Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
Posted Oct 25, 2023, Updated Jun 10, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies are even more delicious than their store-bought counterparts. A homemade filling is sandwiched between two soft oatmeal cookies – all made completely from scratch!
These Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies are a delicious & nostalgic treat I’ve been making for many years. They are my husband’s second favorite dessert (second only to homemade eclairs), and everyone who tries them falls in love.
This homemade version is even better than the well-known, store-bought variety. Two soft, flavorful oatmeal cookies are generously filled with an irresistible homemade buttercream filling. Also try these oatmeal cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies and peanut butter oatmeal cookies!
This oatmeal cream pie recipe makes enough to feed a crowd. And they can be made ahead and frozen until you’re ready to serve them, which is ideal for entertaining.
Oatmeal Cream Pies Ingredient Notes
As always, I suggest making this recipe as written for the best results. But here are a few notes.
- Salted Butter. unsalted butter or vegan butter are good substitutes.
- Light Brown Sugar. for a bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar. use white sugar or organic cane sugar.
- Molasses. use unsulphured or light molasses– not blackstrap molasses.
- All-purpose flour. make them gluten-free by using a 1:1 all purpose gluten-free flour blend.
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats. You can use quick oats, just note it will change the texture of the cookies.
- Cinnamon Chips. These are next-level delicious and make these oatmeal cream pies extraordinary. If you can’t find them, you can omit, but I don’t recommend it.
How to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies
Let’s walk through making this oatmeal cream pies recipe step by step, and don’t forget to watch the video.
Make the Oatmeal Cookies
Begin by combining the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then set them aside to use later.
Next, cream the butter & sugars together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer.
Then, add the molasses, vanilla, and eggs and beat until light and fluffy.
Next, beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Then, stir in the oats and cinnamon chips on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
At this point you can chill the dough to bake later or the next day, but it’s not necessary.
NOTE: The dough is sticky. Don’t let that worry you, the dough is a bit sticky but it’s ok! it yields a very soft delicious cookie perfect to use in oatmeal cream pies.
Use a cookie scoop to measure out 1 Tablespoon portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. Since we are making sandwiches, it’s important that the cookies are the same size and shape.
The cookies flatten and spread while baking, so make sure to spread out the dough balls.
Then, bake the oatmeal cookies in the preheated oven until the center is just barely set (about 10-12 minutes).
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Filling
While the cookies are cooling, make the filling.
Begin by beating the butter and powdered sugar together in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer.
Then, add the vanilla and cream and beat until smooth.
Assemble the Oatmeal Cream Pies
Once the cookies are cooled and the filling is made, it’s time to assemble the oatmeal cream pies.
Begin by pairing similar size and shaped cookies together to make into sandwiches.
Then, spread about 1 Tablespoon of the filling between two cookies, putting the bottom sides together. Repeat until all the cookies are filled and the pies are assembled.
Once assembled, chill the cookies in the refrigerator, or let them set at room temperature.
There is enough filling
No matter how many times I make these oatmeal cream pies, I worry there won’t be enough frosting, but there always is! Use 1 Tablespoon per cookie to begin with, and go back and use the leftovers on any cookies might not have gotten enough.
How to Store Oatmeal Cream Pies
Store the oatmeal cream pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I suggest serving them only slightly chilled or at room temperature, so remove them from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes before serving.
Freeze
Store the cream pies in an airtight container in the freezer. Separate the layers with wax or parchment paper to avoid sticking.
Let the oatmeal cream pies thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving. Do not microwave or warm them in the oven.
Oatmeal Cream Pies Recipe FAQs
In this recipe it’s a simple buttercream made of butter, powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla.
These oatmeal cream pies last for up to 1 week in the refrigerator and 2 months in the freezer.
One of the reasons I prefer to make homemade oatmeal cream pies is to skip the undesirable ingredients in the Little Debbie version. For example, the #1 ingredient in little Debbie’s is corn syrup. Then there are others like preservatives, red 40, yellow 5, etc.
Yes, you can easily double this recipe to make 36 cream pies!
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1ย cup salted butter
- ยพ cup light brown sugar
- ยฝ cup granulated sugar
- 1ย Tablespoon molasses
- 1ย teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 ยพ cups all-purpose flour
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 1ย teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ยฝ cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
Filling:
- ยฝ cup salted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Oatmeal Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon, set aside
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar.
