Butterscotch Pie With Irish Whiskey

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My irresistible Butterscotch Pie with Irish Whiskey features a smooth and creamy butterscotch custard with a warm whiskey flavor nestled in a flaky pie shell. And with just 40 minutes of prep, this dreamy dessert is surprisingly easy to make.

• Silky, flavorful filling: The rich, velvety custard combines deep butterscotch flavor with the warmth of Irish whiskey.
• Crisp, buttery pastry: Blind baking helps keep the crust crisp, while my Pro Tip of brushing the crust with melted chocolate creates a delicious barrier between pastry and filling. 
• Easy and elegant: Pour the simple stovetop custard into the pre-baked crust, chill until set, and finish with a generous layer of whipped cream. Perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, and other special occasions!
• Great make-ahead dessert: Make this pie at least four hours ahead, ideally the day before. 
• Authentic Irish spirit: Rich butterscotch meets the warm, mellow flavor of Irish whiskey in this indulgent pie—a deliciously grown-up combination. 

One of my very favorite flavors is butterscotch. It’s more than just sweet—it has deep notes of molasses and caramel, with a hint of saltiness that keeps it from becoming cloying. Adding whiskey enhances these gorgeous flavors, bringing a delicious, mellow, oaky taste to the pie.  

I’m proud to share my family connection to the outstanding O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey used in this pie. My cousin, Michael J. Stafford, is the managing director of Stafford Bonded in my hometown of Wexford. Our grandfather (James Stafford) created the business with our fathers. George Stafford Snr and Michael Stafford Snr. O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey is triple distilled and aged in bourbon casks for a minimum of three years, giving it its signature smooth taste. 

My top tip for this recipe is to strain the custard after cooking. This final step catches any little bits of cooked egg or tiny lumps of cornstarch, ensuring the filling is perfectly silky and smooth. After you enjoy this custard pie, enjoy more of my favorite butterscotch recipes, including Butterscotch Sauce, Pear Butterscotch Pie, Butterscotch Brownies, and Self-Saucing Butterscotch Pudding.

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/8/2026, to include NEW step-by-step photography, a refreshed introduction, updated recipe description, clearer step-by-step instructions, and enhanced Pro Chef Tips.

Bold Bakers Loved This!

“Your Butterscotch Pie tastes amazing! We loved this recipe, Gemma!”—Julie

“This whiskey butterscotch pie was such a hit at Thanksgiving. I’m always amazed at how easy and delicious your recipes are.”—Pammy

“I could eat this filling with a spoon—it’s  so yummy!” —Ellie

Table of Contents

• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Irish Whiskey Butterscotch Pie
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Custard Pie Recipes

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• Rolling pin
• 9-inch (23 cm) pie tin
• Pastry brush
• Pie weights (optional)
• Whisk
• Medium saucepan
• Sieve

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

1 recipe Best Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

• My Best Homemade Pie Crust is my foolproof recipe for a flaky butter pie crust.
• Note that the recipe makes enough for a double-crust pie, so  freeze the remaining dough for another use. 
• Substitute: For a gluten-free option, use my Flakiest Gluten-Free Pie Crust.
• You can use a store-bought crust if you prefer. 

Egg yolk

• Egg yolks emulsify the fat and water together, making a consistently smooth texture.
• The fat in egg yolks is key to making a custard with a creamy mouthfeel and deep flavor.
• Heated egg yolks coagulate to thicken the custard.
• Additionally, egg wash is brushed on the crust to make it golden-brown and glossy. 
  • Make egg wash by using a fork or whisk to beat one egg beaten with a tablespoon of water.

Cornstarch

• Cornstarch thickens the custard by absorbing liquid in the mixture and forming a gel.
• Additionally, cornstarch prevents weeping (liquid being released from the cooked custard) by forming a stable structure that holds the moisture.

Salt

• Salt is crucial to enhance the custard’s flavors and balance the sweetness.

Heavy whipping cream

• Heavy whipping cream’s 36% fat content gives the pie’s filling a luxurious texture.
• Additionally, cream’s natural dairy sugars add a fresh taste and caramelly notes to the whiskey-butterscotch filling.

Dark brown sugar

• Dark brown sugar gives the whiskey pie an intensely flavored, toffee-like, caramelized sweetness to butterscotch.
• Imporantly, dark brown sugar has about twice as much molasses (6.5% to 3.5% by weight) as light brown sugar. This produces a complex flavor that is sweet without being cloying.
• Make dark brown sugar with my simple recipe.
• Substitute: Use the same amount of light brown sugar for a milder flavor. 

Butter

• Butter adds a rich flavor to the custard. As the butter melts, it develops amazing toasty notes.
• I like using salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter here. 
• Importantly, butter also acts as a binding agent and contributes to a creating smooth texture.
• The combination of caramelized sugar and browned butter creates the distinctive taste of butterscotch, which is deliciously complex and indulgent.

Whole milk

• In the butterscotch mixture, milk gives the custard smooth creaminess and velvety mouthfeel.
• Using whole milk in conjunction with heavy cream in this pie lightens the custard enough to be supremely creamy without being too heavy.

