These soft-baked oatmeal cream pies are a homemade take on the classic Little Debbie brand lunchbox treat we all loved growing up. Two chewy, soft-baked molasses- and cinnamon-kissed oatmeal cookies sandwich a fluffy, sweet cream filling. One bite and you’ll wonder why you ever settled for store-bought. And the best part: You don’t even need to chill the cookie dough.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and additional success tips.
If you’ve ever found joy unwrapping and chowing down on store-bought oatmeal creme pies, you’re in luck. Little Debbie’s cookie sandwiches were a favorite growing up, and I’ve carried that packaged sweet treat nostalgia over to my kitchen. (I even have a giant oatmeal creme pie cookie recipe!) These are my homemade version, and I’m delighted to say they’re even better than the original.
One reader, Adrienne, commented: “I have made these cookies twice now. They are without a doubt the BEST cookies my husband and I have ever had… not just best I have made, but best we have ever eaten… Absolutely wonderful! ★★★★★”
And another reader, Kate, commented: “What a fantastic recipe!!! The oatmeal cookies on their own are easily the tastiest and best oatmeal cookies I have EVER MADE! I made my creme pies slightly smaller than the recipe called for so I had about 30 pies total. Highly recommend! ★★★★★”
How Do These Compare to Store-Bought Oatmeal Cream Pies?
These cookies are incredibly soft and on the thinner side, made with butter, dark brown sugar, and just the right touch of molasses, cinnamon, and cloves for a cozy, melt-in-your-mouth bite. The filling is sweet, smooth, and creamy without any shortening or artificial ingredients.
They’re not an exact copycat, though. My homemade version is softer and oat-ier than the original. And I know that packaged oatmeal creme pies use raisin paste (among other additional ingredients) in the cookie dough; these do not.
What Makes These So Special?
- Real oats for that classic chewy texture
- No shortcuts in the filling—just real butter and vanilla
- BIG, satisfying cookies—2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (and you’re eating 2!)
- No chilling required… aka immediate gratification 🙂
If you’re feeling adventurous, I also have a pumpkin version for the fall season. These pumpkin oatmeal cream pies were a Sally’s Baking Challenge and readers RAVED about the flavor. I also have these spiced eggnog oatmeal cream pies that are perfect for the holiday season.
Ingredients You Need & Why
- Butter: These cookies use plenty of it both in the cookie dough and in the filling. You need a lot of butter in the cookie dough to ensure spread. The cookies should be soft and flat, and using proper room-temperature butter will help achieve that. If the butter is too soft, they’ll over-spread and become hard and crispy. Read more: room-temperature butter in baking.
- Dark Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: I recommend reaching for dark brown sugar, which has a slightly higher molasses content than light brown sugar. This means more flavor. You’ll use some granulated sugar, too, to ensure the cookies spread.
- Egg: An egg helps bind the ingredients and provides structure.
- Vanilla, Cinnamon, & Cloves: Deliciously cozy flavor.
- Molasses: Just a Tablespoon, for even more flavor.
- Flour: Flour gives the cookies structure and helps soak up the moisture in the cookie dough. Note that I slightly increased the flour from the original recipe. I now use 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) instead of 1 and 1/2 cups.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies puff up, then fall a bit as they cool.
- Salt: Flavor enhancer, and to balance the sweet.
- Quick Oats: For the ideal texture, use quick oats. They incorporate smoothly into the dough, unlike whole oats, which can make the cookies overly coarse.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: To sweeten and thicken the filling.
- Heavy Cream: Smooths out the filling.
Let’s address the butter in the room one more time: yes, these cookies use plenty. You need 1 and 1/4 cups (20 Tablespoons) in the cookie dough. This is 2 and 1/2 sticks. You also need 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp) in the filling, which is 1 and 1/2 sticks. These aren’t lightened-up or healthified in any way—and that’s the whole point. They’re a true treat, one worth savoring… every single soft and sticky bite.
Oats Success Tip
Again, use quick oats for the best texture.
If you only have old-fashioned whole oats, which is what I usually use in most oatmeal cookie recipes, give them a few pulses in your food processor to break them down. That’s the secret to helping these cookies spread just right and still hold their soft, chewy center.
How to Make Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
The cookie dough is pretty straightforward. Start by creaming the butter and sugars. If you need a refresher, I have a helpful video tutorial on how to cream butter and sugar. Then add the egg, plus the molasses and vanilla. These are your wet ingredients. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together and then combine them with the wet ingredients.
An electric mixer is really helpful, because this is a thick and sticky cookie dough:
Portioning the dough to bake is also very easy. I recommend 2 generous Tablespoons of dough per cookie, which is around 45g each. Roll the portions into balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
These cookies spread a decent amount, so I only put 6 cookie dough balls on the sheet at a time:
Bake the cookies for only about 10 minutes at 375°F (191°C). Most cookies bake at 350°F, but for today’s recipe, we want the exterior to set shape quicker, which helps keep the centers soft. These cookies should be extra soft-looking in the centers when they are done. Do not over-bake.
