Three weeks ago, Lucas knocked over the honey jar while I was making a regular custard pie. Honey went everywhere - including straight into my salted honey pie filling that already had cream and eggs in it. I was about to dump it and start over, but we were out of eggs. So I just added more honey since it was already in there, and threw some flaky salt on top because I remembered reading somewhere that salt makes sweet stuff taste better.That mess turned into our new favorite dessert. The salted honey pie that came out was completely different from what I planned - the honey made it taste almost like caramel, and the salt kept it from being too sweet.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
I've made this salted honey pie maybe twenty times in the past month - for our neighbor's dinner party, Lucas's teacher appreciation thing, and twice just because we wanted it on a Wednesday. It's one of those desserts that looks hard but uses stuff you probably have already. The filling is just honey, cream, eggs, and butter - no corn syrup or weird stuff. What gets people is that first bite where you taste the salt right before the sweet hits.
The texture is what got me hooked. It's not quite custard, not quite chess pie - somewhere in the middle with this smooth, kind of gooey center that moves a little when you cut it. It firms up enough to slice but stays creamy. Lucas eats it warm with vanilla ice cream melting into it. I eat it cold from the fridge the next morning with my coffee. Both ways are good. And honestly, it tastes better on day two after everything has time to hang out together.
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Ingredients for salted honey pie
For the Crust:
- All-purpose flour
- Cold unsalted butter
- Ice water
- Pinch of salt
- Touch of sugar
The Honey Filling:
- Pure honey
- Heavy cream
- Large eggs
- Egg yolks
- Unsalted butter
- Vanilla extract
- Cornmeal
- Salt
The Salty Finish:
- Flaky sea salt
- Extra honey for brushing
Basic Tools:
- Pie weights or dried beans
- 9-inch pie pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Salted Honey Pie Step By Step
From making this every week, here's what works:
Make Your Flaky Crust
- Mix flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl
- Cut cold butter into small cubes and work into flour until it looks like coarse sand
- Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together
- Form into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes
Prepare and Blind Bake
- Roll out chilled dough on floured surface into 12-inch circle
- Fit into 9-inch pie pan and trim edges, leaving 1-inch overhang
- Fold edges under and crimp however you like
- Line with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes
Create the Honey Custard Filling
- Whisk eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl until smooth
- Heat honey, cream, and butter in saucepan over medium until butter melts completely
- Slowly pour hot honey mixture into eggs while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling
- Stir in vanilla, cornmeal, and pinch of salt until combined
Bake Until Golden and Jiggly
- Remove pie weights from crust and pour honey filling into warm crust
- Reduce oven to 325°F and bake for 35-40 minutes
- Center should still wobble slightly when you shake the pan gently
- Cool on wire rack for 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours
Finish with Salty-Sweet Touch
- Slice and serve cold or at room temperature
- Brush top of chilled pie lightly with warmed honey
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt generously over the honey
- Let sit 10 minutes for salt to settle in
Smart Swaps for Salted Honey Pie
From making this with whatever I had on hand:
Honey Types:
- Pure honey → Wildflower honey (more floral)
- Regular → Clover honey (milder)
- Light → Dark buckwheat honey (stronger flavor)
Crust Options:
- Homemade → Store-bought refrigerated crust
- All-purpose flour → Half whole wheat (nuttier taste)
- Butter → Half butter, half shortening (flakier)
Cream Swaps:
- Heavy cream → Half-and-half (less rich)
- Regular → Coconut cream (dairy-free)
- Standard → Whole milk plus 2 tablespoons butter
Egg Alternatives:
- Whole eggs → All yolks for richer filling
- Regular → Add one extra yolk for thicker custard
- Standard → Can't really skip these, they set the pie
Salt Choices:
- Regular → Just don't use table salt, it's too fine
- Flaky sea salt → Coarse kosher salt
- Maldon → Fleur de sel (fancier)
salted honey pie for Variations
Brown Butter Version:
- Brown the butter before adding to filling
- Gives it a nutty, caramel taste
- Lucas's dad requests this one specifically
- Takes an extra 5 minutes but worth it
Lavender Honey:
- Use lavender-infused honey
- Add dried lavender to crust
- Fancy for spring gatherings
- Don't overdo it or it tastes like soap
Bourbon Kick:
- Add 2 tablespoons bourbon to filling
- Not for kids obviously
- Brings out the honey flavor more
- My favorite version for adult dinners
Chocolate Drizzle:
- Melt dark chocolate and drizzle on top
- Skip this if you're a purist
- Kids love it though
- Adds another layer of flavor
Lemon Twist:
- Add lemon zest to filling
- Cuts the sweetness a bit
