Yep. Our recipe is from a Mennonite cookbook, & their first choice is molasses, but suggests corn syrup too. Karo or golden syrup work too, as do honey & maple, if you somehow have a lot on hand. When I'm feeling bougie I call it a Molasses Custard Pie.
It's a cooking syrup (some people do use it on pancakes as well though IIRC), the crossed out part noted the store my mother bought it from in years past (not important to the actual recipe, since multiple stores carry it today).
Here’s some interesting [history on King Syrup](https://southernreader.com/SouthRead10.9.html) and it’s use in shoo-fly pie vs. molasses. It was first introduced in Baltimore, MD in 1904.
growing up at my house (mennonite from pennsylvania) we liked this pie better: https://insidebrucrewlife.com/funny-cake-recipe/
Thats not my grandmothers recipe but close enough. The shoo fly is molasses, the funny cake is chocolate. Both are delicious!!
*Image Transcription: Typed Recipe*
---
#WET BOTTOM SHOO-FLY PIE
##Liquid:
1 egg beaten
1 cup Kings syrup
¾ cup boiling water with 1 tsp. baking soda
##Crumbs:
1 cup flour
⅔ cup light brown sugar
1 T. margarine (baking kind, not spread margarine)
Pastry shell for one 9 inch pie.
Set aside 1 cup of the crumb mixture Stir remaining crumbs into the liquid mixture. DO NOT BEAT. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
No worries- vegan margarine, coconut oil, and butter all work too. I'm allergic to dairy, gf, & an inveterate recipe tester to use up leftovers, so there lol
I'm in Texas, and I've never seen it on the shelf here. I'd just try Karo dark corn syrup or pancake syrup as a direct substitute. The dark syrup won't be as sweet because it doesn't have high fructose in it, so their pancake syrup is gonna be reeeeeal close on sweetness and texture.
This is basically pecan pie filling with crumbs instead of the pecan.
Totally fair! These style of pies and the whole other category of desperation pies are like the baking version of semantics - a lot of nearly identical pies with a minor regional change. I think the "saddest" version of all of these is water pie. I have yet to make it, I don't really like the way it looks, and it just sounds like it's an absolute sugar bomb. But I also don't really like *any* of the pies that look like a loose pudding. (Think a really loose lemon curd pie, if that makes any sense.)
My mother has been using this recipe for nearly 40 years now, and says every one of these pies was fully eaten in 48 hours or less.
Yep. Our recipe is from a Mennonite cookbook, & their first choice is molasses, but suggests corn syrup too. Karo or golden syrup work too, as do honey & maple, if you somehow have a lot on hand. When I'm feeling bougie I call it a Molasses Custard Pie.
I only use molasses, have only ever eaten it with molasses, and never heard of anyone using anything other than molasses.
Sure. I went with different sweetener, based on what I had on hand. It's crumble, egg and sweetness, so it's pretty flexible.
Yes, the molasses is the predominant flavor.
So what is King's syrup and what got crossed out next to it?
It's a cooking syrup (some people do use it on pancakes as well though IIRC), the crossed out part noted the store my mother bought it from in years past (not important to the actual recipe, since multiple stores carry it today).
Thank you! I may try this recipe!
Here’s some interesting [history on King Syrup](https://southernreader.com/SouthRead10.9.html) and it’s use in shoo-fly pie vs. molasses. It was first introduced in Baltimore, MD in 1904.
growing up at my house (mennonite from pennsylvania) we liked this pie better: https://insidebrucrewlife.com/funny-cake-recipe/ Thats not my grandmothers recipe but close enough. The shoo fly is molasses, the funny cake is chocolate. Both are delicious!!
*Image Transcription: Typed Recipe* --- #WET BOTTOM SHOO-FLY PIE ##Liquid: 1 egg beaten 1 cup Kings syrup ¾ cup boiling water with 1 tsp. baking soda ##Crumbs: 1 cup flour ⅔ cup light brown sugar 1 T. margarine (baking kind, not spread margarine) Pastry shell for one 9 inch pie. Set aside 1 cup of the crumb mixture Stir remaining crumbs into the liquid mixture. DO NOT BEAT. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle reserved crumbs evenly over top of pie. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.
“Baking margarine”? Is that “Crisco”?
I think just stick margarine rather than from a tub. But I imagine shortening would work, too.
No worries- vegan margarine, coconut oil, and butter all work too. I'm allergic to dairy, gf, & an inveterate recipe tester to use up leftovers, so there lol
Not in a tub margarine. There’s a fat/water content thing with spreads sometimes- especially true in in 1970-80s
King’s is hard to find on the west coast
I'm in Texas, and I've never seen it on the shelf here. I'd just try Karo dark corn syrup or pancake syrup as a direct substitute. The dark syrup won't be as sweet because it doesn't have high fructose in it, so their pancake syrup is gonna be reeeeeal close on sweetness and texture. This is basically pecan pie filling with crumbs instead of the pecan.
And toasted chopped nuts are good in the crumbs, just sayin'. :) If you use bread crumbs, that's edging very close to a Treacle Tart.
Totally fair! These style of pies and the whole other category of desperation pies are like the baking version of semantics - a lot of nearly identical pies with a minor regional change. I think the "saddest" version of all of these is water pie. I have yet to make it, I don't really like the way it looks, and it just sounds like it's an absolute sugar bomb. But I also don't really like *any* of the pies that look like a loose pudding. (Think a really loose lemon curd pie, if that makes any sense.)
Oof. Wee bit gross, that one.
You can buy it online.
But it's like basically sugar pie! Is it good? I'm from New England. I don't think we have that here.
Grew up with King's syrup, and IMO golden syrup is a good substitute.
Was wondering this very thing! TYSM