Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie

Two classics collide in this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie. The fiery warmth and buttery comfort of the seasonal cocktail transforms the simple creamy vanilla filling of a traditional Sugar Cream Pie into a rich and ultra luscious rum laced dessert. The crisp and flaky crust, toothsome custard and barely bruléed surface create a contrasting team of textural delights.

Developing this pie recipe took me on a long scientific journey of testing, precision and adapting. It started out strong, then kinda lost its luster. Mistakes and tweaks were made. I about threw in the dish towel but there was something about this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie that coaxed me to push past my frustrations in order to develop a new pie recipe that instantly feels nostalgic.

Sugar Cream Pie meets Hot Buttered Rum

A piping mug of Hot Buttered Rum on a cold winter's night is the energy this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie evokes. It's got all of the right flavor stories baked right into the filling. Brown sugar, creamy butter, dark rum and the spicy warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The filling is basically a form of the best hot buttered rum, made better by baking it into a pie.

Sugar Cream Pies are not inherently nostalgic to me. I didn't grow up anywhere near Indiana, the homestate of Sugar Cream Pie. Personally, I don't have much experience with this genre of pies that go by many names; aka Hoosier Pie or Desperation Pie (due to the lack of available fruit, at the time). However, I've got mad respect for the magic that happens with the minimal ingredients in the filling.

Sugar Cream Pie Filling is made from simple, pantry staples

The category of cream pie fillings relies only on 4 ingredients at its core; sugar, cornstarch or flour, cream and butter. No fruit, no eggs, no nuts. Many Sugar Cream Pie recipes incorporate flavor through vanilla and spice but at the base, they are pretty basic.

If you've ever had a Hoosier Pie, you are familiar with the smooth and creamy, thick, custardy filling. It's almost hard to wrap your brain around the transformation that takes place as the pie bakes. The unique, silky texture serves as a plush canvas for this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie recipe.

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Real California Milk Heavy Cream & Butter create a lusciously creamy, custard-like pie filling

Custard is traditionally made with egg yolks, creating the signature silky richness. The Hot Buttered Rum Cream filling in this pie is achieved without eggs, yet it still has similar attributes to a standard custard filling. Real California Milk heavy cream and butter team up to create an elegantly smooth creaminess and deeply rich flavor.

Instead of thickening with eggs, cornstarch steps in, blending with the heavy cream, butter and sugars in a pan on the stovetop to get things melding. Once baked and set, the result nears a silky texture akin to cream cheese, similar to a Cheesecake or Pumpkin Pie filling. The plush, toothsome cream filling owes its stability to the richness offered by the heavy cream and butter and the alchemy that occurs when the cornstarch and heat show up.

Ingredients for Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie

There really isn't much that goes into this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie. The recipe combines mostly pantry staples with a couple of special stars that all blend together to create this slightly boozy spiced cream pie.

Pie Crust

• 1 pie dough disk, use either my All Butter Vodka Pie Dough or my Basic All Butter Pie Dough recipe for a foolproof pie crust option. Or if you're feeling extra, try this recipe with my Chocolate Pie Dough!

Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie Filling

• Real California Milk heavy cream builds up the decadence and rich backbone of the spiced rum cream pie filling. Alternatively, you can use half & half to lighten things up. However, I wouldn't recommend a milk that contains less fat. It's that fat content that contributes to the full flavor and smooth texture of the filling.
• Real California Milk butter also enriches the cream filling and doubles down on the Hot Buttered Rum-iness of the pie.
• Spiced Rum or Dark Rum elegantly stirs a little fun loving spirit into the sugar cream pie filling. It's just enough to add intrigue and warmth but doesn't overpower the pie.
• Cornstarch helps to thicken the filling and gives the cream filling it's thick, custardy and almost bouncy quality.
• Granulated sugar and brown sugar combine to sweeten the filling just enough. The brown sugar adds a little more depth, leaning into the warm flavors of Hot Buttered Rum.
• Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves bring warmth to the filling, echoing the spicy flavors of the classic cocktail.
• Vanilla extract gently evens out the flavors in a welcome softness.
• Fine sea salt helps to keep the balance between sweet, spicy and rich.

Pie Toppings

• Melted Real California Milk butter, just the soft whisper of a light-handed brush, gives the surface of the pie a glossy glimmer and rich finish.
• Cinnamon sugar is liberally sprinkled over the chilled pie, then gets hit with a kitchen torch to give the pie surface a soft brûlée top.
• Whipped cream is certainly not necessary but boy does it give the pie a fabulous finishing touch. As with any pie recipe, vanilla ice cream is always a delicious option.

Helpful tips for baking the Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie

When baking this pie recipe, there are a few valuable bits of knowledge to keep in mind for a successful pie bake. It took me a number of tests to get the balance of Hot Buttered Rum & Sugar Cream Pie just right. But, I've worked out the kinks so you don't have to!

