Looking for an easy summer time dessert recipe? Try this fabulous cherry blueberry oat cookie crisp pie! Perfect for those summer picnics! (Jump directly to the recipe.)
Coming from personal experience, eating too many cherries in one sitting can wreak havoc on your gastro-intestinal system. I experienced this first hand when I found myself, left to my own devices while AJ was gone on the AIDS Lifecycle, devolving into a bachelor lifestyle. On more than one occasion, I found myself eating an entire bowl of cherries for dinner. And on more than one occasional I found myself extremely uncomfortable. Damn my lack of self-control.
In an effort to curb my cherry intake, after going on a recent cherry buying binge, I found myself in the kitchen determined to bake with the cherries in my fridge, instead of just eating them out of hand. My theory: I’m much less like to devour a whole pie in one sitting than a giant bowl of cherries in one sitting. I decided I needed to put this theory to test. I found myself baking up a Cherry Blueberry Oat Cookie Pie Crisp.
What, you may ask, is a Cookie Pie Crisp? Quite simply it’s the crust from Christina Tosi’s Crack Pie, repurposed for a cherry blueberry pie, with a little bit of the crumbs doing double duty to top the pie, creating the perfect marriage of sweet, crunchy crisp like dessert, all in the form of a pie.
I had this pie in mind when I was in the lobby of hotel chatting away with pie royalty, Kate McDermott; I adore Kate and bow down to her deep and immense knowledge of pie. As the topic of pies came up (how could it not?), she told me a bit of trivia that surprised me. Apparently the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that to be a true pie, the baked good needed to have a top and bottom pastry crust. All other baked goods were tarts. I hung my head in shame, thinking of my creation.
In the end though, I realized that I am not a purist and enjoy an apple crumb pie as much as the next guy. The Cherry Blueberry Oat Cookie Pie Crisp may not “technically” qualify as a pie, but in my heart of hearts it is as much of a pie as it is a crisp, full of nutty oats, cinnamon spice and buttery goodness. True, pie purist may be horrified by the creation, but hopefully they will reserve judgment until they taste this dessert creation. Either way, no matter what you call it, this baked good definitely tested my theory as I could see someone sitting down and eating an entire pan all at once. I’m going to guess though, that the gastro-intestinal discomfort would be just as bad as eating the same amount of cherries straight from the bowl.
This coming Saturday, June 15th, I’ll be co-hosting the 18 Reasons‘ DIY Dessert event with the theme around Pie! From 2pm to 4pm people from all of the bay area will be bringing homemade pies to share with everyone. Stop by and say hello, bring a pie or just a hearty appetite! Hope to see you there!
Cherry Blueberry Oat Cookie Pie Crisp
By Irvin Lin
This recipe might look a little fussy because you have to bake a cookie and then crumble it into a pie crust and topping but it’s not as hard as it seem and significantly faster than a double crust pie. Instead of making a pastry dough and letting it rest in the fridge for the gluten to relax and the fat to chill, you make the cookie dough and while it cools on the pan you cook the filling on the stove. After a quick crumble of the cookie crust, a fast 15-minute bake to brown the crumbs, you have a pie, ready to serve! Keep in mind that this pie is a bit on the sweet, so it would go great with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream to cut the sugar shock. Or just enjoy as is if you like your desserts more on the sweet side.
Oat Cookie Pie Crust and Topping slightly adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar cookbook by Christina Tosi.
Ingredients
Oat Cookie Crust
1/2 cup (115 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup (75 g) packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons (40 g) white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup (80 g) white whole wheat flour
1 cup (120 g) multigrain rolled cereal or old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
two pinches of baking soda (about 1/16 of a teaspoon)
4-6 tablespoons melted butter
Pie filling
4 cups (1lb 6 oz) bing cherries
1/2 cup (100 g) white granulated sugar
1/4 cup (40 g) cornstarch
2 cups (8 oz) blueberries
1/2 teaspoon extrait de noyaux or almond extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat. Place the butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat together until it starts to lighten in color. Add the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon and continue to beat until incorporated. Add the egg yolk and beat until light in color – almost white, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add the flour, rolled cereal (or oats) and salt. Beat until a dough forms. Scrape onto the lined baking sheet and spread as thin as you can get it. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to look golden brown and the middle is dry and puffs up a bit. Let cool on the baking sheet. Maintain the oven temperature.
2. While the cookie crust is baking and cooling make the filling by first pitting the cherries. Place them in a large pot along with the sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium high heat until the cherries have started to release juice. Continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes until the filling has started to thicken. Add the blueberries, extrait de noyaux and salt. Cook for another minute until the blueberries start to darken and a few have popped. Remove from heat.
3. Make the pie crust by breaking up the cookie into a large bowl. Continue to break it up with your hands until you have the cookie in as fine a crumb as you can. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs with 4 tablespoons melted butter and toss until the cookie crumbs start to hold together when you squeeze them. If they won’t hold together, sprinkle 1 or 2 more melted tablespoons until they do.
4. Pour 3/4 of the crumbs into the bottom of the pie plate and press into the bottom and up the sides as much as you can. Scrape the pie filling over the pie crust. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon into the remaining 1/4 cookie crumbs and toss. Sprinkle those cookie crumbs all the way around the edges of the pie. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the top edges of the pie crumbs start to look darker brown, as if they are toasted. Remove and let cool before serving.
