Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies (Soft and Chewy)
These homemade oatmeal cream pies are soft brown sugar oatmeal cookies sandwiched with a fluffy vanilla buttercream. The cookies come out of the oven while the centers still look underdone, which keeps them chewy. The recipe makes 12 large sandwich cookies in about 1½ hours, including cooling.
Quick answer
Cream butter with brown and white sugar, add eggs, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and 3 cups rolled oats. Bake 24 mounds at 350°F for 9 to 11 minutes, cool completely, then sandwich with a buttercream of butter, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla bean powder.
Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
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Oatmeal Cream Pie Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened, for the filling
- 2 cups powdered sugar, for the filling
- 2 tbsp heavy cream, for the filling
- 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder, for the filling
How to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Heat the oven to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla bean powder.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and mix them into the butter mixture on low speed.
- Stir in the oats until evenly mixed.
- Scoop 24 equal mounds of dough onto the sheets, 2 inches apart, and flatten each slightly.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers still look a little soft.
- Cool the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then on a rack until completely cool.
- For the filling, beat the butter, powdered sugar, cream and vanilla bean powder for 3 to 4 minutes, until fluffy and thick.
- Pair cookies of the same size. Spread or pipe about 2 tablespoons of filling on the flat side of one and press the other on top.
- Chill for 15 minutes to set the filling before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 sandwich cookie, 1 of 12) (estimated)
- Calories: 550
- Total fat: 26 g
- Saturated fat: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Carbohydrates: 74 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Sugar: 46 g
- Protein: 6 g
Estimated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) values. Vanilla bean powder adds a negligible amount and is not included. These are large sandwich cookies; making 18 smaller ones from the same batch brings each to about two-thirds of these numbers.
What Makes Oatmeal Cream Pies Soft and Chewy
- Brown sugar: it holds more moisture than white sugar, so the cookies stay soft for days.
- Old-fashioned oats: the thicker flakes keep their shape and give the cookie its chew.
- Underbaking slightly: pull them when the edges are set but the centers look soft; they finish on the hot pan.
- Flattening the mounds: gives the even, flat shape that sandwiches neatly.
The Cream Filling for Oatmeal Cream Pies
The filling is a whipped vanilla buttercream: butter, powdered sugar, a little heavy cream and vanilla bean powder. Beat it longer than you think, 3 to 4 minutes, until it turns pale and holds a peak. If it is too soft to spread, chill it for 10 minutes; if it is too stiff, add cream a teaspoon at a time.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Filling slides out | Cookies were still warm | Cool completely before filling |
| Filling too runny | Butter too soft or beaten too briefly | Chill 10 minutes, then beat again |
| Cookies spread thin | Butter too warm | Chill the dough 20 minutes before baking |
| Cookies crisp, not chewy | Overbaked | Take them out at 9 to 10 minutes |
Do not taste the raw cookie dough; it contains raw flour and egg, which the FDA advises cooking first (FDA on raw flour).
Make-Ahead Oatmeal Cream Pies and Storage
Bake the cookies up to 2 days ahead and keep them airtight at room temperature, then fill on the day. Filled cream pies keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 5 days; let them sit out 10 minutes before eating. Unfilled cookies freeze for up to 3 months. For another chewy bake, try our double chocolate chip cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the filling in oatmeal cream pies?
Packaged versions use a fluffy creme filling. This homemade version uses a whipped vanilla buttercream made from butter, powdered sugar and cream.
Can I use quick oats?
Yes, but the cookies will be softer and more cake-like, with less chew.
How do I make smaller oatmeal cream pies?
Use 1 tablespoon of dough per cookie and bake 7 to 8 minutes. You will get about 24 small sandwiches.
Why are my oatmeal cream pies dry?
They were baked too long or too much flour was packed into the cup. Spoon and level the flour and pull the cookies early.
Do oatmeal cream pies need to be refrigerated?
With a butter and cream filling, store them in the fridge for best quality and safety; a day at cool room temperature is fine.
Sources
Featured photo: Pexels
