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For a simple pie recipe, you can’t go wrong with an old-fashioned sugar cream pie recipe! Also known as Hoosier sugar cream pie, this is easy pie with a rich creamy custard filling, cinnamon topping, and crunchy buttery crust. It’s delicious!
What is Sugar Cream Pie?
Sugar cream pie is an easy no egg custard pie that’s sweet and loaded with vanilla flavor. It’s also called Hoosier pie, Indiana sugar cream pie, or Amish sugar cream pie. I’ve also heard it called desperation pie which refers to a type of pie made with simple staple ingredients that is easy to make.
It’s a rich and creamy pie that reminds me a lot of crème brulee. Traditionally it’s sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg and it’s so good. It’s a little bit thicker than a chess pie, but similar flavor vibes.
Ingredients in Sugar Cream Pie
- 9″ pie crust: Try my all-butter crust or use refrigerated or frozen pie crust.
- Cornstarch: This helps set the pie since we aren’t using eggs.
- Half and Half: Some sugar pie recipes use milk, some use cream, but I find half an half to be the perfect middle ground, producing a thick and creamy custard that is the perfect amount of rich.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, and you’ll want to slice it so it melts quicker.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon, Nutmeg: For flavoring
How to Make Sugar Cream Pie
- Place the sugar, cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk dry ingredients then add half and half. Whisk and heat over medium heat, then add butter and stir to combine. Keep constantly stirring until the mixture thickens, bubbles, and coats the back of a spoon. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour hot filling into partially baked pie crust and sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg over the top of the pie. Bake until the top is set, but the middle still slightly jiggles when you tap the pan.
- Cool the pie to room temperature, and then cover it with plastic wrap. Place it in the refrigerator and chill it for at least one hour before slicing and serving it.
How to Serve Sugar Cream Pie
This pie has a rich vanilla flavor and is wonderful served plain, or you can add fresh fruit and whipped cream as a topping.
Storing Pie
This pie stores well covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for several days. It’s great to make ahead because it needs to set and chill before serving. The pie is also freezable once baked – it’s hardy enough to stand up to freezing and thawing.
FAQ for making Custard Pie
Partially blind baking the crust will ensure you don’t end up with a soggy bottom pie.
Yes, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Yes, it needs to be covered and stored in the refrigerator.
They are similar in texture and flavor, but a sugar cream pie is made without eggs. The biggest difference is in the texture because chess pie is usually made with cornmeal.
Chess pie is more custard-like with melted butter and eggs and has cornmeal, where sugar cream pie is thickened with cornstarch and has a milk base.
Sugar Cream Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust (from scratch, frozen, or a box of 2 refrigerated)
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (32g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (474ml) half and half
- 6 tablespoons (84g) unsalted butter, sliced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
Instructions
Blind Bake Crust:
- My all butter pie crust: Place crust in 9-inch pie plate and chill at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line cold crust with parchment paper and fill pie with beans or pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Carefully remove parchment with pie weights. Poke holes all over the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork and continue to bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is no longer opaque.
- Pillsbury refrigerated crust: Place crust in 9-inch pie plate and chill at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line cold crust with parchment paper and fill pie with beans or pie weights. Bake 12 minutes. Carefully remove parchment with pie weights. Poke holes all over the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork and continue to bake for 5-8 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is no longer opaque.
- Other type of crust: Follow the directions on the package or recipe for blind baking a crust for a single crust filled pie.
- The pie crust doesn’t need to be cooled before filling and baking, so once the crust goes in for the second bake, start making the filling.
Make the Filling:
- Whisk sugar, cornstarch and half and half in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Add the butter and stir until butter is melted, then stir constantly until mixture thickens and bubbles and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
- Pour hot mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Bake pie at 350°F for 15-20 minutes, or until the top seems set and the pie just slightly jiggles when you tap it.
- Cool completely on the counter then cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Store in refrigerator. Pie can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
I spent my teenage and college years in Indiana long, long ago and I can say with confidence and lots of SC pies in my life these past 40+ years that THIS RECIPE has become my favorite. It’s not only so simple but it tastes INCREDIBLE. People rave and rave whenever I make it, more than other SC pies I’ve made. An important thing I’ve learned about any SC pie recipe, you MUST BAKE THE CRUST before putting in filling and baking it.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Do you use a deep dish pie plate for this?
No just a regular 9-inch pie plate.
I love this pie!! I am wondering if I can make it though GF and vegan? How would I do that?
Can I substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder or tapioca? My daughter can’t do cornstarch
I have not tested that so I am not sure, I’m sorry.
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