Oatmeal cream pies

Crazy soft, chewy Oatmeal Cream Pies that are every bit as delicious as Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies!

These Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies copycat are melt-in-your-mouth addicting.  The cookies are bursting with buttery, chewy, brown sugar, molasses oatmeal which sand which a luscious creamy vanilla center.  After one bite, you will never want to buy Little Debbies’ Oatmeal Cream Pies ever again!

up close of homemade oatmal cream pies on a black granite counter


 

About these Oatmeal Cream Pies

Uploading this Oatmeal Cream Pie pictures makes me really, really want these soft an chewy cookies all over again – like, right  NOW!

Growing up, we didn’t eat much sugar.  For each of our kid birthdays (5 of us total) our wheels would spin for days trying to decide which “sugar cereal” we wanted for the special occasion.  We were allowed to eat our birthday “sugar cereal” after a bowl of “healthy” cereal.  To this day my favorite cereals are Wheat Chex and Grape Nuts – no sugar added.   So it was on very special occasions that we bought anything Little Debbie’s, and when we did, Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies were always my first choice.

And now these Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies (barely adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction) are my first choice of any cookie, cake, brownie, pie – anything!  because these Little Debbie’s Cream Pies are CRAZY GOOD!

showing how to make homemade Little Debbies Oatmeal Cream Pies by baking oatmal cookies on a nonstick mat

What are Oatmeal Cream Pies?

If you didn’t grow up on Little Debbies Oatmeal Cream Pies, they are made of two large, soft, delicate, chewy, buttery, molasses oatmeal cookies sandwiching vanilla creme frosting filing that oozes to delight with each melt-in-your-mouth bite.  And bite I did.

showing how to make oatmeal cream pies by cooking cookies on a cooking rack

Remember when I said I wasn’t much of a sweets person?   Well, maybe it just takes the most insanely delicious sweets to entice me because with these Oatmeal Cream Pies I was licking the beaters, licking my fingers, scraping the bowl, eating cookies fresh out of the oven (the cookies alone are going to be your favorite oatmeal cookie ever!!!).  If I wasn’t planning on taking these cookies to someone, they wouldn’t have lasted another hour.

I am going to tell you right now these are not a diet cookie.

These ARE a crowd pleaser cookie.

A most requested cookie.

A better than original “Little Debbie’s” cookie.

A where have you been all my life? cookie.

A make in the middle of the day cookie so I don’t have to share kind of cookie.

side view of homemade oatmeal cream pies cooling on a cooling rack

If you don’t want to eat all of the Oatmeal Cream Pies all by yourself, plan on making them to share or for an event because I can tell you right now if they stay in your house you will eat every last one of them.  Which is perfectly fine and you totally deserve it but in the case you have intentions of just “having one” I can tell you right now if they stay in your house, that isn’t happening.

No will power is strong enough to resist these soft and chewy oatmeal molasses vanilla cream stuffed cookies.

No will power.

And once you taste them, you won’t won’t even want to try.


What are the ingredients in Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies?

COOKIES

  • oats: uncooked quick-cooking oats and NOT whole-rolled oats
  • butter: use unsalted butter so we can control the salt.  
  • brown sugar: dark brown sugar will give you a much richer cookie, but you may sub light in a pinch.
  • sugar: granulated sugar please.
  • egg: one large egg to bind the ingredients together.
  • vanilla extract: use quality extract for the best flavor.
  • molasses: there are both light and dark molasses. Light molasses is only boiled once and is more mild and sweeter because only a small percentage of the sugar has been extracted. Dark molasses is created from boiling twice and is less sweet with a hint of bitterness. Go for dark molasses if you can, but you may sub light.
  • flour: all purpose flour or your favorite baking gluten free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour.
  • baking soda: helps create creates a softer, fluffier cookie. Make sure your baking soda is fresh so it works!  
  • salt: balances and enhances the flavors
  • spices: hints of ground cinnamon and ground cloves are a must! They infuse the oatmeal cream pies with their signature flavor without tasting overpowering.

CREAM FILLING

  • butter: use unsalted butter so we can control the salt.  
  • powdered sugar: also called confectioners’ sugar; don’t use granulated sugar here
  • heavy cream: thins the cream to the perfect consistency
  • vanilla extract: use quality extract for the best flavor.
  • salt: enhances the flavor

showing how to make oatmeal cream pies by frosting bottom sides of cookies

How do you Make Oatmeal Cream Pies?

HOW DO YOU MAKE OATMEAL CREAM PIES?

  1. MIX WET INGREDIENTS:  With a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together at medium speed until light and creamy. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
  2. WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS:  In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk it all around. Add the quick oats and combine.  With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. The dough will be quite thick and you may have to mix it all by hand after a few seconds in the mixer.
  3. SHAPE COOKIES:  Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Drop dough with a large cookie scoop, or make sure each ball of dough is 3 tablespoons in measurement. Cookies will spread in the oven, so drop each ball of dough 2 inches apart.
  4. BAKE COOKIES:  Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. MAKE FILLING:  With a stand or handheld mixer, beat butter for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Mix on high for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, as needed. If filling is way too thick, add a couple more teaspoons of heavy cream.
  6. ASSEMBLE:  Spread 1 ½ tablespoons of cream filling on the bottom side of half of cookies; top with remaining cookies, right side up.
top view of homemade oatmeal cream pies with cream filling

Tips and Tricks for Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies

Quick Oats:  Old-fashioned whole rolled oats will not work in this recipe.  You can make you own quick oats (like I did here) by measuring 3 cups of whole rolled oats and pulsing them in the food processor 4-5 times or until they resemble the consistency of quick oats.

