Easy Salted Honey Pie

Salted Honey Pie is one of those desserts that sounds almost too simple to be special, but one bite of that silky honey custard filling with just the right touch of flaky sea salt will completely change your mind. This iconic pie, made famous by Brooklyn's Four and Twenty Blackbirds bakery, combines the deep, caramel notes of wildflower honey with rich butter and cream to create a custard filling so smooth and luxurious it practically melts on your tongue. The genius addition of sea salt on top cuts through all that sweetness and makes every bite absolutely perfect.

What makes this salted honey pie recipe so remarkable is how something so straightforward can taste so sophisticated and complex. The first time I made this, Adam was skeptical about a pie that was "just honey," but after his first forkful he went completely quiet for a solid minute, which is how I know he's genuinely impressed. Grandma Viola said it reminded her of the chess pies her grandmother used to make but somehow fancier, and coming from her that's basically the culinary equivalent of a standing ovation.

Why You'll Love This Salted Honey Pie

• Restaurant-famous recipe at home – This salted honey pie four and twenty blackbirds inspired version recreates that iconic New York bakery flavor in your own kitchen
• Perfect balance of sweet and salty – The flaky sea salt on top transforms this from a one-note sweet pie into something genuinely sophisticated and craveable
• Surprisingly easy to make – Despite tasting incredibly fancy, this old fashioned salted honey pie uses simple techniques and straightforward ingredients

Ingredients for Salted Honey Pie

This salted honey pie brooklyn style uses a combination of butter, cream, and honey to create that signature custard filling texture. The apple cider vinegar in the crust is a secret ingredient that creates the flakiest, most tender pastry.

What You'll Need

For the Pie Crust:

• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (very cold, cut into small cubes)
• ½ cup ice water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

For the Honey Custard Filling:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
• ¾ cup wildflower honey (or any good quality honey)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup packed light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs (room temperature)
• 3 large egg yolks (room temperature)

For Topping:

• Flaky sea salt (like Maldon, for sprinkling)
• Whipped cream or crème fraîche (for serving, optional)

Why These Ingredients Matter

• Apple cider vinegar creates flakiness – The acid in the vinegar prevents gluten development in the pie crust, resulting in a tender, flaky pastry instead of a tough one
• Wildflower honey has complex flavor – Using a good quality wildflower honey instead of basic clover honey adds depth and those characteristic caramel notes that make this pie special
• Tempering eggs prevents scrambling – Adding room temperature eggs and egg yolks to the slightly cooled melted butter mixture ensures a smooth custard filling without any scrambled egg bits
• Flaky sea salt is essential – Regular table salt won't give you those crunchy bursts of saltiness that make each bite of this salted honey pie recipe so perfect, use good quality flaky salt

How to Make Salted Honey Pie

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Make the pie crust – In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar until combined.
2. Cut in the butter – Add the cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
3. Add the liquid – Mix the ice water and apple cider vinegar together in a small bowl, then drizzle over the flour mixture while tossing with a fork until the dough just comes together.
4. Form the dough – Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, shape it into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
5. Roll out the crust – On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle about ⅛-inch thick.
6. Line the pie pan – Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan, trim the edges leaving a 1-inch overhang, then fold the overhang under itself and crimp decoratively.
7. Chill the crust – Place the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375°F.
8. Blind baking setup – Line the chilled crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans to prevent the crust from puffing up during baking.
9. Blind bake – Bake the crust for 20 minutes, then remove the parchment and weights and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the bottom is dry and lightly golden, then remove from oven and reduce temperature to 325°F.
10. Make the filling – In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, wildflower honey, granulated sugar, brown sugar, heavy cream, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and well combined.
11. Temper the eggs – In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolks until well beaten, then slowly drizzle about ½ cup of the warm honey mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly to tempering eggs and prevent them from scrambling. Cooking Tip: Pour the hot honey mixture very slowly in a thin stream while whisking vigorously, if you dump it in all at once the eggs will cook and you'll have sweet scrambled eggs instead of smooth custard.
12. Combine – Pour the tempered egg mixture back into the remaining honey mixture and whisk until completely smooth and homogeneous.
13. Fill the crust – Pour the custard filling into the still-warm pie crust, filling it almost to the top.
14. Bake – Carefully transfer the filled pie to the oven and bake at 325°F for 50-60 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle when you gently shake the pan.
15. Cool and salt – Remove the pie from the oven and immediately sprinkle the top generously with flaky sea salt while the filling is still hot, then let cool completely to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours or overnight before slicing and serving.

Little Moments in the Kitchen

I first heard about salted honey pie from a food blog I follow that kept raving about this legendary dessert from a Brooklyn bakery.

The description alone made my mouth water, so I immediately started hunting for a copycat recipe.

When I told Adam I was going to make a honey pie, he wrinkled his nose.

"That sounds boring," he said. "Isn't honey just sweet?"

I explained that this particular pie was famous, that people traveled specifically to Brooklyn just to eat it at Four and Twenty Blackbirds.

He remained unconvinced but agreed to try it when it was done.