- Good for summer
- Makes it taste lighter
Equipment for salted honey pie
- 9-inch pie pan (glass works best)
- Rolling pin (or wine bottle in a pinch)
- Mixing bowls in different sizes
- Whisk
- Pie weights or dried beans
- Parchment paper
Storing Your Salted Honey Pie
Here's what I've learned about keeping this pie at its best:
Counter (4 hours max):
- Fine to sit out while serving
- Cover loosely with foil
- Don't leave in hot kitchen
- Tastes good at room temp
Fridge (5 days):
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap
- Store on flat shelf so it doesn't tip
- Slices hold up really well
- Actually gets better after day two
Freezer (not recommended):
- The custard gets weird when frozen
- Comes out watery and separated
- Just make it fresh or keep it in the fridge
- Trust me, I tried and wasted a whole pie
Make-Ahead:
- Salt gets wet if it sits too long
- Bake crust a day ahead
- Make filling morning of serving
- Add salt right before serving
Top Tip
- My sister Rachel showed me something about this salted honey pie last Thanksgiving that I can't believe I never thought of. She keeps her honey jars in warm water for about ten minutes before using them. Sounds dumb, right? But warm honey blends way easier into the cream and eggs - no lumps, no endless stirring, just smooth filling in half the time.
- Her other trick came from screwing up a batch years ago. She forgot to put the salt on top before serving, so she just set out a little bowl of flaky salt and told people to add their own. Turns out everyone loved picking how salty they wanted it. Some piled it on, some barely touched it. Now she always serves it that way and acts like it was planned.
- The thing she taught me that matters most is about the cornmeal. Most people skip it, but she uses a tablespoon every time. It makes the filling slightly thicker and gives it this texture you can't really describe. You don't taste it, but something feels off if you leave it out. Sometimes tiny changes matter more than big ones.
FAQ
What is honey pie made of?
Honey pie is made with a custard filling of pure honey, heavy cream, eggs, butter, and usually a bit of cornmeal for texture. It bakes in a flaky salted honey pie crust until the center is set but still slightly jiggly. The salted honey pie version adds flaky sea salt on top to balance the sweetness.
What is Dolly Parton's favorite pie?
Dolly Parton's favorite salted honey pie is supposedly banana pudding pie, though she's also mentioned loving coconut cream pie. This salted honey custard salted honey pie isn't one of hers, but it's got that same Southern comfort food vibe with the rich, sweet filling and buttery crust that she'd probably appreciate.
What does adding salt to honey do?
Adding salt to honey brings out the honey's flavor and keeps it from tasting one-note sweet. The salt hits your taste buds first, then the sweetness comes through stronger. It's the same reason people put salt on watermelon or in chocolate chip cookies - it just makes everything taste more like itself.
What is honey salted honey pie for?
Honey pie is an old-fashioned term of endearment, like calling someone sweetheart or sugar. The Beatles even had a song called "Honey Pie" back in the 60s. It's just a cute way to call someone sweet, though these days most people use it talking about actual salted honey pie instead of people.
Time to Bake Something Special!
You've got everything now to make this salted honey pie that'll have people asking for the recipe before they're halfway through their slice. It looks like you slaved over it all day but really takes maybe an hour of hands-on time. The sweet and salty combo isn't just hype - it brings out the honey flavor instead of just tasting like regular sugar.
Want more pies? Try our The Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie when spring rolls around and you want something less sweet. Need single servings? Our Easy Mini Chocolate Peanut Butter Pies work great when people just want a taste. For something rich and easy, check out our Easy Amish Peanut Butter Cream Pie that we make all the time.
Share your honey pie! . Show us how much salt you use - light touch or heavy handed like Lucas?
Rate this and let us know how it turned out! Join our baking thing and get more desserts that don't need professional training.
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salted honey pie
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut cold butter into cubes and work into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until dough just comes together.
- Roll chilled dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Fit into a 9-inch pie pan, trim edges, and crimp as desired.
- Line crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20 minutes.parchment.
- In a medium saucepan, combine honey, butter, and heavy cream. Heat gently over medium until butter melts completely.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and yolks until smooth. Slowly pour warm honey mixture into eggs while whisking constantly to avoid curdling.
- Stir in vanilla extract, cornmeal, and a pinch of salt. Mix until evenly combined and slightly thickened.
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