Root Beer Float Pie

Root Beer Float Pie is a fabulous summertime dessert that’s always a crowd favorite! With a gingersnap crust and root beer filling, it’s a guaranteed hit!

This pie might be something you’d see everyday, but she is totally rockin’!  The filling is not overly sweet, which I kind of love, and the whipped cream gives a creamy, dreamy layer of dessert happiness. Now, you might be wondering how this whole root beer thing works. Well strap in and get ready, because you do NOT want to pass on this pie.  There’s a reason she’s wearing a blue ribbons kids.

LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
Follow Bread Booze Bacon on Pinterest

I got this cookbook, First Prize Pies: Shoo-Fly, Candy Apple, and Other Deliciously Inventive Pies for Every Week of the Year (and More), from my cousin Emily for our wedding earlier this year (We got married on Pi Day, and this cookbook was totally perfect!), and I’d been dying to make a recipe from it.  So when a few blogger friends and I decided to put together a 4th of July Party and pie was going to be the main attraction, it was game on!

Story time. This first time I made this pie it was sitting on the counter cooling after I had baked the filling. Mike comes into the kitchen and said, “No offense, but what’s that?!”  Haha.  The root beet part of the pie looks a little weird by itself.  The bubbles from the soda move to the top and form blotches and a few holes because of the carbonation.  But that’s what a gorgeous layer of  homemade whipped cream is for.  To cover up the ugly and bring all the flavors together!

The root beer custard (yes, that’s what it is) likes to balloon up a little in the middle, but don’t worry. The custard settles as the pie cools and all is right with the world. Also, the custard bakes into the crust, and the bottom crust basically disappears into the pie. However, you get that edge pie crust for a crunchy finish to each slice. This pie is so good! And for those wondering, I’ve made this pie with Mug and Barg’s root beer and you can use either. The Barg’s has more of a botanical/root beer (in a good way). The Mug is more mellow and lends more of a sweet soda flavor. Pick your favorite and you can’t go wrong. I’m even plotting to try this pie with Dr. Pepper. Mike is going to flip!!

I scoured my cookbook and root beer float screamed summer to me.  So here we are!  A super fun pie that takes a little time, but is totally worth all the effort.  And you should buy this book.  It’s amaze-balls!

You can get all our 4th of July Party recipes, decor, and printables HERE!

Root Beer Float Pie

Julie Kotzbach

Root Beer Float Pie is a fabulous summertime dessert that's always a crowd favorite! With a gingersnap crust and root beer filling, it's a guaranteed hit!

4.78 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 1 pie

Calories 2776 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Crust:

• ¾ cup gingersnaps
• ¾ cup vanilla wafers
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Filling:

• 2 cups of your favorite root beer
• 3 large eggs lightly beaten
• ½ cup brown sugar light or dark is fine
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Crust:

• Place all the cookies in a food processor and grind until fine crumb forms (work in batches if needed). Transfer the cookies to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the salt and sugar.
• Add the butter. Use your hands or a rubber spatula to mix the butter and crumbs together. The crumbs should be moist, but not overly wet.
• Pour the crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate and use your hands to press the crust up the sides and flat against the bottom.
• Place the pie plate in the fridge, and preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. (Don't skip the cooling time!!) Once the oven is ready, place your pie plate in the oven and bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:

• While the pie crust is baking, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add root beer, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (to 1 cup), about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove your pan from the heat and cool the syrup completely. (The root beer concentrate and pie crust usually finishing cooling about the same time for me.)
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, and salt until combined. Mix in the root beer concentrate until everything is well combined. The mixture will be very runny.
• Place the pie plate on a baking sheet, and carefully pour the root beer mixture into the cooled pie crust.
• Bake pie for 22 to 27 minutes, or until the center of the pie will be set, but still slightly wobbly. Remove the pie from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Topping:

• In a large bowl, whisk together heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla until medium peaks form.
• Spread the whipped cream all over the top of the pie. (I like to leave about a 1/2-inch space around the edge of the pie so you can see the brown under the whipped cream.)
• Refrigerate until ready to serve, or at least 30 minutes.

Notes

To save time, you can prepare the crust (or buy a graham cracker crust from the store) and make the root beer concentrate ahead of time. Then mix the filling and bake your pie when ready so you don't have to wait for each part of the pie to cool.

Nutrition

Calories: 2776 kcalCarbohydrates: 319 gProtein: 29 gFat: 157 gSaturated Fat: 87 gCholesterol: 908 mgSodium: 2294 mgPotassium: 869 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 228 gVitamin A: 5260 IUVitamin C: 1.4 mgCalcium: 419 mgIron: 8.7 mg

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe, leave a comment and star rating to let others know how it turned out.