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This butterscotch pie starts with a buttery, cinnamon-kissed pastry crust and an easy stovetop custard. The filling sets to a smooth, sliceable texture after chilling, with a flavor that blends rich butterscotch caramel notes and warm spice.
It’s a make-ahead dessert that serves beautifully straight from the fridge. Top it off with some homemade whipped cream for a sweet treat to serve on any occasion.
Here’s Why This Butterscotch Pie Recipe Works
Cinnamon in the crust: Not just a dusting on top. The spice is baked right into the dough, so every bite carries that warm flavor.
Two-step blind bake: Keeps the crust crisp and flaky, even under a rich, custard-style filling.
Real butterscotch depth: Built on butter and brown sugar, then enriched with butterscotch chips for a smooth, creamy finish. Think of it as the butterscotch cousin to my Caramel Custard.
Perfectly set: A blend of cornstarch and egg yolks gives the custard structure, letting it slice cleanly while staying light on the palate.
Love butterscotch? Try my homemade Butterscotch Sauce for drizzling over ice cream or cakes, or my Butterscotch Tart for another custard-style dessert.
Recipe Tips
Chill the dough: A full hour in the fridge keeps the crust tender and helps it hold its shape. You can also use my all butter pie crust.
Foil tent, don’t press: Protect those crimped edges by letting the foil hover instead of flattening it.
Warm milk slowly: Add it in a thin stream to prevent sugar syrup from bubbling over.
Stir with purpose: Keep the spoon moving and scrape the bottom as the custard thickens to avoid scorching or lumps.
Let it fully set: Six hours in the fridge (overnight is even better) for slices that hold up well and stay firm.
f you’re in the mood for more pies, my creamy Peanut Butter Pie is always a hit.
Butterscotch Pie
This spiced butterscotch pie doesn’t beg for attention, it earns it. A crisp, fragrant crust, a custard that marries warm spice with rich butterscotch, and a cool, creamy finish that keeps forks moving. Slice, serve, and watch it disappear.
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Butterscotch Cinnamon Pie
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Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Pastry Crust:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, 180 grams
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup shortening
- 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water
For the Butterscotch Cinnamon Filling:
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup water
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 package butterscotch chips
Instructions
For the Cinnamon Pastry Crust:
- Place the flour, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse with the blade attachment. Add the shortening and the butter and pulse until the mixture is the size of peas. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of water over the mixture and begin pulsing the machine. Continue adding additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time while pulsing until the mixture begins to clump. Stop the machine and squeeze a handful of the mixture, it should barely hold together.
- Tip the dough out onto your work surface and shape into a disk, wrap the disk in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit for 15 minutes to soften up a bit. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 14 inches in diameter.
- Transfer the rolled pastry into a 9-inch, deep-dish pie dish, trim the overhanging pastry to 1 in, turn it under and crimp the edge. Place the dish into the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Spray a large piece of foil with oil and line the pastry, oil side down, fitting it to the frozen pastry while tenting over the rim. Fill with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 30 minutes. Transfer from the oven and carefully lift out the pie weights with the foil.
- Dock the pie crust with a fork, return it to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool completely before filling.
For the Butterscotch Cinnamon Filling:
- Combine the cornstarch and water in a medium-size bowl, stirring to make a slurry. Whisk in the cream, egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Set aside for later.
- Add the milk to a saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer then turn the heat to low and keep the milk warm until later (alternatively, you can keep the milk warm in the microwave).
- Place the butter, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. After the butter melts, let the mixture come to a boil and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the warm milk, stirring constantly. The mixture will bubble up to the top of the saucepan but if you pour it slowly and stir constantly, it won’t overflow.
- Give the cream and egg mixture a stir then slowly pour the cream mixture into the saucepan with the brown sugar.
- Return the saucepan to the stove and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-low. Stir continuously with a silicone or rubber spatula until the mixture begins to thicken.
- Remove from the heat, add the butterscotch chips and stir until melted and smooth.
- Pour the filling into the cooled pastry crust and cool on a wire rack. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator and chill until firm, about 6 hours or overnight.
- Serve with whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
This tastes wonderful but it just isn’t setting. Still like pudding for me. Any suggestions?
Give it at least six hours in the fridge. If you cook the cornstarch too long or too hot it can lose its thickening power but the butterscotch chips will also help it set up (it just won’t be as firm).
Just a question, I can’t seem to find where the shortening is used? It seems kinda impossible to really make the crust without the knowledge.
Thanks for the question Pat, the butter and shortening go in right after the dry ingredients.
One tablespoon of cinnamon in the pastry seems like a lot of cinnamon. Is this correct? Could I lessen the amount?
Thanks for the question, Ann. You are right, that was a misprint and should be 1 teaspoon. Thank you for calling that out. I will update the recipe card
Hi, is there some way of making this without using butterscotch chips? I can’t get them where I live (in Bulgaria). Thank you
You can replace the butterscotch chips with white chocolate. It will still have some butterscotch flavor but it won’t be quite as pronounced.
I’m a little confused with the filling directions: step one says to add the milk into the egg mixture, but step 2 says to warm up the milk in a seperate sauce pan… could you clarify? I’m thinking it’s the 1 cup with step one and the 1/2 cup with step 2… but I wanted to make sure before I made it. I really want to try it, it looks amazing! 🙂
Hi, Emma….Thanks for your question on this recipe. The milk is only in step #2, I apologise for this error and the confusion and appreciate your reaching out for clarification. The recipe should read as step #1: Combine the cornstarch and water in a medium-size bowl, stirring to make a slurry. Whisk in the cream, egg yolks, whole egg, vanilla, and cinnamon. Set aside for later. The 1-1/2 cups of milk is used in step #2. Again, I apologise for my error and have made the correction in the recipe card. Enjoy the pie!
Gosh..that butterscotch filling looks incredibly rich and absolutely irresistible! And I love that perfect cinnamon pastry crust too.
Thanks, Angie…Small slices are recommended….lol