Crack pie with cookie butter

It's magically addictive!

I'd heard of crack pie from Momofuku Milk Bar in NYC, but I've never actually tasted it. So while I can't attest that this imitation pie is a total taste-alike, I can attest to its addictive factor. 

I brought this awesome treat to work and had people emailing me almost immediately: "I'M ADDICTED!" Yes, in all caps. So it's unanimous - this giant cookie of a pie really lives up to its name. No sooner will you lick the pie pans clean and you'll be looking for another excuse to make this dessert. I speak from experience.

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CRACK PIE WITH SPECULOOS
**RECIPE MAKES 2 PIES**

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: 
OAT COOKIE FOR CRUST
2/3 cup + 1 TBS flour
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 TBS sugar
1 egg
1 cup rolled oats

CRUST
crumbled oat cookie
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter + optional 2 TBS
1 and 1/2 TBS brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt

FILLING
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup + 3 TBS brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
2 TBS softened butter
1 cup Speculoos, Biscoff, or other cookie butter (creamy or chunky) 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
8 egg yolks
powdered sugar, for garnish

WHAT YOU'LL DO: 
1. For the oat cookie: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a large bowl, use a mixer to beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then add the egg until combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the butter & sugar mixture until combined. Stir in oats. 

3. Turn the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spreading out the dough in the shape of one giant cookie. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool, then crumble the cookie. 

4. For the pie crust: In a food processor, combine crumbled cookie, 1/4 cup butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pulse until combined. Pinch the mixture - if it clumps up, the crust dough is ready; if not, add another 2 TBS butter (I didn't need the extra butter). 

5. Divide the dough evenly between two 9- or 10-inch pie pans. Press the dough into the bottom and sides of each pan (see "Note," below). Set aside the crusts while you prepare the filling.

6. For the filling: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, use a mixer to combine sugar, brown sugar, dry milk, and salt. With the mixer on low, add butter, cookie butter, heavy cream, and vanilla. Add egg yolks until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. 

7. Divide the filling evenly between the two pie crusts and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake an additional 15-25 minutes, until filling is golden brown and a bit jiggly. 

8. Remove from oven and cool completely. Before serving, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Store covered at room temperature.

*Note: Start by pressing the dough into the sides of the pan, followed by the bottom. Spread the dough as thin as possible to ensure you have enough to go around. I used too much dough in my first pie pan and didn't have quite enough for the second. To make up for it, I whipped up a quick batch of graham cracker crust to fill in the gaps. Worked like a charm!

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Make sure to check the pies early when baking. I didn't distribute the filling as evenly as I thought, so one pie turned out much more golden and less jiggly than the other (jiggly at first - the pie sets up as it cools). However, both were absolutely delicious - I don't think you can mess this one up! Especially once you cover up any flaws with a dusting of powdered sugar.