Shaping the pie shell

Don't let homemade pie dough scare you. I promise you, it's always worth it to mix your own pie dough from scratch. The butter adds so much depth in flavor and the shatteringly flaky crust is no match for store bought. My go-to pie dough recipe is this All Butter Vodka Pie Dough but you can use any of my pie crust recipes as your base.

Par-bake the pie shell

This is a single crust pie that requires a par-baked crust. Don't let that intimidate you either. It really is simple, there are just a few key points to keep in mind.

• Chill. Once you've shaped your pie dough to your liking, freezing the shaped pie shell is crucial to maintain the shape of all your hard work spent crimping those edges so precisely! Chilling the pastry-lined pie plate in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, a few hours or even weeks ahead of time (when wrapped up tightly), will significantly enhance the chances of a solid structure and less shrinkage as the pie crust bakes.
• Heat. You want that oven all the way up to 425°F when par-baking your pie crust. The high heat helps to quickly seal the outer layer of the crust in the oven, locking your lovely pie crimp into place.
• Pie weights. The magic beans that keep a pie crust from shrinking into a mini pie crust as it bakes. Line the chilled pie shell with aluminum foil or parchment paper, with a generous overhang. Then fill the entire lined pie shell with weights. I prefer to use dry beans because they are cheap and reusable. You can also use rice, sugar or store-bought ceramic pie weights.
• Bake. By baking the pie shell in the lower half of the oven, you are hitting the bottom of the crust with high heat to seal it in, but the top crimped edges aren't getting blasted or burned. First bake with the weights for about 15-17 minutes, until the crust starts to turn golden brown around the edges and feels firm and dry. Then carefully remove the pie weights by lifting the the aluminum foil or parchment. Place the pie shell back in the oven to bake an additional 3-4 minutes, until the bottom crust starts to crisp up.

Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Filling

The Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream filling comes together in a few separate steps. It's not complicated but there are some telltale signs to look for so you know you're on the right track!

• Mix & Simmer. First, the cornstarch, sugars, spices, salt and heavy cream are whisked together and warmed over medium-high heat until simmering. The butter is blended in and it all simmers together over medium heat until it begins to thicken. Stirring often to prevent scorching. The filling may seem to thicken slowly and then suddenly become ultra thick and creamy. After about 10 - 12 minutes it will become as thick as pudding. This is the sign to pull it off the heat and whisk in the spiced rum and vanilla.
• Bake. The filling is poured into the prepared pie shell and then bakes at 350°F for about 25-30 minutes, until it starts to set. The pie filling should still be a bit jiggly in the center, similar to a pumpkin or pecan pie. It will set more and thicken as it cools.
• Cool & Chill. The Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie needs time to cool and set at room temperature. And then, further set and firm up in the refrigerator to become its best self.

Topping & Serving the Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie

While not completely necessary, these steps do make the Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie feel extra celebratory and special. It's the little things that stealthy elevate a recipe and the toppings on this pie really raises the bar. Save these steps for just before serving to experience the best pie ever!

• Cinnamon Sugar Brûlée Crust. A scant swipe of melted butter is brushed over the surface of the chilled pie. Then, a mix of cinnamon and sugar is sprinkled over the top of the pie and hit with the heat of either a culinary torch or placed under the broiler of the oven for a minute or two. The goal is to melt the sugar and add a little warmth in color and depth in flavor. The butter softens the brûlée so it isn't as shattering as a crème brûlée topping, but rather a delicate crunch.
• Fresh whipped cream. Since you will likely have some Real California Milk heavy cream leftover from the filling, it just makes sense to whisk it up and make a fresh whipped cream topping for dolloping over the slices when it's time to serve! Hot Tip, chill a metal bowl and whisk in the freezer for a few minutes before whipping the cream by hand for faster work!

Make the Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie ahead to save yourself time later

There is no way around it, baking a pie is a project. Even though this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie is a multi-step process, it isn't all that complicated. This isn't a last minute pie recipe, as it does take time and some planning. However, this cream pie holds its own for many days just chilling out in the fridge, so it's a perfect make ahead pie! In fact, the flavors develop more as it chills.

I recommend making this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie a day ahead of the event you're baking for. In the case of Thanksgiving or other holidays, you could even bake this pie 2 days before the big day to really get ahead of your holiday meal punch list!

By combining 2 beloved favorites into 1 delightful pie, we have unlocked a brand new recipe that feels like a classic. The toothsome, creamy filling scented with the deep warmth of rum and spice and brûléed topping is an utterly decadent experience, all tucked inside a delicately crisp and tender pie shell. I for one, will be reworking my winter holiday pie menus now that I have this Hot Buttered Rum Sugar Cream Pie in the mix. I hope you'll give this pie a try and make some room on your holiday table for this neo-classic!

This post was proudly made in partnership with Real California Milk. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @realcalifmilk on Instagram to learn more about the California dairy industry, farm practices, and discover new recipes!

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