Crack Pie Recipe

Introduction

Crack Pie is a decadent dessert with a rich, buttery oat crust and a silky, gooey filling that’s irresistibly addictive. This recipe breaks down the steps to help you achieve the perfect balance of sweet and salty in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65g) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup (68g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (140g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/16 tsp baking soda (just a pinch)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed (for crust)
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (for crust)
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (for crust)
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar (for filling)
• 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed (for filling)
• 1/4 cup (35g) milk powder
• 1/4 cup (35g) corn powder*
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (for filling)
• 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, melted (for filling)
• 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 large egg yolks**

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. Step 2: Using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes until fluffy and pale.
3. Step 3: Scrape down the bowl sides and mix in the egg yolk on low speed. Then beat on medium-high for 1–2 minutes until sugar dissolves and the mixture is pale yellow.
4. Step 4: On low speed, add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until combined.
5. Step 5: Spread the dough evenly on the parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a rubber spatula with short pressure strokes to spread it; it won’t cover the entire pan but will form a large cookie blob.
6. Step 6: Bake for 15 minutes until edges are golden and top looks dull. Cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week if making ahead.
7. Step 7: For the crust, crumble the cooled oat cookie into a food processor with brown sugar and salt, pulsing until it resembles wet sand. Without a processor, crumble by hand thoroughly.
8. Step 8: Transfer crumbs to a bowl, add melted butter, and mix with a fork and hands until it forms a ball. Add extra butter by tablespoon if needed to reach the right consistency.
9. Step 9: Divide the oat crust evenly between two 10-inch pie pans and press firmly on the bottom and sides. Use immediately or wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
10. Step 10: Preheat oven to 350°F with the oat crusts ready. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for filling; if unavailable, a hand mixer can work—mix slowly to avoid whipping air in.
11. Step 11: Mix sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, corn powder, and salt on low until blended.
12. Step 12: Add melted butter and mix on low for 2–3 minutes until dry ingredients are moist.
13. Step 13: Add heavy cream and vanilla, mixing on low for 2–3 minutes until no white streaks remain. Scrape down the bowl.
14. Step 14: Add egg yolks a few at a time, mixing on low until just combined; filling should be glossy and smooth.
15. Step 15: Divide filling evenly between pie crusts, filling about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce oven to 325°F without closing the door. Close door when temp is reached and bake 5 more minutes. If center is too jiggy, bake an additional 5 minutes.
16. Step 16: Remove pies and cool on a rack. Freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight to develop the dense center. Thaw in fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
17. Step 17: Dust with powdered sugar before serving and enjoy your heavenly first bite!

Tips & Variations

• If you don’t have corn powder, cornstarch can be used as a substitute to help thicken the filling.
• Use disposable aluminum pie pans for easy cleanup and even baking.
• Mix filling on low speed to avoid incorporating air, which can change the texture.
• Press the crust firmly to ensure even coverage and a sturdy base for the filling.

Storage

Store the assembled pies frozen for up to 1 week. Thaw in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Leftover pie can be kept covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Reheat gently if desired, but Crack Pie is best served cold or at room temperature.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the oat cookie crust without a food processor?

Yes, you can crumble the oat cookie dough by hand very thoroughly to achieve a similar texture. It may take a bit more effort but works well for the crust.

Why does the filling need to be mixed slowly without whipping air?

Incorporating air into the filling can change its texture, making it less dense and silky. Mixing slowly ensures the filling remains smooth and creates the signature creamy center of Crack Pie.

Crack Pie Recipe

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4.9 from 78 reviews

Crack Pie is a decadent, buttery dessert known for its rich and gooey filling encased in a crisp oat cookie crust. This irresistible pie combines a crisp oat-based crust with a smooth, sweet filling made from brown sugar, butter, cream, and egg yolks. It requires baking and freezing to achieve its signature dense, custard-like center and is perfect served chilled with a dusting of powdered sugar.

• Author: Amaya
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
• Yield: 2 pies (10-inch each) 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Oat Cookie

• 1/2 cup (110g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/3 cup (65g) light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/2 cup (68g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups (140g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/16 tsp baking soda (just a pinch)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Crust

• 1 Oat Cookie (prepared as above)
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (+ extra as needed)

Filling

• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (150g) light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup (35g) milk powder
• 1/4 cup (35g) corn powder*
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 large egg yolks

Instructions

1. Prepare Oat Cookie: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then mix in the egg yolk on low speed. Increase to medium-high and beat for another 1-2 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is pale yellow. On low speed, add the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt, mixing just until combined. Spread the dough on the parchment paper evenly to about 1/4 inch thickness using small, short strokes with a spatula. It will look like a large cookie blob and will not cover the entire pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the top looks dull. Allow it to cool completely before using.
2. Make the Crust: Once the oat cookie has cooled, crumble it into a food processor along with the brown sugar and kosher salt. Pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand. If you don’t have a food processor, crumble the oat cookie manually by hand. Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and mix them with the melted unsalted butter, starting with 4 tablespoons. Use a fork initially, then incorporate by hand until the mixture can form a ball. Add extra melted butter 1 to 1½ tablespoons at a time if needed to reach the right consistency. Divide the crust mixture evenly between two 10-inch pie pans and press firmly to cover the bottoms and edges. Use immediately or wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
3. Prepare the Filling: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine granulated sugar, light brown sugar, milk powder, corn powder, and kosher salt. Mix on low speed to blend ingredients evenly. Add the melted butter and mix on low for 2-3 minutes until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract, mixing on low for another 2-3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and no white streaks remain. Scrape down the bowl. Add the egg yolks slowly, a few at a time, mixing on low speed just until combined. The filling should be glossy and smooth without incorporating air.
4. Fill and Bake the Pies: Evenly divide the filling into the prepared oat cookie crusts, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake the pies at 350°F (177°C) for 15 minutes, then open the oven door and reduce the temperature to 325°F (163°C). Once the oven cools to 325°F, close the door and continue baking the pies for an additional 5 minutes. The centers should be slightly jiggly, but the edges set. If needed, bake for up to another 5 minutes to achieve the right consistency.
5. Chill and Serve: Remove the pies from the oven and place on a cooling rack, then immediately freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight. This chilling step helps develop the dense, custard-like filling texture. Before serving, transfer the pies to the refrigerator to thaw for at least 1 hour. Dust the top of each pie generously with powdered sugar and serve chilled to enjoy the full decadent experience.

Notes

• If you don’t have a food processor, crumble the oat cookie crust by hand thoroughly for best texture.
• The stand mixer with paddle attachment is ideal for the filling to avoid incorporating air and achieve a smooth, silky consistency.
• Use disposable aluminum pie pans or any 10-inch pie pans for easy preparation and even baking.
• Freezing the pie before serving is essential to get the characteristic dense and creamy filling texture.
• Corn powder refers to finely ground cornstarch or corn flour used for texture; substitute with cornstarch if unavailable.

Keywords: crack pie, oat cookie crust, buttery pie, rich pie filling, dessert pie, homemade pie