This delicious Chess Pie is served with an oatmeal cookie crust. So good, some people call it Crack Pie. It is that addictive! Just one bite and you will be hooked!
I was reading an article in the Oregonian FoodDay when I saw a recipe about the Crack Pie they were selling at the Momofuku Bakery and the Milk Bar in Manhattan. They were selling for $44 a pie. The title of the article is what caught my attention. “You’ll get hooked on Crack Pie”.
Crack Pie from the Milk Bar
After a little investigating, I discovered that this pie was just a traditional chess pie, made with butter eggs, sugar and vanilla. But there was one delicious difference. This pie had a crust made from oatmeal cookies! An oatmeal cookie crust! Who can turn that down! The bakery of course makes their own oatmeal cookies and I have included a recipe for those too but if you are short on time you could cheat and use store bought oatmeal cookies to make the crust.
This pie is delicious chilled and just as good warm. The recipe makes two pies, so you can try it both ways! One bite and you will understand why they call this Chess Pie I “Crack” pie. You will not be able to stop at one bite. I wanted to eat the entire pie by myself.
Baking Tips for Chess Pie
The pie will seem undercooked when you remove it from the oven. It will be golden brown on top, but still jiggly. Also, The pie will be puffy when it comes out, but will fall and flatten out as it cools. Don’t worry. It is supposed to do that.
Starting to fall…
And all done!
After it has cooled a bit, sprinkle with powdered sugar to make it a little prettier.
You can serve it with powdered sugar or without but it is much prettier with!
It is your choice. Either way, it tastes like heaven! The big debate though is whether you eat it warm or chilled? I’ve eaten it both ways and it is delicious both ways but I prefer it warm. The recipe makes two pies so you can try it both ways like I did. After you give it a try, come back and let me know which way you prefer it. Chilled or warm? The recipe can also be easily halved to make only one pie.
Originally posted March 2010
Other favorite pie recipes:
My favorite kitchen tools I use to make CHESS PIE:
9” GLASS PIE PLATE – perfect size for any pie!
6 PIECE MEASURING CUP SET – Everyone needs at least one set of measuring cups, I have 4 sets!
MAGNETIC MEASURING SPOONS – I love these things. They are magnetic so they stay together in the drawer!
For all of my other favorite kitchen products and tools visit my Amazon Store.
Chess Pie Recipes
Chess Pie
Ingredients
Cookie for crust:
- 2/3 C plus 1 Tbsp all purpose flour
- Scant 1/8 tsp baking powder
- Scant 1/8 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 C butter softened
- 1/3 C firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 1 egg
- scant 1 C old fashioned oatmeal uncooked
Crust:
- Crumbled cookie for crust see above
- 1/4 C butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
Filling:
- 1 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 3/4 C plus a scant 3 Tbsp firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/3 C plus 1 tsp powdered milk
- 1 C butter melted
- 3/4 C plus a scant 2 Tbsp whipping cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 egg yolks
- 2 prepared crusts see above
- powdered sugar for garnish.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt - yes I sifted it!
- In your mixer using the paddle attachment beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy
- Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fluffy and incorporated
- With the mixture running, beat in the flour mixture a little at a time until totally combined
- Stir in the oatmeal until well incorporated
- Spread the mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes
- Remove from oven and cool on rack
- Crumble the cooked cookie to use in the crust
- Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended ( a little of the mixture will clump together between your fingers and hold together)
- Divide the crust between the two 10 inch pie pans
- Press the crust into each shell to form a thin even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins Don't worry about making it beautiful - it is going to taste beautiful!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and powdered milk
- Whisk in the melted butter then whisk in the cream and vanilla
- Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air
- Divide the filling evenly between 2 pie shells
- Bake the pies one at a time for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie) about 10 minutes or 15 minutes if using a 9 inch pie pan
- Remove pie from oven and cool on rack
- Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled
- Dust with powdered sugar
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Oh, Chess Pie has always been one of my favorites…
My recipe is as follows:
1 c. sugar
1 T. cream
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. melted butter
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c.raisins
Pour into unbaked crust (and I intend to try the cookie crust!!!) Bake a few minutes at 400 degrres; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 20 minutes or until set. (It looks just like your picture…)
Hi LeighAnne,
This might be a silly question, but what does it mean when you say “scant” before a measurement?
Thank you!
I have to say, I’m not 100% convinced on this pie, but if it’s selling at $40 per pie, it’s worth a shot! Not the prettiest of pies, but I will take your word for it (re-naming the pie) and try it soon. Thanks for sharing!
I guess I know what I am making for the Derby Party this year !!!
This looks so good! My stack of recipes to try is growing daily:)
I think it was last week I actually saw them making this pie in that Manhattan
bakery for $44.00! I’m adding this recipe you posted to my “Try” list.
Thanks, Leigh Anne!
Whoops, meant to say that I saw them on the TV making this pie in the bakery.
This is the pie that Kelly Ripa and Anderson Cooper always make! I cant wait to make it!
Mmmm, that sounds GOOD!
Leigh Ann – my Grandma always made me a little pie when she was making pies and I have never been able to come up with any kind of recipe to resemble it. I think this might be really close, although she used regular pie crust. I am going to try it. Thanks so much.
This sounds so yummy! I heard “crack pie” mentioned last week on TV and was trying to remember where and Beth just reminded me…Kelly and Anderson Cooper! At the time I thought WHAT? Now thanks to you Leigh Anne, I know 🙂
Oooooooooooh my goodness, you’re killing me! I’m trying to be good this week (though we just won’t talk about the caramel apple I ate last night). Pretty sure this is going on the Easter weekend menu.
This looks wonderful. Have you ever tried the Buttermilk Pie at Magelby’s in Provo? I have always wanted the recipe for that but they aren’t giving it away. This looks like it could be similar. Magelby’s serves the Buttermilk Pie with fruit and a dallop of whipped cream. I will be trying this recipe soon. Thank you!
Anderson Cooper was raving about this pie on Regis and Kelly. He was so addicted to it that the next day he came in with pie for everyone! Don’t know when I’ll be in NY, so I’ll have to try this one! Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to send it to Anderson!
M. Moore, I bet I know what pie you are talking about. My mom made it for me and her mom made it for her. We call it goody pie because it is so good. You take the leftover crust and put it in a mini pie pan then fill with brown sugar, dot with butter, pour a little cream over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and bake until browned.
Oh LeighAnne this sounds incredible!!….I was sold the moment you said homemade oatmeal cookies for the crust!! OMG what a great idea!! I can’t wait to try this!!
Thanks for sharing and linking up!!
The real deal at Momofuku rocks, even at the prices they charge. Remember, it’s New York, it’s Momofuku’s, it feeds a bunch. Obviously, now being able to make it at home, how lucky are we!?!?!?! Now, if we could get our hands on the “REAL” Momofuku Korean & Southern Fried Chicken, matched with this pie……..you’d die and think you went to heaven!!!!!!!
This is the pie (I think). That we go to Louisville Ky to eat at the resturant. I am going to give it a try real soon!!!!!!!!!
I can’t wait to try this pie. Thanks Leigh Anne. Congrats to your family – handsome and pretty too. Graduation is such an accomplishment!
how to keep a chocolate chess from cracking on top?
Not sure – sorry!
Hi, Leigh Ann! Can’t wait to try this. Love me some chess pie. However, I have gone through this twice and cannot see a link to your oatmeal cookie – may be blind, though. Apologies if so. Which of your oatmeal cookie recipes did you use to make the crust, please?