Honey Pie
intro
A rich, custardy golden pie with warm floral honey notes, buttery flaky crust, and silky smooth filling that melts in every bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare flaky pie crust
In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour and ¼ tsp fine sea salt for the crust. Cut ½ cup (113g) cold cubed unsalted butter into the flour using a pastry cutter until the mixture forms coarse, pea-sized crumbs. Drizzle in 3-4 tbsp ice water 1 tbsp at a time, mixing gently until the dough just holds together when squeezed. Form the dough into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Blind bake the crust
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch circle, ⅛-inch thick. Gently lay the dough into a 9-inch pie dish, press it firmly against the bottom and sides, trim excess overhang to 1 inch, and crimp the edges decoratively. Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights, then bake for 5 more minutes until the crust bottom is lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
Whisk honey filling base
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk ¾ cup (255g) raw wildflower honey, 2 tbsp (28g) cooled melted unsalted butter, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until fully combined. Add 2 tbsp (16g) cornstarch, ¼ tsp fine sea salt for the filling, and ½ tsp ground cinnamon, whisking continuously until no dry lumps remain.
Combine custard components
Crack 3 room-temperature large eggs into the honey mixture, whisking gently just until combined—do not over-whisk, as this creates air bubbles that cause unsightly surface cracks during baking. Slowly stir in ½ cup (120ml) room-temperature heavy cream until the filling is completely smooth and uniform golden in color.
Bake the filled pie
Pour the custard filling into the slightly cooled pre-baked pie crust, spreading it evenly across the bottom. Place the pie on the middle oven rack, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C), and bake for 40-45 minutes. The outer 2 inches of the filling will be fully set, while the very center will have a soft, Jell-O-like jiggle when the pie is gently shaken.
Cool and set the pie
Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack at room temperature for 2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 more hour before slicing. This slow cooling process allows the custard to fully set for clean, neat slices without oozing.
Tips
2.Do not overbake the custard: the soft jiggly center will fully set as the pie cools, and overbaking will cause surface cracks and a rubbery, grainy texture.
3.Use high-quality raw, unfiltered honey (such as wildflower or orange blossom) for the deepest, most complex floral flavor; processed table honey will result in a flat, overly sweet pie.
OMG this old-fashioned creamy honey pie was the star of our Sunday family dinner last weekend! I used wildflower honey from the farmers market down the road and the flavor was so warm and perfectly sweet, not cloying at all. My kids loved it so much they went back for seconds before I even finished serving the table. 10/10 will be making this for our church potluck next month too!
Game changer alert! I’ve been trying to nail a creamy honey pie recipe for years to match what my grandma used to make, and this is dead on. The texture is so silky, no weird grainy bits like the last recipe I tried. Cook time was right on the money at a little over an hour, too – I thought it might take way longer for the custard to set.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and people were asking me for the recipe before I even set the plate down! It’s got that perfect nostalgic old-fashioned taste, not overly fancy but SO good. I added a tiny sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top before serving and it took it to the next level.
This was a little more involved than the quick weeknight pies I usually make (totally fair, medium difficulty!) but totally worth the extra effort for date night! My partner said it’s better than the honey pie we had at that fancy farm-to-table spot upstate last month. Only note is I wish I’d let it chill a little longer before slicing, my first piece oozed a tiny bit.
Made this with a gluten-free all purpose flour crust for my celiac sister’s birthday, and it turned out perfect! I was worried the custard wouldn’t set right with the GF crust, but it held up beautifully. The honey flavor is so warm and cozy, it felt like a hug in pie form.
First time making a custard pie ever and I was so nervous I’d mess it up, but the instructions were super clear! I used clover honey because that’s all the grocery store had near campus, and it still slapped. My roommates devoured half the pie in 10 minutes flat.
I paired a slice of this with my morning black coffee today and it’s the perfect combo. The creamy, sweet honey cuts the coffee bitterness so well. I added a dash of cinnamon to the custard because I can’t leave well enough alone, and it complemented the honey perfectly. Will be making this on repeat this fall.
Wait, has anyone tried making this with a sourdough discard crust? I’ve been trying to use up my extra discard and I think that tang would pair so nicely with the sweet honey custard, but I don’t want to ruin a whole pie if it won’t work.
Full transparency, I burned my first crust because I got distracted chasing my dog around the house, but I tried again the next day and WOW. So worth the re-do. The custard is so smooth, it melts in your mouth. I will say, make sure you don’t overbake it – the center should still be a little jiggly when you pull it out, just like the recipe says!
SO good. I’ve made three honey pies in the last month hunting for the perfect recipe, and this is the one. It’s not too sweet, the texture is luxuriously creamy, and it smells like heaven while it’s baking. My whole apartment smelled like warm honey for two days after, zero complaints here.
I brought a slice of this over to my 82-year-old neighbor who grew up making honey pie with her mom, and she said it tasted exactly like the recipe her family used when she was a kid. That’s the highest compliment I could ever get for a baked good! I used raw honey from my cousin’s bee farm for extra depth, would 100% recommend.
Meal prepped this on Sunday to have as a little treat for the family all week, and it held up perfectly in the fridge for 4 days! I was worried the custard would get watery or the crust would get soggy, but it stayed just as creamy and crisp as the day I baked it. Total win for our chaotic weeknight dinners.