If you’ve ever tasted Milk Bar’s iconic Crack Pie, you know it’s not just a dessert—it’s an experience. That perfect balance of buttery, salty-sweet goodness is so addictive that one slice just isn’t enough. And while it’s now officially called Milk Bar Pie, the obsession remains the same.
The best part? You can skip the trip to NYC and recreate the magic at home with this easy copycat recipe. Get ready to bake a pie so good, your friends will be asking for the secret—and begging for seconds.
Why This Pie is Pure Gold
- The Crust: A chewy, buttery oatmeal cookie base sets this pie apart.
- The Filling: A creamy, caramelized custard that’s melt-in-your-mouth perfection.
- The Balance: Sweet, salty, and oh-so buttery—this pie hits all the right notes.
Pro Tips for the Ultimate Pie
- Chill Time is Key: Don’t skip the refrigeration step—it’s what makes the filling set perfectly.
- Milk Powder is Magic: It’s the secret ingredient that gives the pie its signature flavor.
- Balance the Sweet: The touch of salt in the crust and filling is what makes this pie truly unforgettable.
Final Thoughts
This Crack Pie is more than a dessert—it’s a showstopper. Whether it’s for a holiday, dinner party, or a treat-yourself moment, this recipe is guaranteed to impress. Plus, it’s surprisingly simple to make at home, so there’s no excuse not to try it!
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Happy baking everyone!
Gina
Ingredients
Oat Cookie Crust:
- 115 g (8 Tbsp) butter, at room temperature
- 75 g (1/3 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
- 40 g (3 Tbsp) granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 80 g (1/2 cup) flour
- 120 g (1 1/2 cups) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 0.5 g (1/8 tsp) baking powder
- 0.25 g (pinch) baking soda
- 2 g (1/2 tsp) kosher salt
Pie Filling:
- 300 g (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
- 180 g (3/4 cup tightly packed) light brown sugar
- 20 g (1/4 cup) milk powder
- 24 g (1/4 cup) corn powder
- 6 g (1 1/2 tsp) kosher salt
- 225 g (16 Tbsp) butter, melted
- 160 g (3/4 cup) heavy cream
- 2 g (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 8 egg yolks**
Pie Assembly:
- Oat Cookie
- 15 g (1 Tbsp tightly packed) light brown sugar
- 1 g (1/4 tsp) salt
- 55 g (4 Tbsp) butter, melted, or as needed
- Pie Filling
- Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Oat Cookie Crust:
- Heat the oven to 350°F
- Combine the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy and pale yellow in color. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. On low speed, add the egg yolk and increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar granules fully dissolve and the mixture is a pale white.
- On low speed, add the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix for a minute, until your dough comes together and any remnants of dry ingredients have been incorporated. The dough will be a slightly fluffy, fatty mixture in comparison to your average cookie dough. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Nonstick-spray a quarter sheet pan and line with parchment, or just line the pan with a silpat. Plop the cookie dough in the center of the pan and, with a spatula, spread it out until it is 1/4 inch thick. The dough won’t end up covering the entire pan; this is ok.
- Bake for 15 minutes, or until it resembles an oatmeal cookie-caramelized on top and puffed slightly but set firmly. Cool completely before using. Wrapped well in plastic, the oat cookie will keep fresh in the fridge for up to 1 week
Pie Filling
- Combine the sugar, brown sugar, milk powder, corn powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed until evenly blended..
- Add the melted butter and paddle for 2 to 3 minutes until all the dry ingredients are moist.
- Add the heavy cream and vanilla and continue mixing on low for 2 to 3 minutes until any white streaks from the cream have completely disappeared into the mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the egg yolks, paddling them into the mixture just to combine; be careful not to aerate the mixture, but be certain the mixture is glossy and homogeneous. Mix on low speed until it is.
- Use the filling right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Pie Assembly:
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Put the oat cookie, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse it on and off until the cookie is broken down into a wet sand.
- Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, add the butter, and knead the butter and ground cookie mixture until moist enough to form into a ball. If it is not moist enough to do so, melt an additional 14 to 25 g (1 to 1½ tablespoons) butter and knead it in.
- Divide the oat crust evenly between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Using your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the oat cookie crust firmly into each pie tin, making sure the bottom and sides of the tin are evenly covered. Use the pie shells immediately, or wrap well in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Put both pie shells on a sheet pan. Divide the Milk Bar Pie® filling evenly between the crusts; the filling should fill them three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 15 minutes only. The pies should be golden brown on top but will still be very jiggly.
- Open the oven door and reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Depending on your oven, it may take 5 minutes or longer for the oven to cool to the new temperature. Keep the pies in the oven during this process. When the oven reaches 325°F, close the door and bake the pies for 5 minutes longer. The pies should still be jiggly in the bull’s-eye center but not around the outer edges. If the filling is still too jiggly, leave the pies in the oven for an additional 5 minutes or so.
- Gently take the pan of Milk Bar Pies out of the oven and transfer to a rack to cool to room temperature. (You can speed up the cooling process by carefully transferring the pies to the fridge or freezer if you’re in a hurry.) then freeze your pies for at least 3 hours, or overnight, to condense the filling for a dense final product—freezing is the signature technique and result of a perfectly executed Milk Bar Crack Pie.
- If not serving the pies right away, wrap well in plastic wrap. In the fridge, they will keep fresh for 5 days; in the freezer, they will keep for 1 month. Transfer the pie(s) from the freezer to the refrigerator to defrost a minimum of 1 hour before you’re ready to get in there.
- Serve your Milk Bar Pie cold! Decorate your pie(s) with confectioners’ sugar, passing it through a fine sieve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*You must use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to make this filling. It only takes a minute, but it makes all the difference in the homogenization and silky final product. Also, keep the mixer on low speed through the entire mixing process. If you try to mix the filling on higher speed, you will incorporate too much air and your pie will not be dense and gooey-the essence of crack pie. **NOTE ON EGG YOLKS It will ruin the dense pie filling if there is any bit of egg white in the mixture. I believe the best, way to separate an egg is to do so in your hands not using the shells since they can easily break the yolk.