Amish Vanilla Pie

The Amish are master bakers. From Amish cookies to famous pies, they couple simple kitchen staples with tried-and-true techniques to create outstanding baked goods.

Amish vanilla pie is a prime example of those values put to work. It’s made with nothing but basic ingredients found in the pantry or fridge—no main-ingredient fruit, chocolate or substantial mix-in. Instead, good-quality staples are worked into a crust, a silky brown sugar filling and a crumbly pie topping. This Amish vanilla crumb pie is heaven, the perfect dessert to make when you’re craving something sweet but the fridge feels bare.

Ingredients for Amish Vanilla Pie

• Pie dough: Feel free to make your own homemade pie crust or buy a premade pie crust from the store. Keep it chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it so the butter stays cool and creates a flakier crust.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar is one of the main flavors of this pie. I don’t recommend swapping in granulated sugar for brown sugar, as we want brown sugar’s caramel-molasses flavor.
• All-purpose flour: We’ll need a bit of all-purpose flour to thicken the pie’s filling, plus an additional 1 cup of flour for the crumbly topping.
• Egg: Bring the egg to room temperature so it blends easily into the filling.
• Dark corn syrup: Dark corn syrup creates a pleasant bitter sweetness. You could use light corn syrup if you’re in a pinch, but know you won’t get that same dark, caramel flavor.
• Vanilla: Since this pie’s flavor relies heavily on good-quality, basic ingredients, splurge on the best vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
• Cream of tartar: When combined with baking soda, cream of tartar acts as a leavening agent for a softer, fluffier crumble topping.
• Baking soda: We help our crumble topping rise just a little bit with baking soda and cream of tartar.
• Nutmeg: Nutmeg adds spice and warmth to the Amish vanilla crumb pie. Use ground nutmeg for ease or grate nutmeg from whole for a stronger flavor.
• Butter: Use Amish butter to make the pie taste even more authentic.

Directions

Step 1: Roll out the pie dough

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to an 1/8-inch-thick circle. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, fitting in the crust as needed.

Step 2: Flute the edge

Trim any excess pie dough overhang to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie plate. Flute the edge or make another decorative pie crust edge as desired. Pop the pie plate in the fridge for 30 minutes so the butter can chill. During the last 10 minutes, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 3: Cook the filling

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, the egg, dark corn syrup and vanilla extract. Slowly stir in the water. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil, three to four minutes. Take the saucepan off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly at room temperature.

Step 4: Make the crumble topping

In a bowl, whisk together the remaining brown sugar and flour with the cream of tartar, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Editor’s Tip: The butter should be cut in enough that the mixture holds its shape when pressed between fingers.

Step 5: Assemble the pie

Take the pie crust out of the fridge, then pour the cooled filling into the pie crust. Evenly sprinkle the top with the crumble.

Step 6: Bake

Carefully slide the pie in the oven and bake it until the top turns a light golden brown, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool the pie at room temperature on a wire rack before cutting.

Recipe Variations

• Swap in molasses for the corn syrup: For a deeper, smokier caramelized flavor, use molasses instead of dark corn syrup. Molasses is a popular ingredient in Amish baked goods and will add a ton more flavor to the pie.
• Add baking spices: Pair the nutmeg with more warming spices like sweet cinnamon and a touch of zippy ground ginger or bold cardamom.

How to Store Amish Vanilla Pie

Once the Amish vanilla pie recipe has cooled to room temperature, cover it tightly with storage wrap or transfer leftover slices to an airtight container. It can sit in the fridge for up to five days.

Can you freeze Amish vanilla pie?

Yes, you can freeze Amish vanilla pie. Once the pie has cooled to room temperature, cover it tightly with storage wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Or, transfer slices to an airtight container. Freeze the pie for up to one month, then thaw it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for an hour or two.

Amish Vanilla Pie Tips

How can you tell when Amish vanilla pie is done?

You can tell Amish vanilla pie is done when the bottom crust appears lightly browned and the crumb topping is golden brown. That’s one advantage of using a clear glass pie plate—you can check the color and avoid an undercooked, soggy crust.

What can you serve with Amish vanilla pie?

If you love baking Amish recipes, this vanilla pie is sure to become a new favorite. Make it extra-special by serving it with homemade whipped cream or a scoop of the best vanilla ice cream.

Is Amish vanilla pie the same as shoofly pie?

No, Amish vanilla pie and shoofly pie are not the same. Instead of Amish vanilla pie’s dark corn syrup, shoofly pie uses molasses—and twice as much. Therefore, shoofly pie has a stronger molasses flavor and a darker-colored filling.