Salted Honey Pie (Four and Twenty Blackbirds Inspired)

This Salted Honey Pie features a silky, caramel-like custard filling made with wildflower honey and a touch of sea salt. It’s a sophisticated yet simple dessert that’s become a core memory in our kitchen, perfect for holiday tables or a cozy Sunday treat!

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Course: Dessert, Pie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: custard pie, easy pie recipe, Four and Twenty Blackbirds copycat, Salted Honey Pie, wildflower honey recipe

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1

Chilling Time: 5

Total Time: 6 30

Servings: servings

Calories: 445kcal

Cost: $12

Equipment

1 9-inch pie pan I prefer ceramic for even heat, but glass works great too!
1 Rolling Pin Keep it chilled if your kitchen is warm.
1 Pie weights or dried beans Essential for that perfect, non-puffy blind-baked crust.
1 Large mixing bowl For whisking your golden filling.

Ingredients

For the Flaky Crust

1 ¼ cups All-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ teaspoons Granulated sugar
½ cup Unsalted butter Must be very cold and cubed.
2 tablespoons Apple cider vinegar Olivia calls this our "magic flakiness juice."

For the Honey Filling

½ cup Unsalted butter Melted and slightly cooled.
¾ cup Wildflower honey High quality makes a world of difference here.
½ cup Granulated sugar
⅓ cup Light brown sugar Packed.
3 tablespoons Heavy cream
1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
3 large Eggs Room temperature.
3 large Egg yolks Room temperature for extra richness.
1 tablespoon Flaky sea salt Like Maldon, for the finishing touch.

Instructions

Whisk your all-purpose flour, salt, and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Use your fingers to rub the cold unsalted butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs. Olivia loves "pinching" the butter, just make sure those little hands stay cool so the butter doesn't melt!
Stir in your apple cider vinegar and ice water until the dough just holds together. Shape it into a disk, wrap it up tight, and let it nap in the fridge for at least an hour. This is a great time to read a story together while we wait!
Roll the dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into your pie pan. Line with parchment, fill with pie weights, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Remove weights and bake 10 more minutes until golden. Let it cool while we prep the "liquid gold."
Lower the oven to 325°F. In your bowl, whisk the melted unsalted butter, wildflower honey, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, heavy cream, and apple cider vinegar. It smells like a dream at this stage!
In a small bowl, beat your eggs and egg yolks. Slowly, and I mean slowly!, whisk a little of the honey mixture into the eggs. Olivia is my "slow pourer" here; it teaches her patience and keeps our custard from turning into scrambled eggs.
Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 50-60 minutes. You’re looking for a "Jell-O jiggle" in the center. Once it’s out, immediately sprinkle that beautiful flaky sea salt on top so it sticks to the warm custard.

Notes

The Honey Choice: I always use wildflower honey for that deep, floral flavor, but orange blossom honey is Olivia’s favorite for a lighter, citrusy twist.
Storage: Keep this beauty in the fridge. It actually tastes even better on day two after the flavors have had a chance to marry!
Serving Tip: A dollop of unsweetened whipped cream or crème fraîche perfectly cuts through the richness of the honey.
Make Ahead: You can make the pie crust dough up to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated until you're ready for pie day!

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