Milk Bar Crack Pie (Printer-Friendly)
Chewy oat crust with a gooey, buttery caramel-like filling, chilled and dusted with powdered sugar.
# What You'll Need:
→ Oat Cookie Crust
01 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
03 - 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 cup rolled oats
06 - 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Pie Filling
10 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 cup granulated sugar
12 - 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
13 - 1/4 cup dry milk powder
14 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
16 - 2 large egg yolks
17 - 1 large egg
18 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
19 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
→ Crust Assembly
20 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for binding crumbs)
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
03 - Fold in rolled oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined.
04 - Spread the dough evenly across the prepared baking sheet into a thin, flat rectangle. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the pan.
05 - Crumble the cooled oat cookie into fine crumbs. Combine with 3 tablespoons melted butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan to form an even crust.
06 - Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, dry milk powder, flour, and salt until smooth. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
08 - Pour the filling into the prepared crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble.
09 - Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the filling to set properly.
10 - Generously dust the surface with powdered sugar just before serving. Slice into portions and serve chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- That chewy oat cookie crust is essentially a built in bonus dessert hiding underneath an already incredible filling.
- The gooey caramel center tastes like brown butter met butterscotch and decided to live inside a pie.
02 -
- Do not skip the overnight chill because slicing into a warm Crack Pie will give you a delicious puddle instead of a slice.
- The milk powder is not optional because it is the ingredient that creates that distinctive tangy, custard like filling.
03 -
- For a gluten free version, swap in certified gluten free oats and a one to one gluten free flour blend with no other changes needed.
- Serve the pie chilled straight from the refrigerator because the texture is vastly better cold than at room temperature.