Crazy Crust Pie is a hassle-free way to create a pie crust from a homemade cake batter. As it bakes, it forms a crust around the fruit and becomes the perfect dessert to cure both a cake and pie craving.
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Crazy Crust Pie recipe is a quick and easy way to cook a fuss-free crust from a batter – no rolling or chilling pie dough required. It takes 5 minutes to prepare this homemade hybrid of a cake crossed with a pie, then as it bakes in the oven, it forms a crust around the fruit.
Crazy Crust Cherry Pie
Our easy, Crazy Crust Pie is a cake-like dessert pie that creates its own “crust” as it cooks in the oven!
When you crave the flavor of a classic fruit-filled dessert but don’t feel like fussing or blind baking a pie crust, then this simple recipe is your shortcut solution!
In fact, there’s no pie dough at all in this retro recipe; rather an easy to make batter is formed from flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, butter, vanilla, half and half, and an egg, then poured into a pie dish followed by canned fruit pie filling.
As it bakes, a cake version of a crust is created around the edges while the fruit in the middle becomes warm and fragrant.
Why We Love This Crazy Crust Pie Recipe
- Quick and easy to prepare in 5 minutes.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Pie that makes its own crust is a crazy cross between a pie, a cobbler, and a cake.
- Delicious dessert that you can customize with your favorite fruit flavor.
- Perfect for potlucks, parties, or serving after dinner with a scoop of ice cream.
Crazy Crust Pie Ingredients
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Kosher salt
- Salted sweet cream butter
- Granulated sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Extra large egg
- Half and half
- Canned fruit pie filling: I used great value cherry pie filling but feel free to use your favorite fruit flavor.
- Coarse sanding sugar (optional garnish)
Substitutions and Additions
- Fill With Your Favorite Flavor: This recipe will work with any can of fruit pie filling. Some of my favorites include apple, cherry, peach, and any berry.
- Tasty Toppings: Top your pie with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of icing for an extra sweet indulgence.
Recommended Tools
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Handheld mixer
- 9 inch deep dish pie plate
- Baker’s spray
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Jump to RecipeHow to Make Crazy Crust Pie
- Make The Flour Mixture: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and kosher salt. Set aside.
- Beat The Batter: Beat the butter for 1 minute, then mix in the sugar and vanilla until combined. Add the egg and mix until no yellow streaks remain, then mix in the flour mixture, followed by the half and half.
- Prepare The Pie Plate: Spoon in all but 2 – 3 tablespoons of the crust batter around the outer edges of the pie plate as well as a thin layer in the center of the plate. Add the pie filling into the center of the batter. Dollop the reserved crust batter around the center of the pie filling.
Pro Tip: Be sure the filling stays at least 1 inch away from the edge of the pie plate. - Bake: Sprinkle sanding sugar over the entire pie. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 – 40 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown.
- Serve: Allow the pie to cool before serving. Enjoy!
Tips For Making Crazy Crust Pie
- You can use any type of canned fruit filling in the pie. Some brands will only have 20 ounces. This should pose no problem with the finished pie.
- You can substitute unsalted butter for the salted sweet cream butter. You will need to increase the kosher salt to ½ – ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- You can substitute non-stick cooking spray for the baker’s spray if you prefer. I chose to use the baker’s spray because of the cake-like crust batter.
How to Store Crazy Crust Pie
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Cover in foil and freeze the cooked crazy crust pie for up to 1 month .
More Easy Pie Recipes
Other Easy Cherry Recipes
Crazy Crust Pie
Serves — 6
Crazy Crust Pie is a hassle-free way to create a pie crust from a homemade cake batter. As it bakes, it forms a crust around the fruit and becomes the perfect dessert to cure both a cake and pie craving.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter softened
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 extra large egg room temperature
- ¾ cup half and half
- 21 ounces canned fruit pie filling (I used great value cherry pie filling)
- 2 teaspoons coarse sanding sugar optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375*.
- Add the flour, baking powder and kosher salt to a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the softened butter to a medium size mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium high speed to beat the butter for 1 minute.
- Add the sugar and vanilla. Continue mixing on medium high speed for another 1 – 1 ½ minutes until well combined.
- Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the egg and continue mixing until no yellow streaks remain.
- Add the flour mixture and increase the speed to medium until the flour is well incorporated and no longer crumbly.
- Continue mixing on medium speed and drizzle in the half and half. Continue to mix just until the half and half is completely incorporated.
- Spray a 9 inch deep dish pie plate with baker’s spray (Baker’s Joy or a generic version)
- Spoon in all but 2 – 3 tablespoons of the crust batter around the outer edges of the pie plate. Smooth a thin layer of the crust batter in the center of the pie plate.
- Spoon the pie filling into the center of the crust batter. Be sure the filling stays at least 1 inch away from the edge of the pie plate. Dollop the reserved crust batter around the center of the pie filling.
- Sprinkle the coarse sanding sugar over the entire pie. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown. Allow the pie to cool before serving.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- To Freeze: Cover in foil and freeze the cooked crazy crust pie for up to 1 month .
- You can use any type of canned fruit filling in the pie. Some brands will only have 20 ounces. This should pose no problem with the finished pie.
- You can substitute unsalted butter for the salted sweet cream butter. You will need to increase the kosher salt to ½ – ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- You can substitute non-stick cooking spray for the baker’s spray if you prefer. I chose to use the baker’s spray because of the cake-like crust batter.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 425kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 249mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg
Hi, I like lots of your recipes but I print more than I have time to make. This recipe sounds good. Can you substitute Almond Milk in place of the Half and Half??? I am not able to go back and fix my mistakes without deleting all words before. Please check this out. I also can’t scroll back to read what I wrote you. Have a wonderfully blessed day.