Oatmeal cream pies

These homemade Little Debbieโ€™s Oatmeal Creme Pies are the best-tasting version youโ€™ll findโ€”soft, chewy, buttery, and bursting with nostalgic flavor that has readers raving “This recipe was perfection!” “Holy Moly! These are soooo good!” and “These are absolutely fantastic. The taste and texture are divine.”ย 

With an elevating secret ingredient and smart baking techniques that enhance texture and depth, this recipe delivers next-level results. Youโ€™ll find tips, variations, and everything you need to recreate this iconic treat with guaranteed success.

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


 

About these Oatmeal Cream Pies

Uploading these Oatmeal Cream Pie pictures makes me want these soft and chewy cookies all over againโ€”like, right  NOW!

Growing up, we didn’t eat much sugar.  For each of our sibling birthdays (5 of us total), our wheels would spin for days trying to decide which โ€œsugar cerealโ€ we wanted for the special occasion.  We were allowed to eat our birthday โ€œsugar cerealโ€ after a bowl of โ€œhealthyโ€ cereal.  To this day, my favorite cereals are Wheat Chex and Grape Nutsโ€”both no-sugar-added options.  It was only on very special occasions that we bought anything from Little Debbie’s, and when we did, Little Debbieโ€™s Oatmeal Cream Pies were always my first choice.

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

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

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

Oatmeal Cream Pie Recipe Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what you need to make this recipe (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

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 yields a much richer cookie, but you may substitute light brown sugar 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 comes in both light and dark varieties. Light molasses is only boiled once and is milder 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 substitute light.
  • Flour: Use all-purpose flour or your favorite gluten-free baking flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.
  • Baking soda: Helps create a softer, fluffier cookie. Ensure your baking soda is fresh to ensure it works effectively.  
  • Salt: Balances and enhances the flavors. Use good old table salt.
  • 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 to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies

Let’s take a closer look at how to make this recipe with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

  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 the wet ingredients. The dough will be pretty thick, and you may have to mix it all by hand after a few seconds in the mixer.
  3. SHAPE COOKIES:  Preheat oven to 375ยฐF. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Drop the dough with a large cookie scoop, or ensure each ball of dough is approximatelythree tablespoons in size. Cookies will spread in the oven, so drop each ball of dough 2 inches apart.
  4. BAKE COOKIES: Bake for 10 minutes, until the cookies are lightly golden around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  5. MAKE FILLING: With a stand or handheld mixer, beat the 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, or until fluffy. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, as needed. If the 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 the cookies; top with the remaining cookies, right side up.
These Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies copycat are melt-in-your-mouth addicting.ย  The cookies are bursting with buttery, chewy, brown sugar, molasses oatmeal which sand whichย a luscious creamy vanilla center.ย  After one bite, you will never want to buy Little Debbies' Oatmeal Cream Pies ever again!

Oatmeal Creme Pie Tips

  • Quick Oats: Old-fashioned whole rolled oats are not suitable for this recipe.  You can make your 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 pretty 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 it, then let the 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 cookie scoop or measure your dough so it’s 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 be too runny.
top view of homemade oatmeal cream pies with cream filling

Oatmeal Cream Pie Variations

  • Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pies: Fold mini chocolate chips into the oatmeal cookie dough for a classic flavor twist.
  • Peanut Butter Cream Filling: Add a few tablespoons of peanut butter to the cream for a nutty, salty-sweet contrast.
  • Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Pies: Mix pumpkin purรฉe and warm spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves) into the cookie dough for a fall-inspired version.
  • Salted Caramel Filling: Swirl in salted caramel sauce or use caramel extract in the cream for a rich, buttery upgrade.
  • Coconut Oatmeal Pies: Stir shredded coconut into the cookie dough and/or the filling for a chewy, tropical touch.
  • Gluten-Free Oatmeal Pies: Use gluten-free oats and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make these treats accessible without sacrificing taste.
  • Mini Oatmeal Pies: Make smaller, bite-sized versions for parties, lunchboxes, or easy portion control.
up close of chewy oatmeal cream pies with cream filling

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

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ยฉCarlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Cream Pies

Crazy soft, chewy Oatmeal Creme Pies that are everyย bit as delicious as Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies! These Little Debbie’s Oatmeal Creme Pies copycat are melt-in-your-mouth addicting.ย  The cookies are bursting with buttery, chewy, brown sugar, molasses oatmeal which sand whichย a luscious creamy vanilla center.ย  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 containerย  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 freezeย 

  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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100 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 donโ€™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 ๐Ÿ˜‰

  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 Iโ€™ve been looking for! There are a thousand times better than the ones in the box. I canโ€™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?

  6. Jennifer Lindsey says

    This recipe was perfection! I followed it to a tee and I knew when I tasted the dough it was going to be good, but man it really turned out perfect. You know how sometimes you follow a recipe and sometimes you have to add more liquid to frosting or more powdered sugar or sometimes a dough doesnโ€™t turn out as they say it does. Well everything turned out exactly how you said it would and it taste amazing so kudos!!

    • Jen says

      YAY! Happy to know it turned out so perfectly! Thank you for taking the time to comment Jennifer!

  7. Rachel says

    Hello, The first time I made these the cookie tastes just like little Debbie, however the cookie was not soft. I followed all the instructions so I decided to make them again following directions, however the cookie is not soft and chewy. What could I be doing wrong. I bake in gas oven.

    • Jen says

      I Rachel, it is probably due to overmixing or overbaking. I would try baking the cookies a couple minutes less and see what happens. Good luck!

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