Magic pie crust is the new dump cake! All you need to whip up this sweet treat is fruit and some pantry staples. I’m not sure where magic pie crust originated. It just magically appeared in between recipes for my grandma’s coconut cake and chocolate zucchini cake in a large binder of mostly family recipes that I inherited from my mom. It’s full of treasures like this pineapple zucchini bread, so even though I didn’t recognize the handwriting, I knew mom probably hung onto this one for a reason. After making myself some magic pie this afternoon, I know why she kept it. Not only is it easy, but it’s yummy too!
“Pie crust” is somewhat of a misnomer. You can tell by taking a peek at the recipe below, which instructs to pour the batter into the pie pan. Pie crust would of course commonly be rolled and pressed into the pan. Instead of “magic,” this could very well be called “lazy” pie since no rolling pin is needed and you definitely don’t have to painstakingly crimp the edges!
It is very reminiscent of dump cake in that a few simple ingredients render a delish dessert. It might not be the prettiest thing you ever put on your plate, but it’s certainly one of the sweetest! In fact, you could probably cut the amount of sugar in half to half of a cup if you’re watching your sugar intake.
This is the perfect recipe for using up fruit that’s just past its prime. I used a combination of fresh and frozen blueberries since that’s what I had on hand, but any berry works. You can also make “magic pie” out of peaches, apples, or even cherries. The recipe calls for “sweetened” fruit, which is achieved by adding sugar to your fruit. I usually just do a sprinkle of sugar over the fruit to coat (maybe a quarter of a cup of sugar max) and leave it overnight in the fridge.
Today, I hastened the process by sprinkling sugar over my berries, then popping them into the microwave for 30 seconds. Then, I gave them a stir and popped them back in for another 30 seconds. Again, half of my berries were frozen, so 30 seconds would probably do the trick for fresh fruit. I’m not sure this step is even necessary since it’s headed to the oven either way.
You could also use canned fruit, such as peaches, cherries, or pears. There’s no need to sweeten canned fruit, as it is usually packed in heavy corn syrup. Just be sure to drain the syrup before adding it to your pie.
Magic Pie Crust Recipe
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 stick butter (cubed)
- 3 cups sweetened fruit
Supplies
- Pie pan
- Food Processor
- Spatula
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease pie pan.
Mix flour, milk, sugar, and butter in a food processor.
Pour mixture into deep pie pan. Use your spatula to get all of the batter out.
Pour sweetened fruit on top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Turn oven up to 450 until golden brown, about another 5-7 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool at least 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
No self-rising flour around? Make it yourself by adding one teaspoon baking powder and a 1/4 teaspoon salt to all-purpose flour.
No food processor? Cream together the butter, flour, and sugar with a mixer instead.
Laura Bennett
What’s magical about this recipe is its simplicity. It’s so ridiculously easy–even your husband, kids, or dog could make it. (Okay, maybe not your husband, haha!) Just combine flour, sugar, milk, and butter; pour it in the pie pan; add your fruit, and bake. About half an hour later and abracadabra, you have a delicious treat. For best results, serve with a dollop of real whipped cream or a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream!
