Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie

5 from 1 vote

A gooey, old‑fashioned oatmeal pie with a silky chocolate layer on the bottom. Simple ingredients, cozy texture, and a reliably perfect bake.

Prep Time25

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 491kcal

Author: Leona Konkel

Equipment

10-inch standard pie plate
wire whisk

Ingredients

1 pie crust (unbaked; I use a 1.33 batch of my Homemade Pie Crust)

Chocolate Layer

⅔ cup chocolate chips or bittersweet chocolate (110 grams/4 ounces)
3 tablespoons milk (45 grams)
1 tablespoon butter (14 grams)

Oat Filling

1 cup corn syrup (312 grams; light or dark)
¾ cup brown sugar (150 grams)
5 tablespoons butter (70 grams; melted)
2 teaspoons distilled vinegar (10 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 grams)
½ teaspoon table salt (4 grams)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
4 eggs (200 grams, without shell)
1 ½ cups rolled oats (120 grams)

Instructions

Pie Crust (optional 10 minute bake)

If you're using a storebought crust in its own pan, no need to prep anything.
For a homemade crust, roll it out to a 11-12 inch circle, roughly 1-inch wider than your pan on both sides. Place the crust in the pan and let the edges hang over the sides. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork and bake (on a baking sheet if you're worried about mess) at 425F for about 10 minutes.
Remove the crust to cool briefly, reduce the oven temperature to 325F, and start the ganache.

Chocolate Ganache Layer (10 minute prep)

Combine chocolate, milk, and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium bowl. Place it over a pot of water over medium heat. Stir until smooth, being sure to scrape off the spatula. The mixture will be clumpy as it melts, but will smooth out after a few minutes. Turn off the heat if the chocolate seems to heat too quickly.
Spread the chocolate ganache over the bottom of the pie crust. Place crust with ganache in freezer for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the oat filling.

Oat Filling (10 minute prep)

Using the mixing bowl from the ganache, use a whisk to combine the corn syrup, brown sugar, 5 tablespoons melted butter, vinegar, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg.
Whisk in the eggs, then switch to a rubber spatula to stir in the oats.
Remove the prepared crust from the freezer and place on a baking sheet. Pour the oat filling over the chocolate layer.
Bake at 325F for 55-75 minutes; my first pie took 65 minutes, and my second one took 75. The pie will look dark and dry on top, and the center will be slightly firm to the touch. If the filling sloshes or jiggles, it's not done yet.
Cool completely at room temperature, about 2-3 hours, before serving.
Cut pie before storing leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Pre-baking the crust is optional. It makes the crust more crisp on bottom, but otherwise affects how it bakes. Don't pre-bake the crust if using a deep dish pie plate; the crust will be too hard.

This can be made gluten-free using a gluten-free crust and certified gluten-free oats.

Substitute cream for the milk and butter in the ganache if desired.

To microwave the ganache: heat milk, butter, and ganache on high for 15 second increments, stirring after each one. Repeat until smooth. Do not overheat, or the ganache will be clumpy.

Pie pan size: This works best in a 10-inch standard pie plate; pay attention to signs of doneness, not just the baking time. 9.5-inch deep dish pans take longer to bake, with a harder crust; 9-inch shallow pie plate won't hold all the filling. A glass or ceramic pan works best, but use the pan you have; bake extra filling in a ramekin for 15-20 minutes, until it no longer jiggles.

Calorie count is an estimate only.

Adapted slightly from Smitten Kitchen.

Recipe revised 3/12/2026.

Nutrition