Cookie Dough Cream Pie

Amazingly at the request from my non sweets loving husband I made this pie last weekend. I brought it for dinner over to my in-laws house and it was a hit. If you enjoy rich flavor combinations together that this pie is for you. Tricky to make since you have different components but well worth the work.

This pie called for a homemade crust but I had a pre-made one on hand already so I used that instead.

Ingredients:
1 pre-made pie crust (your choice)

For Cookie Dough:
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, room temperature 3/8 c. granulated sugar
3/8 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 tsp. milk
1/2 c. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For Filling:
3/4 c. light brown sugar
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 tbs. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:
1 c. heavy cream
3 tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350. Bake crust for about 7 minutes. Cool completely.

To prepare cookie dough, beat butter and sugars and in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed (or by hand) until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Using some of the dough, make 8 small (1/2" in diameter) balls. Place on a non-stick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve remaining dough (dough can be made 1 day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature prior to using).

In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.

Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture is the consistency of thick pudding, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in butter and vanilla. Set aside.

While filling is cooling, break off pieces of cookie dough and press them into the cooled pie crust. You want an even layer of dough approximately 1/2" thick (you may have leftover dough, but remember, it's eggless! so enjoy it!)

Pour in filling on top of dough layer, leveling the top with a rubber spatula. Filling should come up about 1/2" from the top of the crust. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

Whip cream until it begins to form soft folds. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until cream holds stiff peaks. Gently spread all but 1/3 cup of whipped cream on top of cooled filling, smoothing top into a slight dome. With remaining cream, pipe or dollop mounds evenly around the pie, and garnish with mini cookies.