Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: They taste like your childhood… but better! Not quite as sweet and with the perfect hint of cinnamon.
Texture: My favorite part. The cookies are the perfect chewy complement to the rich and creamy filling.
Ease: Easier to make than you might have thought!
Pros: A better tasting and less artificial version of your favorite nostalgic treat.
Cons: None!!
Would I make this again? Absolutely.
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Move over, Little Debbie. These Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies are about to become your new best friend.
I like to call these the “adult-version” of Oatmeal Creme Pies. No, they don’t contain alcohol; however, these cookies are decadent and so flavorful. With no artificial flavorings, these copycat cookie sandwiches are made with ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
Remember how thin and squishy the store-bought cookies were? These babies are thick and chewy with a hint of spice from the cinnamon and chock full of the creamiest, smoothest buttercream.
What is it about fall that’s so nostalgic? Is it the cooler weather, the sound of leaves crunching under your shoes, the building anticipation for the upcoming holidays?
Whatever it is, I’ve been itching to recreate desserts that I loved growing up, and what better way to bring back the best memories of childhood than by recreating a dessert BETTER than what I had as a kid?
Best part about these cookie sandwiches? I guarantee the first bite will evoke all those childhood memories of sitting in the lunchroom and skipping over your sandwich to go straight to your Little Debbie snack while playing with your Tamagotchi, or, let’s be real… listening to Britney Spears on your Walkman.
I think you’re going to love these Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies. Or Oatmeal Creme Pies. However you spell it 😉
How to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies
What are Oatmeal Cream Pies?
Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies are soft and chewy oatmeal cookies filled with vanilla buttercream. I always found the original version left me desiring more buttercream in the middle. My Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies are thicker, more flavorful, and have the perfect cookie to frosting ratio.
What kind of oats to use for oatmeal cookies?
This recipe calls for old-fashioned rolled oats, which give the cookies that characteristic craggly look and chewy flavor.
Can I add raisins or chocolate chips to my oatmeal cookies?
You can, though that’ll change the texture and add a little more height to your cookies.
Why are my cookies flat?
If your cookies end up flat, butter that was too warm is likely the culprit. When you go to cream your butter and sugar when making cookies, the butter should be at a COOL room temperature. To be precise, it should be 67°F.
If your butter is too warm, your cookies will spread into flat puddles and you’ll end up with thin cookie sandwiches.
Just take a look at the cookie comparison below:
Does this dough need to be chilled?
No dough chilling required! I don’t like to refrigerate dough made with oats for too long because oats are such a drying ingredient and really suck up moisture, and you don’t want the dough to dry up too quickly. While you can refrigerate this dough, it’s best to not refrigerate more than 48 hours at most, otherwise you risk really drying your dough out.
How to store Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies:
Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before serving. The sugar in the frosting acts as a preservative, so these cookies can be stored at room temperature instead, but no longer than a couple of days.
Can I freeze oatmeal cream pies whole?
Yes! Wrap them individually in plastic, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then let come to room temperature before serving. You can also scoop the cookie dough into balls and freeze those. Learn how to freeze cookie dough and bake from frozen here.
More recipes you’ll love:
- Cosmic Brownies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Homemade Fudge Rounds
- Strawberry Pop Tarts
- Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Homemade Oreo Cookies
Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 3/4 cups (222 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) lightly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups (270 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats
For the filling:
- 1 1/2 sticks (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (313 grams) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
Make the cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, egg yolk and vanilla, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the oats with a rubber spatula.
- Using a spoon or large spring-loaded scoop, drop 3-tablespoon sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.
- Bake for about 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Make the filling:
- Beat all ingredients together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and smooth, about 5 minutes.
- Spread or pipe the filling on half of your cookies and use the remaining cookies to sandwich. Serve or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Let come to room temperature before serving.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
Hi! Can I freeze the dough to make ahead?
Hi Sarah! Yes, that will work just fine – or check out Tessa’s other tips for making these ahead in the Tip Box, just above the recipe!