Skip the dunking and try this ‘Cookies ‘n’ Milk’ pie

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What is it about a warm homemade chocolate chip cookie that calls for a cold tall glass of milk? Or a cool glass of soy milk, if you’re vegan baking diva Clara Polito. Which begs the next question: To dunk or not to dunk? We’ve all seen over-zealous dunkers come up empty-handed. Polito, the 20-year-old vegan behind Clara Cakes, solves this conundrum with a fun Cookies ‘n’ Milk pie recipe from her new book. This dessert brings together the best of both worlds — chocolate chip cookie goodness and sweet pudding made from soy and coconut milk — and delivers them to you in one tasty slice of pie. Go ahead: Enjoy your cookies and milk, no dunking needed.

COOKIES ‘N’ MILK PIE (VEGAN)

Yield: Makes a single 8- or 9-inch pie

Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust Ingredients
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup Earth Balance vegan butter (melted)
¼ cup applesauce
1 tbsp vanilla
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ cup chocolate chips

Milk Pudding Ingredients
1 cup canned coconut milk
½ cup soy milk
⅓ cup sugar
2 tbsps + 1 tsp cornstarch
⅛ tsp salt
1 tsp Earth Balance vegan butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Prepare the dough: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the melted butter with the granulated and brown sugars for 3 minutes. Once the mixture becomes light and fluffy, add the apple sauce and vanilla extract, then continue beating until thoroughly combined. Next, add the flour, baking soda and salt mixture to the wet mixture; beat until combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips. Reserve a ½-cup of the cookie dough and set aside.

Prepare the pie crust: Next, press the remaining cookie dough evenly into the pie tin. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour.

Bake the pie crust: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. After an hour, remove the pie crust from the freezer and bake at 350ºF for about 15 minutes, or until golden. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Bake the cookies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using the reserved cookie dough, shape four 2-inch cookie dough balls. Bake the cookies at 350ºF for about 6 minutes, or until golden. Remove the cookies from the oven once done and transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Prepare the pudding: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the coconut milk and soy milk and set to medium heat for about 6 minutes, whisking constantly. Once the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency, remove the pan from heat and whisk in the vegan butter and vanilla extract.

Prepare the pie: Pour the milk pudding mixture into the baked cookie crust. Next, set the four chocolate chip cookies on top of the pudding. Transfer the pie to the refrigerator to chill for a few hours or overnight before serving.

All photos courtesy of Clara Cakes.