Southern Brown Sugar Pie Recipe, Must Try Dessert (2024)
ByCourtney Whitmore
JUMP TO RECIPE
If you have never tried Southern Brown Sugar Pie, you are in for a treat! It’s an easy pie that’s full of rich, brown sugar flavor!
Southern Brown Sugar Pie
It recently came to my attention that brown sugar pie is not a commonly known dessert. “What?!”, I thought! The world doesn’t know about BROWN SUGAR PIE?! Well I intend to change that, one Pizzazzerie reader at at time. This pie is a family tradition that my mother made for every holiday, her parents made for every holiday, and generations back.
Southern brown sugar pie is very similar to chess pie but yet, so different. The rich brown sugar flavor and caramelizingon top is just.so.good. It’s hands down my favorite pie (even over my red velvet fudge pie, which is saying a lot).
Now I’m not saying it’s a gorgeous “look at me” pie. It’s simple-looking, plain jane, ho-hum. But watch out because there is a reason it’s the first dessert gone at holidays. The crispy caramelized crust on topis my favorite part. Then the ooey gooey brown sugar inside is so delicious.
Now you can give it a little extra pizzazz with some whipped cream or butter pecan ice cream but know that it doesn’tneed it as it’s stand-alone amazing. I also love that it only has a few ingredients (ingredients I often have on hand anyway) so it’s perfect for a last-minute dessert too! I might even make it into mini pies this year to give as gifts!
I’m so thankful for ALL of the readers that have shared their photos of the brown sugar pie, emailed to tell me how much their families love this pie, and those who have tagged me on social media to share pies.
It’s clearly a little hidden gem of a recipe that doesn’t necessarily look like it would be the “winning dessert” but in my family, it absolutely is!
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“Thank you so much. The pie turned out just wonderful! This is hands down a new family favorite. My kiddos said it is better than birthday cake! (Which to them is better than anything else)” – Brittney
Your oven may take longer to cook, so just watch it. It will still “set up” once it cools but try to be sure your brown sugar pie is slightly firm before bringing out of the oven. I hope you’ll try it this year! It’s definitely a delicious southern tradition that would be a tragedy to never taste, especially if you have brown sugar.
My husband’s grandmother says it reminds her of a pecan pie (without pecans) so if you like pecan pie, you’ll definitely love this one too! And because it’s thin, you’re totally allowed to have two pieces. Enjoy!
Southern Brown Sugar Pie
While our original family recipe yields two pies, I have adjusted this recipe to one pie in my new book, The Southern Entertainer’s Cookbook. Follow the recipe for two pies below or if you only want one, I recommend following the adjusted recipe for 1 in my new book.
If you want to make your own homemade pie crust, I recommend THIS recipe!
More Desserts to Try
Butterscotch Cinnamon Pie
Chocolate Chess Pie
Homemade Brownies (from Scratch)
Southern Brown Sugar Pie
Author: Courtney Whitmore
A delicious southern favorite, this brown sugar pie is delicious!
SERVINGS 16slices
Print Rate Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutesmins
Cook Time 55 minutesmins
Total Time 1 hourhr15 minutesmins
Ingredients
1poundlight brown sugar
1/2cupunsalted butter - melted
3eggs
1tablespoonvanilla extract
2pie crusts
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare each pie pan with pie crust.
Lightly whisk together eggs and add in sugar, butter, and vanilla. You don't want to over-beat your pie filling.
Pour pie filling into each pie pan. Bake pies on middle rack of oven for 45-55+ minutes or until golden brown. Update: It might need longer based on oven temperatures. Check to see that pie is baked through (if you move it slightly, it shouldn't jiggle).
Note: You may need to loosely place aluminum foil around pie crust edges to prevent them from getting too brown. I often allow it to cool and then refrigerate it to set up further. Then I warm slightly before serving. Remember, this makes TWO pies.
Notes
You may need to cook your pie longer, but know that it will set up while cooling! This recipe yields TWO pies.
Sugar pie is a dessert in northern French and Belgian cuisine, where it is called tarte au sucre. It is also popular in Canada. Various type of tarte au sucre are made.
If you will not be enjoying your fresh pie right away, you should refrigerate it for up to 6 days. You may also freeze your pie wrapped in plastic wrap inside a large freezer bag or inside the pie box.
Again, if you use dark brown sugar, you will find a stronger flavor and the higher acidity will impact the rise, causing a higher rise or wider spread. That being said, if the recipe only calls for a small amount of brown sugar, it may not impact the final product.
The famous dessert reportedly originated in the 1850s in resourceful Amish communities in Indiana. According to What's Cooking America, the pie consisted of only four simple ingredients: brown sugar, flour, heavy cream, and an 8-inch pie crust at 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pie is a staple of Southern life, a comfort food eaten at a communal table with extended family and friends. It also helps define the region's cuisine.
What is the Difference Between a Sugar Cream Pie and Custard or Chess Pie? Chess pies and custard pies are mixed and poured right into the pie crust, and they contain eggs. A sugar cream pie is made without eggs, and the filling is usually prepared on the stovetop, reducing the overall baking time.
If a pie contains eggs or dairy products, it should be stored in the refrigerator and not left out at room temperature for more than two hours. Pies that do not contain dairy products, such as fruit pies can be stored, loosely covered at room temperature for up to two days.
While this is certainly true for food safety reasons, McDowell reiterates that all pies—even those that have been refrigerated—should be eaten within two days for ideal texture and optimal crust flakiness. “If you feel squeamish about keeping any pie at room temperature, it's definitely okay to refrigerate them.
Color: Dark brown sugar is darker than light brown sugar due to the higher molasses content. Flavor: Light brown sugar has a mild sweet flavor similar to white sugar or mild caramel. On the other hand, dark brown sugar has a deep, almost bitter flavor similar to toffee.
It is a byproduct of the sugar-making process, and it comes from crushed sugar cane or sugar beets. First, manufacturers crush sugar cane or sugar beets to extract the juice. They then boil down the juice to form sugar crystals. Molasses is the thick, brown syrup left over after they remove the crystals from the juice.
When to use which one. Baking soda is used in recipes that also include an acidic ingredient, such as cream of tartar, buttermilk, or citrus juice. Conversely, baking powder is typically used when the recipe doesn't feature an acidic ingredient, as the powder already includes the acid needed to produce carbon dioxide.
So is there a definitive answer to which is healthier, honey or sugar? Both should be consumed in limited amounts. Honey may have a slight edge, but excess consumption of either is more dangerous to your health than the advantage of choosing one over the other.
Brown sugar makes my sugar cookies spread thin and keeps my oatmeal cookies from spreading at all; it makes both of them extra chewy. It also adds flavor to my crispy gingersnaps. White sugar turns my oatmeal cookies crisp and thin, and keeps my sugar cookies soft and thick.
Pie pastry is believed to have originated in Ancient Greece. In the plays of Aristophanes (5th century BC), there are mentions of sweetmeats including small pastries filled with fruit.
The history of the pie has its roots in ancient Egypt and Greece. The ancient Greeks ate pie (artocreas), though it was of the savory type with meat in an open pastry shell. The Romans may have been the first to create a pie that included a top and bottom crust.
Introduction: My name is Msgr. Refugio Daniel, I am a fine, precious, encouraging, calm, glamorous, vivacious, friendly person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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