this pie couldn’t be easier to make. We can promise it’ll be a welcome surprise at any gathering with friends and family. Serve it with lightly sweetened whipped cream for added flair.