- Then, add the molasses, vanilla, and eggs and beat for 1 minute, or until light.
- Add dry ingredient mixture and beat until combined.
- Then, stir in the oats and cinnamon chips on low speed until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Use a cookie scoop to measure out 1 Tablespoon portions of dough, roll them into balls and place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheets. The cookies flatten and spread while baking, so make sure to spread out the dough balls.
- Bake at 350ยฐF for 10-12 minutes, or until the center is just set.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
While cookies are baking, make the filling:
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and powdered sugar together for 1 minute, or until light. You may want to start with 1 cup of powdered sugar, beat it in, then add the second to avoid a mess.
- Then, add the vanilla and whipping cream and beat for 1 minute.
Assemble the Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Once the cookies are cooled, pair up similar size and shaped cookies to form into sandwiches.
- Then, spread about 1 Tablespoon of the filling between two cookies, putting the bottom sides together. Repeat until all the cookies are filled and the pies are assembled.
- Then, chill the cookies in the refrigerator, or let them set at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Salted Butter.ย unsalted butter or vegan butter are good substitutes.
- Light Brown Sugar.ย for a bolder molasses taste, use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar.ย use white sugar or organic cane sugar.
- Molasses.ย use unsulphured or light molasses– not blackstrap molasses.
- All-purpose flour. make them gluten-free by using a 1:1 all purpose gluten-free flour blend.
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal: For the perfect, chewy texture use old-fashioned (or rolled) oats.ย You can use quick oats, just note it will change the texture of the cookies.
- Cinnamon Chips. These are next-level delicious and make these oatmeal cream pies extraordinary. If you can’t find them, you can omit, but I don’t recommend it.
- The cookies flatten while baking. That is normal and desired for a cookie sandwich.ย
- Bake only until they just look set. Please do not over bake or they will lose their chewy soft texture.
- If you want perfectly round cookies I recommend only baking 6 per sheet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Best ever .. thank you
These were a huge hit with everyone that came into my home! I made them for my kids, but I couldn’t keep the adults from eating them! Fantastic recipe!
SUCCESS! My dad (he passed in 2012) would probably not buy another one from the store if he tried these. Everything came out just right. The filling isnโt too sweet either. Thereโs a few things about this recipe I really like. You can make the oatmeal pies, the oatmeal cookies by themselves or just the filling for other things. This filling can double as icing. Both the cookie and the filling are very smooth and tasty. I was VERY skeptical about the cinnamon chips it calls for. However, I took the chance and Iโm not a bit disappointed. It isnโt overpowering at all and it really does give it that extra bit of taste. The process was pretty easy and loads of fun, especially putting them together! Whoever tries it, let me know what you think. ๐
I made these forever ago and they are delicious! Personally, the buttercream filling is a little too rich, but I found another recipe that adds marshmallow fluff into the buttercream, and I think that might try out. These do freeze very well
Love these cookies! First time I made them they turned out great, I had to sub white chocolate chips for the cinnamon chips. Second time making and I used cinnamon chips, however this time they seemed to spread way more and are very thin and fragile. Any idea why this might have happened or how to prevent in the future?
Thanks!
It’s possible your leavening agents aren’t fresh (check baking soda, baking powder and eggs). Or your ingredients were too warm (chilling the dough for 30 minutes would remedy this). Or you need more flour!
Awesome! PMS caused me to make these lol. But glad I did! I omitted cinnamon chips because I didn’t have them, and I watched the cookies closely – my note to other cinnamon chip omit-ers would be that at 1T of batter per cookie, mine were perfect between 6-7 minutes. Dunno if the chips would change that.
These are incredible and super simple to make! My husband likes the Little Debbie ones, so I wanted to make these as a treat for him for his 30th birthday and they were a big hit!
These would be super good, even without the filling (I had two that way before I was able to make the filling). They stay surprisingly soft. The cinnamon chips are a great touch. I did use blackstrap molasses because thatโs what I had on hand and didnโt realize there was a difference.
I’m so glad you love the recipe, Lennie! It’s a top 3 fave around here!
Do you use heavy whipping cream, or whipped cream?
heavy whipping cream, not whipped!
Can you use quick minute oates?
Yes you can!