Grandma Viola came into the kitchen while I was blind baking the crust and sniffed the air.

"Pie crust," she said approvingly. "What kind?"

I told her it was a honey custard pie with sea salt on top.

She raised her eyebrows. "Salt on a sweet pie?"

I explained that the salt balanced the sweetness and made it taste more complex.

"In my day we put salt in the crust, not on top of the filling," she said, but she didn't sound disapproving, just curious.

When I poured the honey filling into the crust, Adam came over to investigate.

"It looks like caramel," he observed, watching the golden liquid settle into the shell.

After it baked and cooled and I'd sprinkled it with those big flakes of sea salt, I cut us each a slice.

Adam took a cautious bite and his entire face changed.

"Okay this is actually really good," he admitted. "It tastes like honey but also like butterscotch and the salt makes it not too sweet."

Grandma Viola took a bite and chewed thoughtfully.

"This is like chess pie but fancier," she said. "My grandmother used to make chess pie with whatever sugar and eggs she had, and this reminds me of that but smoother."

She ate her entire slice and asked for a second piece, which she never does.

Now whenever I make this pie, Adam hovers around the kitchen asking when it will be cool enough to eat.

Substitutions for Salted Honey Pie

While this salted honey pie history-inspired recipe is fairly traditional, there are a few swaps you can make if needed. If you love custard-style pies, my Black Forest Trifle is another creamy dessert worth trying.

• Wildflower honey – Use clover honey, orange blossom honey, or any honey you prefer, though the flavor will be slightly different
• Heavy cream – Substitute with half and half for a slightly lighter filling, though it won't be quite as rich
• Apple cider vinegar – Use white vinegar or fresh lemon juice in both the crust and filling for similar results
• All-purpose flour – Use a gluten-free flour blend for the crust to make this pie gluten-free
• Brown sugar – Use all granulated sugar if you don't have brown sugar, though you'll lose some of that caramel depth

Variations on Salted Honey Pie

Once you've mastered this basic salted honey pie with condensed milk alternative (this version uses cream instead), these variations add fun twists. For another unique pie option, check out my Cheesecake Stuffed Apples for individual servings.

• Pretzel Crust Version – Use a pretzel crust instead of traditional pie dough for extra saltiness and crunch that complements the sweet filling perfectly
• Bourbon Honey Pie – Add 2 tablespoons bourbon to the filling for a Kentucky-style twist on this classic
• Lavender Honey – Use lavender-infused honey and add 1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender to the filling for a floral version
• Salted Honey Pie Origin Tribute – Top with a dollop of crème fraîche and fresh berries for a Brooklyn bakery-inspired presentation
• Mini Honey Tarts – Divide the crust and filling into a muffin tin to make individual salted honey pie servings

Equipment for Salted Honey Pie

Having the right equipment makes this old fashioned salted honey pie much easier to execute perfectly, especially for the blind baking step.

• 9-inch pie pan – A standard glass or ceramic pie pan works beautifully and lets you see when the bottom crust is properly golden
• Pie weights or dried beans – Essential for blind baking the crust so it doesn't puff up or shrink during the initial bake
• Pastry cutter or fork – For cutting the cold butter into the flour to create that flaky crust texture
• Rolling pin – For rolling the pie dough to an even thickness
• Whisk – Critical for tempering eggs smoothly and preventing lumps in the custard filling
• Parchment paper – For lining the crust during blind baking

Storage Tips for Salted Honey Pie

This salted honey pie recipe actually improves as it sits, making it a perfect make-ahead dessert for entertaining. For more impressive make-ahead options, my Blueberry Upside Down Cake is another stunning choice.

• Refrigerator required – This pie must be refrigerated due to the egg-based custard filling, store covered for up to 5 days
• Best after chilling – The filling needs at least 4 hours in the refrigerator to set completely before slicing cleanly
• Serve cold or room temp – This pie is delicious straight from the fridge or left at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving
• Don't freeze – The custard filling doesn't freeze well and becomes watery and grainy when thawed
• Make ahead friendly – Bake this pie up to 2 days ahead and keep refrigerated, it actually tastes better on day two

FAQ about Salted Honey Pie

Conclusion

Salted Honey Pie proves that the simplest ingredient combinations can create the most memorable desserts when they're executed thoughtfully and with quality ingredients. The interplay between that rich, silky honey custard and those crunchy bursts of flaky sea salt is genuinely addictive, and this pie disappears faster than almost anything else I make. It's the kind of dessert that tastes fancy and complicated but comes together with straightforward techniques anyone can master.

This salted honey pie recipe works beautifully for holidays, dinner parties, or anytime you want to serve something that feels special without requiring advanced pastry skills. The filling is forgiving, the crust is manageable, and the results are absolutely stunning every single time. For more creative honey-based desserts and variations on this theme, this Honey Crunch Pecan Pie offers another delicious way to showcase honey in pie form. Let me know in the comments how your pie turned out and whether you experimented with any of the variations! And if you're looking for more unique dessert ideas, check out my Portuguese Coconut Cakes for another internationally-inspired sweet treat.

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