Homemade Cream Filling
As the cookies finish cooling, you can make the cream filling. This is just like making an American-style buttercream frosting. Beat butter until smooth, and then add confectioners’ sugar, cream, vanilla, and then add salt to taste. It’s smooth, fluffy, and thick—perfect consistency to stuff inside two cookies!
Use around 1.5 Tablespoons of filling per sandwich. Spread it on the underside of one cookie and then sandwich with another cookie. I usually use a small offset spatula to spread the filling.
Whether they bring back memories or become a new favorite cookie, these oatmeal cream pies are pure, sweet comfort in every bite. 😉
P.S. If you’re in the mood for even more from-scratch versions of store-bought treats, don’t miss my homemade Oreos, iced oatmeal cookies, and cream-filled chocolate cupcakes.
Print
Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 15 cookie sandwiches
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft-baked oatmeal cream pies are a homemade take on the classic lunchbox treat we all loved growing up. Made with buttery, cinnamon-kissed oatmeal cookies and a fluffy, sweet cream filling, they’re even better than the original. And the best part: You don’t even need to chill the cookie dough.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups (20 Tbsp; 282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) unsulphured or dark molasses (do not use blackstrap; I prefer Grandma’s brand)
- 1 and 2/3 cups (209g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 cups (255g) quick oats (not whole oats)
Cream Filling
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and oats.
- With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. The dough will be quite thick and very sticky, and you may have to mix it all by hand after a few seconds in the mixer.
- Scoop the dough, about 2 heaping Tablespoons of dough per cookie (if using a scale, make them 45g each), and arrange 3 inches apart on the baking sheets (about 6 cookies per baking sheet). Cookies will spread a bit in the oven.
- Bake for 10–13 minutes or until the cookies are very lightly golden around the edges. The centers will look very, very soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the filling: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium speed for 1–2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed for 2–3 minutes. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, if needed. If filling is way too thick, beat in another Tablespoon of room-temperature heavy cream.
- Spread about 1.5 Tablespoons of cream filling on the bottom side of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies, right side up.
- Cover and store leftover sandwich cookies at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and store it, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before continuing with step 5. (Note that the cookies won’t spread as much since the oats have likely absorbed a lot of moisture.) Baked cookies, cooled but not filled/sandwiched, freeze well for up to 3 months. (For best taste and texture, filling should be fresh.) Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before continuing with step 8. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Large Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack | Small Offset Spatula
- Brown Sugar: I use dark brown sugar for extra flavor. If you only have light brown sugar, you can use that with no other changes to the dough.
- Oats: Do not use old-fashioned whole oats in this recipe; for the correct texture and to ensure enough moisture is soaked up in the cookie dough, use quick oats. If you only have whole oats, pulse them about 10 times in a food processor before using.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
- Cookies are adapted from myrecipes.com.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I am from South africa
Thanks for this fantastic recipe.
Your instructions very clear for somebody like me learning from internet
I bake all of the time and want to tell you that these are a very big hit. Thanks for sharing this recipe
Whoa. I’ve been looking for a new showstopper cookie and I think I’ve found it. I made them exactly as written (other than using store bought vanilla frosting) and they’re delicious. I’m gonna add raisins next time. Thanks for the great recipe!
I have made these twice now and followed the recipe to the letter both times. These just run all over the pan and don’t keep their shape at all. Just a pan full of one big flat cookie (actually 3 sheets of flat cookies)
Hi Elle, thank you so much for giving these a try (twice!). It’s so disappointing when they spread like that. A few things might help next time:
-Butter temperature: Make sure the butter isn’t too soft; slightly cool room temperature butter works best so the cookies hold shape.
-Flour amount: If the dough seems very sticky, try adding 2–3 extra Tablespoons of flour. Even small variations in how flour is measured can make a big difference here.
-Chill time: Chilling the dough for about 30–45 minutes before baking can also help prevent overspreading.
-Baking sheets: If using darker pans, try reducing the oven temperature by about 10°F, or use light-colored sheets lined with parchment paper.
They should bake up thicker, so one of those tweaks should do the trick. Let me know if you ever decide to try them again. I’d love to help you get the perfect batch!
I have experimented with these a lot. What works perfect for me is using the filling from this recipe and doubling the cookie recipe from Sally’s Pumpkin Creme pies. I personally like the thicker cookie 🙂 Perfect every time and always a hit!!!
I have made these as directed and also gluten free (for a friend) using cup 4 cup GF flour and they turned out so good!! Soft, but chewy and the rich buttercream icing sends it over the top. Thanks for a fantastic recipe.
I have made 1000’s of these. No kidding. I baked these for a local business, 20 dozen at a time. Some would be made into pies, some not. They sold out every single time within a few hours. I became known as the oatmeal cream pie lady . I spent a year traveling. Now back and just baked 8 dozen. I’ll be adding Maple syrup from the Amish to the buttercream this time. I add more cinnamon and less clove to the cookies. I also ground local organic oats as recommended above and absolutely phenomenal!
Hello! Do you have any suggestions for reducing sugar in the filling and/or cookies without affecting texture??
Hi Jessica! Reducing the sugar will always affect the texture, since sugar adds moisture and structure as well as sweetness. Let us know if you try anything!
