Over the years I have come to discover that I am a bit of a non-traditionalist when it comes to pie. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the greatest hits genre of the pie world – pumpkin, apple, and so forth – but creative variations are what I gravitate toward. Salty honey pie is without a doubt my all time favorite. Crack pie is pretty high up the list as well. Cranberry streusel pie is an irresistible version I just can’t get enough of. Here, I add another to this growing list – black bottom oatmeal pie, which is like a giant chocolatey chewy oatmeal cookie. Come to mama.

There are few desserts that spell comfort food to me more than oatmeal cookies, so being able to have a warm slice of a giant cookie with gooey dark chocolate and topped with a scoop of ice cream is pretty fabulous if you ask me. It doesn’t hurt that this pie is incredibly easy to make. Plus, it’s a single crust pie so there’s no stress if your lattice skills aren’t quite up to par.

 

  • Prep about 30 minutes
  • Cook 55 minutes
  • Yield 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients

For the crust:

  • 1¼ cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3-5 tbsp. ice water

For the filling:

  • 1½ cups (149 grams) rolled oats
  • ¼ cup (57 grams) heavy cream
  • 4 oz. (113 grams) bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1 cup (213 grams) light brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 5 tbsp. (71 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup (104 grams) dark corn syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. cider vinegar
  • 4 large eggs

Directions

  • 01

    To make the pie dough, combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter to the bowl and cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or two knives. (You can also use a mixer or food processor – see this post for more information.) Mix in the ice water just until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a cohesive ball, being careful to avoid overworking. The less you work the dough, the flakier it will be! Flatten the ball into a disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator, at least 30-60 minutes.

  • 02

    When you are ready to par bake the crust, heat the oven to 400˚ F. Lightly flour a work surface. Unwrap the pie dough and transfer to the work surface. Let sit at least a few minutes at room temperature so that it will be easier to roll out. Roll out into a  -inch round and transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Fold excess dough over and flute the edges neatly. Poke the crust all over with the tines of a fork. Transfer to the freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Line the pastry shell with foil and fill the shell with baking beads to weigh it down (dry rice or beans also work.) Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil with the baking beads and return the pie shell to the oven for 5-10 more minutes, until it is light golden. Remove to a cooling rack. Lower the oven temperature to 350˚ F.

  • 03

    Spread the oats on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring a few times. Set aside to cool. Lower the oven temperature to 325˚ F.

  • 04

    To make the ganache layer, bring the heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat, add in the chocolate and let sit about 3 minutes. Whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Use a spatula to spread the ganache in the bottom of the par baked pie shell in an even layer. Transfer to the freezer to set the ganache while you prepare the rest of the filling.

  • 05

    In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and melted butter. Whisk to combine. Stir in the corn syrup, vanilla, and cider vinegar. Add the eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Stir in the oats.

  • 06

    Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet and pour the oat mixture over the ganache layer. Bake for about 55 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Allow to cool completely, about 2-3 hours. If desired, rewarm briefly before slicing and serving.

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