How to Make the Best Oatmeal Cream Pies (Even Better Than Little Debbie)
Updated: Oct. 22, 2021We love foods that remind us of childhood, like the chewy oatmeal cream pies stashed in our lunch boxes on lucky days. Here's how to make your own.
You might remember indulging in all kinds of Little Debbie snacks: Nutty Bars, Honey Buns, Swiss Cake Rolls, Cosmic Brownies, and, of course, Oatmeal Creme Pies. The chewy oatmeal cream pies tucked away in your lunch box were joy in a cellophane wrapper. I mean…two soft, spiced cookies stuffed with fluffy frosting? Nothing was better! It’s true that cooking makes us feel nostalgic, that’s for sure.
To bring back the warm and fuzzy feelings, bake a homemade oatmeal cream pie that’s even better than the Little Debbie original. Speaking of, here’s what the Oatmeal Creme Pies looked like in the 1960s.
How to make oatmeal cream pies
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 package spice cake mix
- 1 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting
Instructions
Step 1: Make the dough
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and eggs until blended. Beat in the cake mix and oats. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for about two hours or until it’s firm enough to roll. Forgetting to chill the dough is one of the 12 rookie baking mistakes you’re probably making.
Step 2: Roll and shape
Preheat the oven to 350°F. On a well-floured surface, roll out half of the dough to a 1/4-in. thickness. Cut the dough with a 2 1/2-in. round cookie cutter. Place the cookie discs one inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 3: Bake and cool
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until crispy on the surface yet still slightly soft on the inside. Carefully transfer the cookies to wire racks and let them cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough. Don’t have wire cooling racks? Here’s what to use instead.
Step 4: Frost
Spread a generous dollop of vanilla frosting on the bottoms of half of the cookies. Cover with the remaining cookies to form cookie sandwiches.
Pro Tip: Bake your cookies now and enjoy ’em later! Freeze the cookies in freezer containers, separating the layers with waxed paper. Thaw the cookies in the fridge before adding the frosting and serving.