Insanely good! I had doubts, but these are amazing. I am gluten free and used 1:1 Bob’s. No one knew they were gf. Another 5 star for Sally
Turned out fantastic! Even better the next day after they sat overnight.
For some reason, my husband likes Little Debbie oatmeal pies. I might eat one if I became stranded on an island and it was the only food item available. I found this recipe and decided to try it so he could at least have oatmeal pies with real ingredients. Oh my, was I surprised at how delicious they are! They practically disappeared, and since then I’ve made them almost every week. Thanks for this recipe, Sally.
Instead of the creame filling do peanut butter and jelly and it will taste like the PB&J oatmeal pies from little Debbie they don’t make them no more though:(
Is it possible to add raisins to the cookies?
Hi Pat, absolutely! Add 1 cup to the cookie dough.
These are so good
Made them with my teenage daughter and they’re perfect
Could a 1:1 Gluten Free flour be substituted to make them gluten free?
Hi Wendi, we haven’t tested that substitution ourselves, but let us know if you do!
Hi Wendi. I used 1:1 Bob’s Red Mill and these came out fantastic. Next day better as is usual for gf flours…
I’m giving this a 5 based on feedback from neighbors. One said ‘it knocked it out if the park ‘. I will try to make them a bit smaller next time as I found my self cutting them in half.
Wow!, The cookies are dead on. I would like for the filling to be lighter. Should I beat it longer?
Hi Susan, beating the filling a bit longer will lighten it up a bit. Or you could try this not-so-sweet frosting would be great, too! It may just squish out the sides a bit more. Let us know what you try!
Made these today, and they turned out awesome! My son said they were better than the store bought oatmeal cream pies. I’ve read through some of the comments, many said there cookies ran to much. Some tips that helped me, I measured my four, and made sure my butter was room temperature but not overly warn. I would say it was somewhat firm but I could still leave a thumb imprint in it.
Hi! Why do you not recommend Black Strap molasses? It’s unsulfured so just curious. Thanks!
We find the flavor to be too intense, but some bakers love it!
Made these for church fellowship. Everyone loved them, big hit.
These are amazing, but I might have to make them a little smaller lol. I did however have problems with the frosting (middles) being runny after putting them on the cookie. I let the cookies sit over and hour. Am I suppose to refrigerate the middles 1st? Maybe let the cookies sit longer? Thanks!!!
Hi Clark! If the cream filling was too runny, you may have started with butter that was too warm. Make sure to start with proper room temperature butter. Did you use heavy cream?
I found the same thing to be true until I refrigerated them overnight. They were perfection after that
These cookies smell WONDERFUL baking!!
They’re better than any Little Debbie, but they are very RICH!!!
We had to split 1 cookie. I only baked 1/2 and am freezing the other half….I only wished you could freeze the filling
I didn’t use any sugar in mine. I substituted 1/2 erythritol and 1/2 allulose. They browned great and have a very soft texture.
Thank you for the DELICIOUS recipe.
Girl…. These are a 5 star cookie
…. Perhaps the best I’ve ever eaten in my life lol thank you for sharing!!
Is there a substitute for molasses?
You can leave it out or substitute with maple syrup, Rachel!
Thank you!
These were so good! Letting them sit for a day and then eating, just made them so much more amazing!
You are a bad girl Sally!! I love these!! They’re my arch nemesis!! Mmmmm!
I made these and I only had whole oats so I pulsed them a bunch until they were broken up. I also used very dark brown sugar and maple syrup instead of molasses. Everything else I kept the same according to the recipe.
My cookies did not spread at all and they were really thick and puffy. How do you get yours to spread so much? Should I smush them down before putting them in the oven?
Hi Grace, when cookies do not spread, it’s usually because there is too much flour in the dough. Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour is properly measured. Thank you for giving these a try.
Question: U hate to have to buy a carton of heavy cream for a recipe that uses 3T. May I use almond milk or another substitute?
Hi Pam, we haven’t tested this recipe with almond milk, but fear it would be too thin. Half and half will work in a pinch!
Coconut evaporated milk worked well for us.
Wooowwwwwwww these are incredible. Will definitely be making these again..and again..and again.
These were perfection! So so good and my family loved them! I cut the powdered sugar to 1 cup and that was just right on the sweetness for us. Already planning to make again next weekend!
I have made two oatmeal cookie recipes from SBA multiple times and all have failed. I checked the butter temp with my instant read thermometer, weighed the ingredients and every time the cookies have spread and been greasy. I’m not a novice baker either. I’m so bummed.
Hi Alina, I’m so sorry to hear that, especially since you’ve put in the extra care with temperature and weighing. I completely understand how frustrating that is, especially when you know your way around the kitchen. Spreading/greasy cookies often point to either too much butter or too little flour, but since you’re weighing everything, it could also come down to something tricky like overly soft butter or even the type of oats used. Are you sure to use quick oats? Chilling the dough (even for just 30–60 minutes) can help control spread here. If you’re up for it, let me know which other oatmeal cookie recipe you have tried because I’d love to help troubleshoot and get them working for you.