Salted Honey Pie: A 5-Star Decadent Twist on a Southern Classic Recipe
Salted Honey Pie is a decadent twist on a Southern classic dessert, featuring a rich honey-sweetened filling with a buttery cornmeal texture, balanced by a hint of sea salt. This pie combines a flaky pre-baked crust with a smooth, custard-like filling enhanced by honey, vanilla, and a touch of vinegar, baked to just set perfection for an irresistible treat.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Scale
For the crust
- 1 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought (blind baked)
For the filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornmeal (fine grind)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup honey (preferably wildflower or clover)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
For topping
- Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), to finish
Instructions
- Blind Bake the Crust: Chill the pie crust, then line it with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil, then bake for an additional 5 minutes until the crust is lightly golden. Let it cool slightly before filling.
- Prepare the Filling: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, fine cornmeal, salt, white vinegar or lemon juice, vanilla extract, and honey until the mixture is well combined and smooth.
- Add Eggs and Cream: Incorporate the eggs one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition to ensure a smooth consistency. Then stir in the heavy cream until the filling mixture is evenly blended.
- Fill the Pie Crust: Pour the prepared filling into the pre-baked pie crust, smoothing it out evenly. Place the pie on a baking sheet to catch any spills during baking.
- Bake the Pie: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the filling is set but still slightly jiggly in the center. If the crust begins to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning.
- Cool the Pie: Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to allow the filling to fully set.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the pie generously with flaky sea salt to enhance the flavors and add a final touch of texture.
Notes
- Blind baking the crust helps prevent a soggy bottom and ensures a crisp texture.
- Using fine-ground cornmeal contributes a slight texture to the filling without being gritty.
- Wildflower or clover honey adds a rich floral aroma and sweetness.
- If the pie crust darkens too much during baking, tent with foil to avoid burning.
- Allow the pie to cool completely to achieve the ideal custard-like consistency.
- Flaky sea salt on top adds a perfect balance of savory and sweetness—do not skip.
Keywords: Salted Honey Pie, Southern dessert, honey pie, sweet pie, flaky pie crust, custard pie, honey dessert, easy pie recipe