Makes 1 pie, serves 8-12 people.
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
This looks amazing! I want to take a nose dive into it and eat my way out. Talk about no self-control. 😉
Chelsea says
So a pumpkin pie is not really a pie?! My world is shaken. I mentioned this pie trivia to my husband, who accused tarts of being “uppity” and disguising themselves to fool us…
Miss Kim @ behgopa says
Funny you blogged about pie. I was sooo craving pie this past weekend. Your photos look so delicious! BTW, I was wondering if you have any recipes using olallieberries. I have been looking around for these berries that are around for a limited time, and I have no idea where to find them here in socali. I can imagine all the yummy creations that you can make with them. I actually picked up an olallieberry pie from Polly’s Pie. It was nearby and they had it available. Well, it was a disappointment. I am sure your recipe would be so much better. The pie crust was the worst, tasted like one of them store-bought pie crusts.
And how as the Blogher conference? I can’t wait to read about your experience there.
Stacy | Wicked Good Kitchen says
Irvin, I am with you. Your delectable cherry-berry dessert hybrid creation is definitely a Crumble Pie Crisp! I adore cobblers and crisps. (Just posted my Best Ever Blueberry Cobbler recipe today. The secret is in the Buttery Biscuit Crumble Topping…a sort of cross between pie pastry, a biscuit and shortbread sugar cookie.) I’d really like to know which culinary experts the U.S. Supreme Court consulted in this important landmark “case” of pie vs. tart? I think SCOTUS was wrong. This was an entirely misguided decision. LOL! xo
Annalise says
The supreme court actually ruled on the definition of a pie?? That is awesome and weird all at the same time. Regardless of the category this beautiful dessert falls under, it looks and sounds fabulous!
Belinda @zomppa says
I’m glad YOU experimented with cherry overload because now it’s NOTE TO SELF! I’m sold on this cookie pie…the crunch is the best part.
Amy @ What Jew Wanna Eat says
Huh I would think the U.S. Supreme Court would have better things to do than mess with pie definitions. Crazy kids. It was great meeting you at BlogHer- I’m really enjoying your blog!
Sarah @ My Green Apron says
This looks great! I may have to try it with a bowl of cherries on the side 😉
Michelle Ritchie | Delicious Karma says
WOW…that was a great way to wake up to my inbox! 😀 Wish I had a bit now for breakfast! And a great bit of trivia re: the true definition of pie. Who knew! Still, I will continue to call my truly-amazing open apple pie recipe a pie (it IS made in a pie dish, after all). 🙂
Kate McDermott says
Irvin, when I got home, I pulled Janet Clarkson’s excellent book “Pie” from the shelf to refresh my memory about the definition which has quite a history.
The OED puts forward that it is essential for a pie to have a top crust but the bottom crust is optional, that only in America is the bottom crust mandatory, and that those without a covering are tarts or flans.
The Times engaged in the “gay battle of the tarts and pies” in 1927 with opinions of contributors on both sides of the Atlantic that ended when “pudding season” officially began in mid October.
The Supreme Court held in 1910 that rice pudding was pastry apparently because of the “crust” formed when it is baked.
I agree with Raymond Sokolov who’s words, “I may not be able to define a pie, but I know one when I see it”, and are quoted in Clarkson’s ” Prologue: Preliminary Observations on Pie.”
AJ says
I do wish I could have had some of that pie!
Rita says
This looks SO good.
This looks SO Good.
This looks SOOO,
SOOO,
GOOD!!!!!
I am totally doing this!!!!!
Kristen says
I think since AJ did some serious riding, you need to make him one of these little creations. Looks so good!
PS – loved seeing you this past weekend. I love what value you bring to this community of ours. I’m happy to know you!
Vanessa says
I have a love/hate relationship with berries at times. It’s mainly love (while I’m enjoying them, binging on them, etc.) The hate part comes afterwards…But I ONLY have and feel love for this cherry blueberry oat cookie pie crisp. So amazing!
Brandon @ Kitchen Konfidence says
This looks tasty. I’m a big fan of crack pie, so I know I’d love this 🙂
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen Notes says
A pie, a tart, a pudding… who cares really. They´re all good. And this one is particularly good! I should get that momofuku book.
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
First, thank you for not going into too many details regarding your gluttonous cherry stomach woes 😉 Second, in what case did the US Supreme Court decide that?! I need to read that decision! Third, drooooooooooool….
Kelly Senyei | Just a Taste says
Love, love, love this! It just screams “summer!”
David Miller says
It’s such a nice feeling reading your food blog posts.. I hope one day i’d be able to bake and create good food for my family,,
Sara Smith says
Wow! Cherry blueberry ^^ I love it!
Will try as your recipe today.
Really thanks!
Katy says
Just posting that the baking soda and powder weren’t mentioned in the instructions for the cookie crust. I missed this when I made it so I imagine my cookie crust was denser than it should have been. I assume they should be added along with the flour, oats and salt?
The filling was very delicious and it’s a keeper with the right amount of tart and sweetness. The cookie crust was too sweet which made everything too sweet. I would cut out the white sugar next time if I decide to make the crust. I’m not sure if the crust was worth the extra trouble.
Thank you for posting up this recipe! I want to try Momofuku’s treats but can’t get to a shop so this is the next best thing.