This is probably the best darn Brown Sugar Pie ever: so smooth and silky and creamy and sweet… every single bite is pure bliss.
In this household, no Christmas would be complete if it didn’t involve a slice of Brown Sugar Pie at some point. Said slice usually gets eaten first thing on Christmas morning, accompanied by a nice cup of Amarula Coffee; I usually bring it with me to the living room and feast on it while I watch the kids gleefully unveil the content of their Christmas stockings.
How magical!
This would be one of my ultimate favorite moments of the year, and I just couldn’t imagine ever giving it up. Oh, I have done without the pie for a couple of years, but it simply just wasn’t the same. Something was missing, big time. So I figured hey, if I’m only gonna have sugar pie once a year, I don’t think it can be all that bad.
It makes me happy, it makes the kids happy.
So I say let there be pie.
When it comes to brown sugar pie, I’m a traditional kinda girl. I’m all for that thick, creamy and velvety smooth filling.
I’ve tried many recipes over the year, but this one right here would be my ultimate favorite. Whenever I make it, get nothing but rave reviews — every single person who is lucky enough for me to share a slice with them says that this is the best darn sugar pie that they have ever eaten.
Even my son, who doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth at all, totally devours it. It’s so smooth and silky and creamy and sweet but not all that sweet in the strangest kind of way. Biting into a slice of this pie is like going through a moment of pure bliss that you wish would never have to end.
Let me tell you, this pie is so deliciously sinful, it’s totally worthy of being saved for the most beautiful morning of all!
And you can be sure that I have one of these babies all good and ready and patiently waiting for me in the fridge. Oh, I am so looking forward to Christmas morning!
Only a few more hours left to wait…
Until then, I hope you all have a magical Christmas day, filled with all kinds of pies and cakes and sweets and treats, but most of all, love and hugs and loads and loads of treasured moments with your family, friends and loved ones.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS & PICTURES
So start by rolling out the pie dough, then grease a deep dish pie plate and press the pie shell into it.
Set aside to rest while you work on the filling.
In a large bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour together until well combined;
Add the heavy cream, or evaporated milk, depending on which you chose to use…
And now mix delicately with a whisk until very well combined and no longer frothy on top.
Don’t go whisking super vigorously, we’re not wanting to incorporate any air into the mix. We just want all those ingredients to meld and that froth to go away.
See? All the froth is gone. That already looks so good!
Time to add the beaten eggs and stir them in with a wooden spoon.
I don’t recommend using a whisk here, as you don’t want to incorporate any air into the mixture. Again, you just want to get all the ingredients nicely combined.
Once the eggs have been incorporated, throw in the salt and vanilla extract and stir until combined.
At this point, if time permits, let the sugar mixture rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Doing so allows the gluten to relax and the sugar to dissolve, resulting in a much smoother, creamier filling.
I personally strongly recommend that little rest period: it does make a world of difference. Just try and stay away from the sugary mixture during that time… you may end up wanting to “test” it every few minutes or so, just to see if all that sugar is dissolved, you know…
Really, stay away. Gotta save some of that stuff for the pie!
While the sugar filling is resting, go and preheat your oven to 350°F
Then, brush the pie crust with a bit of heavy cream, or an egg beaten with a few tablespoons of milk if you prefer. Both mixtures will ensure that your crust gets beautiful and golden brown and has a little bit of a sheen to it.
When the sugar mixture is done resting, carefully pour it in the pie shell.
Bake your pie in the oven for 60 minutes, then kill the heat, leave the oven door ajar and let the pie to cool in the oven until you can safely handle it with your bare hands.
Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.
Garnish with whipped cream and pure maple sugar flakes at the moment of serving, if desired.
Want my advice? You should definitely desire!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (350ml) heavy cream or evaporated milk
- 3 cups packed (600g | 1.3lb) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/4 cup (40g | 1.4oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract, (store-bought or homemade)
- 1- 9" deep dish pie crust
- Heavy cream or egg and milk to brush the pie crust
- 1 cup whipped cream
- Pure maple sugar flakes
Instructions
- Grease a deep dish pie plate and press the pie shell into it. Set aside.
- Mix the brown sugar and flour together in a large bowl; add the cream (or evaporated milk) and mix delicately until very well combined and no longer frothy on top.
- Add the eggs and stir them in with a wooden spoon. The use of a whisk is not recommended here, as you don't want to incorporate any air into the mixture.
- Add salt and vanilla extract and stir until completely incorporated.
- If time permits, let the sugar mixture rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Doing so allows the gluten to relax and the sugar to dissolve, resulting in a much smoother, creamier filling.
- While the mixture is resting, preheat your oven to 350°F
- Brush the pie crust with a bit of heavy cream (or an egg beaten with a few tablespoons of milk) and carefully pour the sugar mixture in. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes, then kill the heat, leave the oven door ajar and let the pie to cool in the oven until you can safely handle it with your bare hands.
- Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.
- Garnish with whipped cream and pure maple sugar flakes at the moment of serving, if desired.
