Milk Bar Crack Pie (Print Version)
Chewy oat cookie crust meets rich, buttery caramel filling for an irresistibly sweet and gooey dessert experience.
# What You 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
20 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for crust assembly)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
03 - Fold in the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are just combined and no flour streaks remain.
04 - Spread the cookie dough evenly across the prepared baking sheet into a thin, even layer. Bake for 15 minutes until the surface is golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the pan.
05 - Crumble the cooled oat cookie into fine crumbs. Add 3 tablespoons of 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 a uniform crust.
06 - Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
07 - In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, dry milk powder, all-purpose flour, and salt until smooth. Add the egg yolks, whole egg, and vanilla extract, then stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
08 - Pour the filling into the prepared oat cookie crust. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are set and the center still has a slight wobble when gently shaken.
09 - Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the filling to set to a dense, chewy consistency.
10 - Just before serving, dust the surface generously with powdered sugar. Slice into wedges and serve chilled, optionally accompanied by unsweetened whipped cream.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The oat cookie crust alone is worth making, buttery and chewy with a texture that puts graham cracker crusts to shame.
- The filling tastes like caramel and brown butter had a baby, impossibly rich and gooey in the best way.
- It is the kind of dessert that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite.
02 -
- The center will look underbaked when you pull it from the oven but it continues to set as it chills, so trust the wobble.
- Milk powder is not optional here, it is the ingredient that transforms this from a simple sugar pie into something extraordinary.
- Serve this pie cold for the cleanest slices and the best texture contrast between crust and filling.
03 -
- Use a food processor to crumble the cookie slab for the most even, fine crumbs that press into a cohesive crust.
- Let the filling mixture rest for five minutes before pouring so the sugar dissolves fully and the texture becomes silky smooth.