Crack Pie

This is another one of those recipes that is so bad that you really should not even try it. It ranks right up there with Dulce De Leche brownies on the list of things to never make again. In this case the list of "bad" things are so very good. I can't completely explain what it is that makes this pie consume my every thought. Mostly, it reminds me of a not so sweet Butter Tart. If you are not Canadian there is a good chance you have never heard of Butter Tarts. I learned of them while I was spending some time in Churchill, Manitoba. When I first tasted them I explained them as being like Pecan Pie without the pecans. This pie I think even more so fits that description as I detected a certain nutty flavor without there being any nuts in the recipe at all. None of that really matters because I won't be making it again and neither should you. (Reminder to self: add extra eggs and butter to the grocery list).
Even though I won't be making this pie again, there are a few things I would change in the original recipe... First, I would lower the cooking temperature after fifteen minutes. The original called for 350 for 30 minutes and then 325 for 20 minutes. Mine was very done by the end of the first thirty minutes. After doing further research and finding this recipe published in other places I realized they all recommended turning the temperature down after 15 minutes (I actually made this change in the recipe below). Next, I would double the crust and make them as Crack Bars in a 9x13 pan. That oatmeal crust was really good and I could see using it in other recipes. Last, I would double the salt. I think this pie would be really over the top good with just a little more salty sweet thing going on.

Crack Pie
adapted from Bon Appetite

Oat cookie crust:
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
5 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar, divided
2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (I recommend 1/2 teaspoon)

Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon nonfat dry milk powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For oat cookie crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pan with parchment paper; coat with nonstick spray. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat mixture until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, about 2 minutes. Add egg; beat until pale and fluffy. Add oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Turn oat mixture out onto prepared baking pan; press out evenly to edges of pan. Bake until light golden on top, 17 to 18 minutes. Transfer baking pan to rack and cool cookie completely.
Using hands, crumble oat cookie into large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar. Rub in with fingertips until mixture is moist enough to stick together. Transfer cookie crust mixture to 9-inch-diameter tart pan or pie dish. Using fingers, press mixture evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Place pie dish with crust on rimmed baking sheet.

For filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Whisk both sugars, milk powder, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add melted butter and whisk until blended. Add cream, then egg yolks and vanilla and whisk until well blended. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie 15 minutes . Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue to bake pie until filling is brown in spots and set around edges but center still moves slightly when pie dish is gently shaken, about 20 minutes longer. Cool pie 2 hours in pie dish on rack. Chill uncovered overnight. Slice and serve cold.