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This is the best Butterscotch Pie recipe that is easy to make completely from scratch. It has a creamy butterscotch pudding filling, a delicious graham cracker crust, and a pillowy-soft topping. You haven’t lived until you’ve tasted butterscotch pudding from scratch!

A slice of butterscotch pie with pecans on top on a white plate with rest of pie in background


Butterscotch pie is an old-fashioned pie recipe that is irresistible! It takes like a butterscotch candy but served up as a no-bake pie. If you love the rich, caramel flavor of butterscotch you are going to love this easy homemade pie recipe.

Ingredients laid out on a white surface include a stick of butter, heavy whipping cream, chopped pecans, cornstarch, vanilla, egg yolks, brown sugar, milk, and graham cracker crumbs, with a blue and white checkered cloth nearby.

Ingredients Needed

  • A simple graham cracker crust with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter
  • Large egg yolks for the pudding custard
  • Light brown sugar gives that rich butterscotch flavor
  • Whole milk but you can also use low-fat or nonfat
  • Cornstarch helps to thicken the pudding
  • A soft whipped cream goes on top.
A round baking pan with a graham cracker crust is surrounded by a small pitcher of milk, three white eggs in a bowl, a bowl of brown sugar, and a wrapped stick of butter on a white and blue checked cloth, all on a white surface.
A bowl of creamy caramel sauce sits on a white surface with a blue-striped cloth beneath. Nearby are eggs, a bowl of brown sugar, a stick of butter, and a small pitcher of cream, indicating ingredients for a recipe.
A sieve is being used to pour a smooth, light brown mixture into a springform pan with a graham cracker crust. The background features a tile wall, and a striped kitchen towel is partially visible on the counter.
A pie crust filled with a creamy mixture sits in a round baking pan. Nearby are three eggs, a bowl of brown sugar, a stick of butter, and a blue-striped cloth. A small pitcher of milk is in the background.

How to make Butterscotch Pie

  1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter in a bowl until there are no dry crumbs left. Pour the crumbs into a prepared 9” springform pan and firmly press it in the bottom and up the sides of the pan to create a thick crust.
  2. Make the homemade pudding: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the egg yolks and whisk until they are well combined with the butter. Add the brown sugar and whisk until smooth and then add the milk and cream and keep whisking. Add the cornstarch a little bit at a time. Then stir until the pudding thickens.
  3. I like to strain the filling into the crust so it’s really smooth, but this is optional. The nice thing about straining it is that it removes any small lumps.
  4. Get a piece of plastic wrap and cover the filling so that the wrap is touching the surface of the pudding. This will prevent a skin from forming on top while it cools. Poke a few small holes in the plastic – this will allow steam to escape as the filling cools. Cool the filling in the crust then store it in the refrigerator for four to six hours or overnight.
  5. Top the pie with whipped cream before serving. You can also make a more traditional meringue topping, if you prefer.
Close up shot of butterscotch pie with one slice missing

Recipe Tips for the Best Butterscotch Pie

Why use a 9-inch springform pan? It makes for an easy release – no worries about sticking. If you don’t have a springform pan you can use a 10-inch pie plate or deep dish 9-inch pie plate.

Crust Tips: If you want lots of tips for making the crust be sure to check out my post all about graham cracker crusts.

Measure ahead: When you make the filling be sure to measure all of your ingredients first so they are ready. Cooking the filling is a fast process and having everything premeasured will make it much easier.

For a Creamy Filling: For the creamiest, smoothest filling strain the filling when you pour it into the crust. You can use a fine-mesh strainer to make this easy.

Whipped Cream Tip: The easiest (and fastest) way to make whipped cream is to use cold cream and chill the bowl and beaters first. When everything is cold it will whip up faster!

Make Ahead: You can make the crust and filling the night before you want to serve it. Just wait to add the topping until the next day.

Slice of no bake butterscotch pie on white plate

No Bake Butterscotch Pudding Pie Recipe

5 from 6 votes
This No-Bake Butterscotch Pudding Pie is completely from scratch with the BEST butterscotch pudding EVER and a graham cracker crust!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Yield 10 servings
Serving Size 1 slice
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Ingredients
 

For the crust:

  • 2 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 8 tablespoons (113g) unsalted butter melted

For the pudding:

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¾ cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons (24g) cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

  • ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup (27g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • Pecans crushed, optional
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Instructions

  • Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. The springform pan helps with ease of cutting, but you can use a 9” pie plate if you prefer.
  • Stir the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter until there are no dry crumbs left. Pour the crumbs into your springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides to create a thick crust.
  • Measure out all of the pudding ingredients before starting. Pudding cooks fast and you don’t want your eggs to scramble! In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Once the butter is melted, add the egg yolks, whisking continuously until well combined. Immediately add the brown sugar to the egg mixture and whisk until smooth. Quickly add the milk and heavy whipping cream, continuing to whisk over medium-low heat. Add the cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time and whisk until dissolved. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir constantly. Once the pudding starts to thicken, continue cooking for another couple of minutes until it is bubbling slightly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Strain the pudding through a fine sieve into the pie crust. This is optional, but helps strain out any lumps. Immediately cover the top of the pie with plastic wrap (directly on the surface of the pudding) and poke a few holes with a toothpick. Allow it to cool on the counter for at least 1 hour before refrigerating. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or until the filling is firm before adding the topping. (Overnight is fine.)
  • Make the topping by beating the heavy whipping cream on high speed with the whisk attachment until it’s bubbly, then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until stiff peaks form. It’s best to start with a cold bowl and beater for faster whipped cream. Spread the whipped cream over the pie and garnish with chopped pecans.

Recipe Video

Recipe Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 414kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 133mg | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 924IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Author Dorothy Kern

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Other Pudding Pies We Love

Have you guys ever read my friend Julianne’s blog, Beyond Frosting? She’s one of the sweetest people I’ve met through blogging. She just wrote her first cookbook and it’s out now!

This book is one of my favorite new cookbook additions because it’s a topic I love dearly (and so do all of you): No Bake Desserts. The book is full of completely no-bake cheesecakes, pies, mousse, parfaits, bars and lots of other goodies that will keep your kitchen cool all year long. No Bake Treats: Incredible Unbaked Cheesecakes, Icebox Cakes, Pies and More by Julianne Bayer is one of those books you MUST get yourself before the holidays. And then buy it for everyone on your Christmas list!



Dorothy Kern

Welcome to Crazy for Crust, where I share recipes that are sometimes crazy, often with a crust, and always served with a slice of life.

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5 from 6 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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28 Comments

  1. I have to agree that homemade pudding is way better than boxed and it’s really not that hard to make! Love the idea of the springform pan and the holes in the plastic wrap! Well, in my opinion I think it’s better to be know as the sugar house than to be known as the “boring mom” <- that's me!!

    Reply

  2. Looks great! Maybe Jordan gets invited to so many sleepovers because the moms are hoping you’ll send goodies. A sure way to pass the love (and get rid of all the extra baked goods). xoxo

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  3. Girl I love no bake treats and this looks so good!! Can’t wait to get my hands on this cookbook!!

    Reply

  5. I have her book and have thumbed through it but haven’t given it the sit-down 3+ hour read it deserves yet! I am so glad you brought this pie to my attention! I love the plastic with holes in it tip! And the springform pan trick, nice!

    I am known as the sugar house too. But there’s a weird paradox that’s happened…my kid is pretty much over it. I’m like want a cookie/brownie/bar/weirdthingIjustmade etc? She’ll have 2 bites and be done, or just say no. So in my case the overload has turned her into not even caring anymore most times.

    Reply