Healthier Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie

I've been wanting to make this recipe for a while now. Main reason is because I love Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie. I wanted something that resembles it in flavor but I wanted to make a sugar-free version and also, perhaps something with less fat. I'm not sure I achieved that, but I sure as hell tried.

This is not the same like the Chili's version. I warn you, but it's very damn close to it. Specially considering it's mostly sugar-free. Give it a try! Nobody in my family was disappointed. The house was filled with a delicious cookie scent that I wish it never left! :(

Lola's Oatmeal Cookie Pie 

Crust:
1 sleeve of graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cup)
6 tbsp butter
1/4 Regular sugar : substitute 2 tbsp Splenda Sugar Blend
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F.

In food processor (or whatever you have to make the graham crackers into powder), put a sleeve of graham crackers and pulse until they have become powdery.

Transfer into a bowl and add vanilla and sugar. Cut butter into small pieces and start mixing it with the graham crackers/vanilla/sugar mix until it combines into small pea-sized pieces. I finally mixed it all by hand to make sure the graham crackers were completely mixed with the butter.

Grease 8x8 baking dish with butter (or cooking spray, which I used), and transfer graham mix and pack it in making sure you cover the whole dish. Try to pack it with your hands and make it as even as possible.

Cook in oven for about 20 min or until the edges become a bit dark. Remove from oven and let it cool.

Cookie filling:
1/2 cup flour
1 cup old fashioned oats (but you can use the quick oats if you want)
1 stick of butter
3 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 tsp Splenda Blend
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp milk
1 egg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a medium bowl, cream the butter with the sugars. I used a hand mixer at medium speed. Add the cinnamon, vanilla, milk and egg and continue to mix. Then add oats, baking powder and baking soda, continue mixing until set and then add half of the 1/2 cup of flour, mix and slowly add the rest.

For the assembly:

1/4 cup of chocolate chips (I used Hershey's sugar free chips and doubled on the chocolate chips because let's face it, it would be yummier)

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup shredded coconut

Pour chocolate chips on top of the graham cracker crust and spread evenly.

For my pie, my dad didn't want coconut so I had to make half of it with coconut and half without, so I couldn't mix the coconut right in the batter, but this is what you have to do. You can also add the nuts to the cookie filling mix or you can pour it over the cookie and press them in. I just mixed it all in because I love pecans and walnuts and I thought it would be better if they were cooked right it. Your choice!

Spread the cookie mix on top. It doesn't have to be even, and it will spread when it cooks so don't worry too much about it. My graham cookie crust was still warm when I did this step and the chocolate chips were already melting, so when I was spreading it all out, it mixed a bit with the chocolate. No biggie.

So the layers are from bottom to top: graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, cookie mix, nuts.

Bake at 350F for about 20 min, depending on your oven. I baked until it was fragrant and golden brown on top.

For serving:

You can omit this step if you don't want to have all this butter, but it is what it calls for.

1 stick of butter
3 tbsp Splenda Brown Sugar blend
1/2 tsp cinnamon
vanilla ice cream
chopped walnuts (for garnish)

Melt butter and mix in the sugar and cinnamon.

Cut the cookie bars and serve them in a plate (or a mini iron skillet if you have one!) and you can pour some of this butter mix on top. This is a dish best served warm, so make sure you put the pie in the microwave first or serve it fresh out of the oven. Put a big ball of ice cream on top, garnish with chopped walnuts or pecans.

Enjoy!

I know he looks ugly but he's yummy! =D