Mix by hand:  Once you mix the wet and dry ingredients, the cookie dough will be quite thick and you will have to stop the mixer and mix by hand.

Thin Cookies:  We want the oatmeal cookies to spread into a thin cookie, so don’t chill the dough.  If you need to make the dough beforehand and chill and to make later, then let dough come to room temperature before rolling.  If you want a thicker cookie (not characteristic of Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies), then you can chill the dough.

Make Uniform cookie dough balls:  We want the oatmeal cookies to be the same size because we are creating pies with two cookies so take care to use a cookies scoop or measure your dough so its the same size.

Smaller Cookies:  These Oatmeal Cream Pies are quite large like the originals.  I don’t suggest reducing the size or they will not be as chewy.

Cool Cookies Completely:  Cool your oatmeal cookies completely before frosting otherwise they will fall apart and the frosting will melt.

Don’t Microwave Butter!:  Don’t microwave the butter for the frosting to soften or else it will b too runny.

These Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies copycat are melt-in-your-mouth addicting.  The cookies are bursting with buttery, chewy, brown sugar, molasses oatmeal which sand which a luscious creamy vanilla center.  After one bite, you will never want to buy Little Debbies' Oatmeal Cream Pies ever again!

How do I store Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies?

Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies should be stored in an airtight container  in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow Oatmeal Cream Pies to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Can I freeze Oatmeal Cream Pies?

Yes!  To freeze Oatmeal Cream Pies:

  1. Wrap each assembled cookie with filling individually in plastic wrap.
  2. Add cookies to a freezer bag and seal.
  3. When ready to eat, remove desired amount of cookies from freezer bag and let thaw on the counter for 15-20 minutes
up close of chewy oatmeal cream pies with cream filling

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

side view of homemade oatmeal cream pies with a bite taken out of one of the cookies

Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies

Crazy soft, chewy Oatmeal Creme Pies that are every bit as delicious as Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies! These Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies copycat are melt-in-your-mouth addicting.  The cookies are bursting with buttery, chewy, brown sugar, molasses oatmeal which sand which a luscious creamy vanilla center.  After one bite, you will never want to buy Little Debbies’ Oatmeal Creme Pies ever again!x
Servings: 14 -15 pies (30 cookies)
Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

COOKIES

  • 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened at room temperature (2.5 sticks)
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon dark molasses
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats NOT whole-rolled oats

CREME FILLING

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened at room temperature (1.5 sticks)
  • 3 cups Powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt, as needed

Instructions

  • For the cookies: With a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugars together at medium speed until light and creamy. Add egg, vanilla, and molasses, scraping down the sides as needed. Set aside.
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk it all around. Add the quick oats and combine.
  • With the mixer running on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. The dough will be quite thick and you may have to mix it all by hand after a few seconds in the mixer.
  • Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or nonstick baking mat. Drop dough with a large cookie scoop, or make sure each ball of dough is 3 tablespoons in measurement. Cookies will spread in the oven, so drop each ball of dough 3 inches apart.
  • Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For the filling: With a stand or handheld mixer, beat butter for about 1 minute until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Mix on high for 3-4 minutes until fluffy. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, as needed. If filling is way too thick, add a couple more teaspoons of heavy cream.
  • Spread 1 ½ tablespoons of cream filling on the bottom side of half of cookies; top with remaining cookies, right side up.

Notes

*Old-fashioned whole rolled oats will not work in this recipe, but that’s usually what I always have on hand. You can make you own quick oats (like I did here) by measuring 3 cups of whole rolled oats and pulsing them in the food processor 4-5 times or until they resemble the consistency of quick oats.

Storage

Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies should be stored in an airtight container  in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow Oatmeal Cream Pies to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

How to freeze 

  1. Wrap each assembled cookie with filling individually in plastic wrap.
  2. Add cookies to a freezer bag and seal.
  3. When ready to eat, remove desired amount of cookies from freezer bag and let thaw on the counter for 15-20 minutes

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Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com via Sally’s Baking Addiction

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96 Comments

  1. ginny says

    this recipe is amazing! great treat for a picnic. Hard to eat just one! They turn out pretty big

    • Jen says

      Thanks so much Ginny! And I hear ya, even though they’re big, I want to eat 5!

  2. Ro says

    I would love to make these, but I don’t have a stand mixer or a hand mixer (I bake but use a whisk/spatula/spoon and avoid recipes that call for meringue or highly whipped batters). Would a whisk and spatula approach work for this recipe?

    • Jen says

      Yes, it will just take some elbow grease 😉

  3. Deanna says

    I enjoy making cookies, and these are definitely among the best I’ve tried. They are so good, and they weren’t difficult! I like the frosting too, it isn’t sickly sweet like some are but is still sweet. They were a huge hit!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much, Deanna! I am so happy these cookies were such a hit! I hope you have a wonderful week and find more recipes to enjoy!

  4. Jennifer says

    Growing up, these were my absolute favorite snack, but when I grew up, all I could taste were the chemicals. This recipe is what I’ve been looking for! There are a thousand times better than the ones in the box. I can’t get over how perfect the buttercream is, too!!!!

    • Jen says

      Thank you so much, Jennifer! I am thrilled this recipe is a winner!

  5. Ryan says

    Do you have a recommendation for quick oats for the recipe?

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