Lauren says
Hello there! I made this recipe (really followed all the steps!) and unfortunately the filling didn’t set. It was still half liquid even after cooking it for an extra 20 mins and cooling it in the oven then fridge as you said. Any advice? The batter was still tasty but did not look like the beautiful fudgey texture in the photos. Is it really only 1/4 cup flour? Thanks!
Evil Twin says
I’m really sorry to hear, Lauren! I honestly don’t know what to say… I’ve been making this exact same recipe countless times and never never had it not set like that. It really is 1/4 cup of flour. Did you perhaps use small eggs instead of the large ones the recipe calls for?
Lauren says
Hello! Thanks for the reply. Yep, large eggs. I used 35% heavy cream not evaporated milk. Weighed all ingredients. Will try it again because it looks amazing and hopefully it will turn out!
Evil Twin says
I’ve been thinking… maybe your oven temp is to blame! Did you check it for accuracy recently? It really is the only thing I could think of (and it would make a lot of sense, too!)
Lauren says
I haven’t specifically checked but I bake quite a bit and haven’t had problems with other recipes. Which makes me want to find out that much more what went wrong! I will try it again sometime and let you know 🙂
Evil Twin says
Awesome! I hope you have nothing but good news to report then! 🙂
Darla says
Mine bubbled over and is all over in the bottom of my oven!
Jenny trent says
Hello. I baked it last night. Followed your recipe. Let it set as you suggested. I had about 2 cups of mix left after filling my deep dish crust. Not sure why. It is was to the top of my crust. It didn’t come out thick like your pic. It was lil hard on top. But was still yummy. Not sure what happened . I used heavy cream. But it tasted great. Would love it to be a nice piece as in your pic. It baked over the sides. Then kinda fell.
Evil Twin says
Obviously something was very off… you shouldn’t have had too much filling to start with, so maybe you added too much liquid? That would definitely explain why it never set…
Charlotte Moore says
I have never heard of this type of pie that I can recall. Interesting!
Yvonne says
My mom made brown sugar pies all the time when I was growing up. I am now 68 years old and have yet to make one as good as my mom’s, and I have her hand written recipe!
MARGARET says
Yvonne, was this recipe close to your mom’s recipe? If not do you mind sharing the differences? I have been on the search for a brown sugar pie recipe that my husband’s grandmother used to make but I never had it or even saw what it looked like!
Joan says
I would love to have it my mom made them too but I remember her cooking the filling before pouring into crust to bake
Judith says
Hi ,
It coiuld have been the heavy cream that caused it not to thicken. I used heavy cream once in a corn pudding and it never set. Try it next time by the recipe to the letter.
Good luck
JP Lefebvre says
I made it for Christmss 2018 and everybody in my family found that pie so good they cant beleive i have made it.
And when they admit it yet my mother tell me that this pie was better than the one she does.
Thank you very much.
Jp
Evil Twin says
Haha! I’m very flattered! Thanks much for that, JP, and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
Helen Moore says
So happy you posted this recipe! My mother made this pie for cookouts and cover dish events and always 4th of July. She used evaporated milk in her recipe. She was a home economics teacher and she told me this is a recipe from the Great Depression. This pie always throws people off and then when they taste it they are almost always surprised how good it is.
C Rugg says
I made your pie last night. I followed your instructions exactly and it turned out perfect.
Evil Twin says
High five!:D
Kimi Kearns says
I’m making the pie now. It REALLY fills the pie crust. Fingers crossed the cooked version tastes as good as the batter (yes, I HAD to taste it).
Evil Twin says
Haha! Hope the cooked version was to your satisfaction, Kimi!
Marlayne Genereux says
Hi! Can these be made into tarts? Does the baking time change?
Thank you!
Evil Twin says
Sure thing! Of course, baking time will have to be adjusted accordingly…
Judy says
Hey there. Your pie looks great but I have a couple of questions. Can you use a frozen piecrust? And if you do, would you put the pie to go into the oven on a baking pan {I call it my biscuit pan, 🙂 }. Thanks for your help!
Izzy says
I used a frozen deep dish pie crust, followed the recipe exactly, had a lot of filling left. I did put a baking pan under and basically the pie overflowed on the side. I think maybe using a sturdy baking plate and homemade pie crust would probably yield a better result….I noticed the plate, on the photo, looks deeper than the store bought version. It would also explain the extra filling.
Judy says
Issz,did you use the deep dish frozen pie crust? It will hold more filling than the regular ones do! Just wondering!
Helan says
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Bryana says
Can this be made ahead and frozen (either baked or unbaked)? How should it be stored after it is served? Can’t wait to try!
Evil Twin says
I don’t think that it would freeze all that well to be honest, but if you are going to give it a try, definitely bake it first!
Brian says
Line a pie pan with foil, pour in the filling, freeze, cover completely with foil, place in freezer bag. Should last a few months and you can later drop it into a par baked pie shell and tack on 30-45 mins to the bake