Description
Creamy, nostalgic, and steeped in Midwestern tradition — Sugar Cream Pie is the state dessert of Indiana for good reason. This classic Hoosier pie blends pantry staples like sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla into a silky, custard-like filling that’s comforting and timeless.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Crust:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4–5 tbsp ice water
- For the Filling:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 cups half-and-half
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg (plus more for topping)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Make the Crust: Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time until dough holds. Form into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Blind Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Dock the crust, line with parchment, and fill with pie weights. Bake 15 min, then remove weights and bake another 5–7 min until lightly golden. Cool completely.
- Cook the Filling: In a saucepan, whisk sugar and cornstarch. Slowly add half-and-half and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbling (about 5–7 min).
- Finish the Filling: Remove from heat. Stir in butter, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. Strain through a mesh sieve for silkiness.
- Bake the Pie: Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until set around edges with slight center jiggle.
- Broil the Top (Optional): Switch oven to broil. Broil pie 1–2 minutes until top is golden and speckled. Watch closely to prevent burning.
- Cool & Chill: Cool pie at room temp, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Best served cold or at room temp.
Notes
Tip: For a maple twist, replace half the sugar with pure maple syrup and reduce liquid slightly. Always stir continuously when thickening on the stovetop to avoid lumps or scorching. The broiled top gives that signature caramelized finish.
- Prep Time: PT30M
- Cook Time: PT50M
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Midwest
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
Keywords: sugar cream pie, hoosier pie, desperation pie, custard pie, Indiana state pie