Oatmeal Cream Pies

If there is one dessert that gets made every fall in my house, it’s these oatmeal cream pies. They are also Aaron’s favorite. He even talks about them in his sleep (I wish I were kidding about that…)

These oatmeal cream pies aren’t trying to copy the original- those are a different experience altogether. These are a grown up version. The texture is more rustic, and the cream cheese filling pairs with the spices and tames the sweetness of the cookie. I don’t have anything against marshmallow fluff, but trust me, these are better.

Making these may feel a little counterintuitive, since they break all the normal cookie rules. Usually, I like to refrigerate the cookie dough to keep them from spreading too much, and to get a crispy edge with a chewy middle. Here, we are going for spreading and a homogenous texture, so these can be baked right away. I also normally bake cookies on parchment paper so the bottom gets a little crispy, but I prefer to bake these on a silpat so they stay soft.

If you really want to take these to the next level, put the finished and filled cookies on a sheet tray and freeze them. Then, transfer them to a freezer bag or another sealed container and keep them frozen until you want to eat them. Take out how many you need and bring them to room temperature before eating. This gives a change for the flavors to meld, and the cookie to reach the perfect soft consistency. It’s kind of like aging a macaron. Plus, I love a recipe that can be made ahead of time, especially around the holidays.

This recipe calls for quick oats, but if you want a more rustic texture, you can sub old-fashioned oats. If you want a thicker cookie, refrigerate the dough for at least one hour. If not want to make the dough in advance but still want thin cookies, bring the dough back to room temperature and flatten the dough balls slightly before baking.

Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup (95 grams) all purpose flour (if you aren’t weighing your flour, spoon and level it)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) dark brown sugar (light brown will work too)
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups (125 grams) quick cooking oats

Recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with a silpats (I did these in 2 batches, but if you have 4 baking sheets and/or multiple ovens, you can do them all at the same time).
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
• With an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium speed for about one minute, or until smooth.
• Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add the flour mixture and stir it in gently until it is mostly combines but some streaks remain.
• Add in the oats and stir to combine.
• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto the baking sheets. You can also weigh them. Mine were 20 grams each (the batter weighs about 580 grams in total). They will spread quite a bit, so each cookie sheet can hold 7 cookies.
• Bake them for about 9-10 minutes, until the edges turn lightly golden.
• While they are still warm, use a large biscuit cutter to nudge the edges into a round shape (this is optional).
• Repeat the process with the next batch of dough.
• Let the cookies cool completely before filling. I recommend freezing them for easy assembly.

Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients:

• 6 tablespoons (170 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 ounces (226 grams) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Recipe and Assembly:

• With an electric mixer, beat the softened butter and cream cheese.
• Add the powdered sugar and salt and beat on low to combine. Then turn the mixer to medium and beat for an additional minute.
• Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
• Match up the cookies by size.
• Using a small cookie scoop, place a dollop of cream cheese frosting in the center of one cookies, and place the other on top and press down slightly to sandwich them together. Since the frosting is not very stiff, freezing your cookies before doing this will help the frosting set up quicker and hold its shape.

Cookie recipe adapted from Cookie Madness