O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey

• O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey balances out the sweetness of the butterscotch and adds a smooth smokiness to the custard.
• Irish whiskey is famous for having a smoother flavor than bourbon or Scotch whisky.
• Substitutes: If you don’t have Irish whiskey, you can use the same amount of bourbon, dark rum, or brandy. 

Whipped cream, for serving

• The clean dairy taste of freshly whipped cream sets off the more intensely flavored custard perfectly, and its snowy white color is lovely atop the glossy golden-brown custard.
• Whip cream by hand with a whisk, or using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip on medium-high speed to firm peaks.
• Substitute: Use Coconut Whipped Cream if you prefer.

How to Make Irish Whiskey Butterscotch Pie

Blind-Bake the Pie Crust

1. Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Make my pie crust according to the recipe.
2. Roll the pastry. On a floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a ¼ inch (6 mm) thick circle and line a 9-inch (23 cm) pie plate with it.
3. Prep crust. Crimp and egg wash the edges, dock the bottom with a fork, then line the crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dry beans.

4. Bake pie crust. Bake for 15 minutes, then lift out the parchment and weights, lower the heat to 350°F (180°C) and bake until the bottom is done and the edges are golden, about another 10 minutes. Let cool. 

Make Butterscotch Pie Filling

5. Whisk eggs, cornstarch, and salt. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch and salt until smooth. Then mix in the heavy cream and set aside.
6. Heat sugar and butter. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the brown sugar and butter together until bubbling vigorously, 2- 3 minutes.
7. Whisk in hot milk. Slowly whisk in the hot milk until smooth.

8. Combine mixtures. Gradually pour the brown sugar mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly.
9. Cook until thickened. Return to the saucepan and simmer for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey.
10. Strain filling. Strain the filling through a sieve into the baked prepared crust and smooth the top.
11. Chill pie. Place plastic wrap directly over the surface of the butterscotch filling to stop it from forming a skin. Allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating for about 4 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Serve Butterscotch Pie

12. Make whipped cream. Whip the cold heavy whipping cream to firm peaks.
13. Serve and enjoy. Serve fresh whipped cream piled on top of the pie. 

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW!

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Make a chocolate barrier. To keep this crust extra crisp, brush a bit of melted white or dark chocolate on it before filling it with the custard. Let the chocolate harden completely, and bring the custard to room temperature before filling the pie
• No-bake crust. Use my no-bake cookie crust if you don’t want to roll out and blind-bake pastry.
• Don’t rush the custard. Once the filling goes back into the saucepan, whisk constantly and cook until it has thickened. 
• Cool to room temperature. Allow the filling to cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating. This will help keep condensation from forming and will prevent the crust from getting damp.
• Make it whiskey vanilla. For another layer of warm flavor, mix 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the finished butterscotch custard along with the whiskey.
• Press cling wrap on filling. Place the cling wrap directly on the surface so a skin doesn’t form. 
• Do individual versions. Fill this custard into individual cups and top with whipped cream.
• Try a merinuge topping. For a different finish, spread fluffy meringue on the pie, and before serving, use a kitchen torch to toast the meringue until golden brown. 
• Adults only. Note that this pie is pretty boozy and is definitely not for kids. But you can make an alcohol-free version by leaving out the whiskey.
• Make it a double. Serve this with a drizzle of my Irish Whiskey Caramel Sauce for an extra indulgent treat!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

You can make Irish Whiskey Butterscotch Pie in advance.

• Make elements of the pie in advance: 
  • The pie crust can be rolled out, placed in the pie tin, frozen for up to eight weeks, and blind-baked as directed.
  • It can also be rolled out, placed in the tin, refrigerated for two days, and blind-baked as directed.
  • The filling can be made and refrigerated for at least four hours and up to overnight.
• Make the pie and refrigerate for at least four hours and up to overnight.
• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to two days.

FAQs

Can I make this pie without alcohol?

• Yes, you can make this pie without alcohol. Simply omit the whiskey.

Can I make this pie egg-free?

• For a custard pie like this, eggs are the main ingredient, so I wouldn’t recommend a substitute.
  • For an egg-free butterscotch pie, check out my Pear Butterscotch Pie.

How do I keep my custard pie from weeping?

• To keep this whiskey butterscotch pie from weeping, cook the custard gently and don’t overcook it. 
  • High heat can cause the egg proteins to coagulate too quickly and squeeze out moisture, which results in a watery filling. 
• Additionally, to prevent weeping, whisk constantly while cooking, add the hot milk gradually, and remove the custard from the heat as soon as it has thickened.

What is blind baking?

• Blind baking is necessary when your pie will be made with an unbaked filling or when a pie is made with a very wet pie filling (like Pecan Pie, for example),
• Place the pastry dough in a pie tin lined with parchment paper, dock the bottom with a fork, and fill it with pie weights or dried beans.
• Partially bake the crust, then remove the parchment and weights. If the recipe calls for the crust to be fully baked (as in this recipe), return it to the oven until it is fully cooked.

More Custard Pie Recipes

• Southern Egg Custard Pie
• Maple Cream Pie
• Sour Cream and Raisin Pie
• Sugar Cream Pie
• Maple Syrup Pie

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe was improved and updated on 9/8/2026, to include NEW step-by-step photography, a refreshed introduction, updated recipe description, clearer step-by-step instructions, and enhanced Pro Chef Tips.

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