Oatmeal Cream Pies in the sky!

 

Oatmeal Cream Pies in the sky! or...on a plate :). I adored the Oatmeal Cream Pies in a plastic bag when I was growing up. I would eat one then sneak another because I loved the soft oatmeal cookie with the sweet vanilla cream in the middle. These are a nostalgic treat although they don't really taste like the packaged one that is full of preservatives. 

The cream in these is more like a sibling of buttercream icing. I have halved the amount of filling that's in the middle so feel free to double the recipe for the cream filling if you would like too.

I was just trying to keep them not so bad for you, they do have oatmeal in them after all. 

Now don't get all crazy on me for using a 1/2 egg again in this recipe. I do that sometimes because I can make smaller recipes that way. I actually made a 1/2 recipe of another cookie that used 1/2 an egg right after I made these. Then I could use the whole egg and not waste any. You could also use 1 1/2 tablespoons of liquid eggs if you prefer. I'm out of liquid eggs right now so I just plan to make two recipes that each use 1/2 an egg. 

To get an egg half you just crack the egg into a bowl, mix it up with a fork or mini whisk, and pour about half of the mixture into another small bowl. Always into another small bowl. If you are brave enough to pour half of the egg mixture straight into the batter it may end up accidentally taking the whole mix and that's no fun trying to get egg out of a pile of butter and sugar all mixed up.

An option that might be fun is to toss in a tablespoon of cocoa (but take out a tablespoon of flour) and then you would have chocolate oatmeal cream pies...yum! I wish I would have thought of that while I was making these.

Happy Baking!

Oatmeal Cream Pies
Makes about 20 cookies (10 sandwiches)

Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ cup applesauce
- ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
- Cream filling (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add applesauce,  egg and vanilla, beating well.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 3 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Add oats; stir well. Add to butter mixture; stir until well blended. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press each cookies with the bottom of a glass to a ½” thickness. (You may need to spray the glass with non-stick spray)
4. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool on pan 2 to 3 minutes. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.
5. Spread ½ tablespoon Cream Filling over each bottom side of half of cookies; top with remaining cookies, right side up.

Cream Filling
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ½ to 1 tablespoon whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined, scraping bowl. Beat on high until light and fluffy.

Printable Recipe


Recipe adapted from Myrecipes.com