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By: Becky Hardin
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This classic Butterscotch Pie Recipe features sweet butterscotch filling piled high with fluffy whipped cream! This no-bake pie recipe is ideal for holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other special occasion when you need something timeless and delicious.
Table of Contents
What’s in this Butterscotch Pie Recipe
If you do any baking, you might just have everything you need to make this classic holiday pie in your kitchen right now!
- Pie Crust: It can be store-bought or homemade. Just make sure it’s baked and cooled completely before adding the butterscotch filling.
- Dark Brown Sugar: You can always make your own by combining 1 cup of granulated white sugar with 1 TBSP (or more) of molasses. Make more or less as needed.
- Unsalted Butter: This is needed to achieve the signature smooth, buttery consistency and flavor.
- Kosher Salt: Just a pinch is needed to help enhance the other flavors.
- All-Purpose Flour: This is used to help stabilize the egg yolks.
- Cornstarch: You’ll need this to thicken the pie filling.
- Whipping Cream: This is used both in the pie filling and for the whipped topping. Don’t substitute it with anything else!
- Egg Yolks: Make sure it’s just the yolks! You don’t need the whites.
- Vanilla Extract: You can use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract.
- Powdered Sugar: You’ll need this to make the sweetest, fluffiest whipped cream.
PRO TIP: We topped our butterscotch pie with toasted pecans, and it added just the right amount of crunch and balanced the sweetness of the butterscotch.
How should I top butterscotch pie?
Homemade whipped cream made with just heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla extract makes the best topping! I also like to toss on some toasted pecans, but those are optional.
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How thick should butterscotch pie be?
You want the filling of this pie to be pretty firm, like a thick custard pudding. It should hold its form when cut.
What does butterscotch taste like?
Butterscotch tastes a lot like toffee. That’s because toffee is actually butterscotch, but cooked longer. It also tastes a lot like caramel. The main difference between caramel and butterscotch is that butterscotch has a brown sugar base, while caramel has a white sugar base.
What kind of pie crust should I use?
I started with a store bought pie crust for this recipe, but you can use pre-made or make it yourself. I have this easy pie crust recipe that I like to use for any pie (when I’m feeling like an overachiever).
How to Store
In an airtight container in the fridge, butterscotch pie will stay fresh for about 3-5 days.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great dessert recipe to serve on holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving!
5-Star Review
“This is my favorite butterscotch pie recipe. The consistency and flavor are spot on. I will make this pie often.” – George B.
More Easy Pie Recipes We Love
- Homemade Apple Pie
- Shoofly Pie
- Sweet Potato Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Caramel Pie
- Peanut Butter Pie
Recipe
Butterscotch Pie Recipe
4.09 from 37 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 30 minutes minutes
Cook: 2 hours hours
Total: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
Serves10
Print Rate
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Butterscotch Pie is the most decadent dessert you'll have on your holiday table. It's just like your Grandma's recipe from years ago. This classic pie is perfect for easy holiday baking, especially perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter!
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Ingredients
- 1 pie crust store bought or homemade; baked and cooled
For the pie filling:
- 1¼ cups dark brown sugar packed, divided
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut up
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- !Garnish:
- 1 cup chopped honey roasted pecans optional
Instructions
For the pie filling:
In a medium saucepan, combine ½ cup brown sugar and ¼ cup butter. Cook over low heat until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Stir continuously. Remove from heat.
Combine the remaining ¾ cup brown sugar, flour and cornstarch in a small bowl and mix well.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture – stir until incorporated. Whisk while adding 2 cups whipping cream. Return saucepan to medium heat and stir or whisk until thickened and bubbly.
Reduce heat to low, and cook 2 minutes more while stirring. Remove mixture from heat.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks. Very slowly, and while quickly whisking, incorporate 1 cup of the hot filling into the egg yolks. Add the yolk mixture to the brown sugar/butter mixture in the saucepan.
Turn heat to medium, stir constantly and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cool to touch then pour the butterscotch filling into the baked, cooled pie shell. Cover the pie with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight before serving.
For the Whipped Cream Topping:
In a large mixing bowl, beat 2 cups whipping cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, with an electric mixer, until soft peaks form.
To Serve:
Remove plastic wrap from pie and top with the whipped cream topping.
Sprinkle pecans on top. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 622kcal (31%) Carbohydrates: 43g (14%) Protein: 4g (8%) Fat: 49g (75%) Saturated Fat: 28g (175%) Cholesterol: 210mg (70%) Sodium: 175mg (8%) Potassium: 134mg (4%) Sugar: 28g (31%) Vitamin A: 1725IU (35%) Vitamin C: 0.6mg (1%) Calcium: 97mg (10%) Iron: 1mg (6%)
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Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.
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Joellen
Posted on 10/10/2023
Hi Becky,
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but it looks exactly like how my grandma used to make it. Once upon a time, when hers didn’t set up, she made a Graham Cracker crust and poured the pudding in, added her meringue on top, baked it a few minutes and it was so incredible that’s how she did it from then on.
Graham Cracker Pudding was our families holiday favorite…just an idea for pudding that doesn’t set up when cool.
Happy Baking, Joellen
Last edited 4 months ago by Joellen
Reply
Samantha Marceau
Posted on 10/10/2023
Reply to Joellen
What a lovely family tradition, Joellen! Hope this recipe brings back those nostalgic memories!
Reply
Joy Dascalakis
Posted on 2/6/2023
I wanted to love this but it never really firmed up. Also, mine is darker and more like a soft fudge. I followed the recipe to the letter.
Reply
Samantha Marceau
Posted on 2/6/2023
Reply to Joy Dascalakis
We’re sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you, Joy! This recipe is intended to be soft, not hard set!
Reply
Holly
Posted on 9/5/2022
So my mixture was great until the last step adding butter and vanilla! What can I do will it settle in a couple hours?
Reply
Samantha Marceau
Posted on 9/6/2022
Reply to Holly
It should thicken as it cools!
Reply
George Burns
Posted on 1/5/2020
This is my favorite butterscotch pie recipe. The consistency and flavor are spot on. I will make this pie often.
1
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 1/10/2020
Reply to George Burns
Thanks, George! I’m glad you love it so much!
1
Reply
Jenifer Wiggans
Posted on 11/22/2017
I just finished making the filling – the consistency seemed perfect when I removed it from heat after boiling. Once I added the butter and vanilla, the consistency changed to a lumpy oily mixture. Is that supposed to happen?
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 11/22/2017
Reply to Jenifer Wiggans
I’m so sorry that happened! No it shouldn’t separate…it should still be smooth. This article might help to potentially save it: https://www.thespruce.com/why-did-my-butter-separate-when-making-toffee-or-caramel-520448
Ugh I hope this didn’t ruin your Thanksgiving! Hope its a happy holiday regardless. So sorry I can’t be of more help.
Reply
Abigail
Posted on 11/13/2017
wITH the meringue on top of the pie can’t you bake it in the oven?
Reply
Becky Hardin
Posted on 11/13/2017
Reply to Abigail
Hey Abigail, we just used whipped cream on top when serving. Some people do meringue but we preferred just whipped cream. Hope that helps!
Reply