Name: Oatmeal Cream Pies
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 18
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups (220g) confectioners sugar; 2 tablespoons heavy cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 & 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3 cups (240g) uncooked quick-cooking oats; 1 & 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup (200g) firmly packed light brown sugar; 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Jump to Recipe

These homemade oatmeal cream pies are made with soft, chewy oatmeal cookies sandwiched around a rich vanilla cream. If you grew up eating Little Debbie snack cakes, this simple recipe is going to bring back memories!

Stack of oatmeal cream pies on two stacked plates

My grandmother’s kitchen always had a box of Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies. I somehow never really thought about trying to make them myself, then one day I had a nostalgic craving for them and decided to go for it. The result? Soft and chewy oatmeal cookies with a hint of cinnamon and a creamy vanilla filling. Fantastic!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie Recipe

Easy to make. Oatmeal cream pies are super simple to make—much more than I expected, in fact! You can also make them in phases, baking the cookies one day and assembling the next.
Cozy, nostalgic flavor. If you’re looking for a comfort food treat, you’re going to swoon for these homemade oatmeal cream pies.
Much better than store-bought. Fair warning: you may never go back to store-bought once you learn how to make these yourself. Sorry, Little Debbie!

overhead view of ingredients for oatmeal cream pies

What You’ll Need

Here’s a brief overview of what you’ll need to make these oatmeal cream pies. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for specific amounts.

For the cookies:

All-purpose flour – Here’s how to measure flour.
Baking soda
Salt
Ground cinnamon – Learn more: Types of Cinnamon: A Home Baker’s Guide
Quick-cooking oats – These aren’t the same as rolled or old-fashioned oats, so be sure to get the quick variety! Learn more: Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats
Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften for about half an hour before baking.
Light brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Egg – Your egg should be room temperature before starting the recipe.
Vanilla extract

For the filling:

Unsalted butter – Let the butter soften so it can be whipped into a smooth, velvety filling.
Confectioners’ sugar
Heavy cream – Heavy whipping cream is fine here.
Vanilla extract

Are There Raisins in Oatmeal Cream Pies?

Raisin haters can rejoice: there are no raisins in this recipe for oatmeal cream pies! And raisin lovers, there’s no need to despair because you can add a handful to the dough and fold them in before forming the cookies. Everyone wins!

How to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies from Scratch

Overhead view of brown sugar, white sugar, and butter in glass mixing bowl — Cream butter and sugar.

Overhead view of cookie dough in glass mixing bowl — Cream butter and sugar.

To make the cookies:

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and stir in the oats.
Mix the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer to cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet mixture, stirring well until the ingredients are well-blended.
Form the cookies. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
Bake. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool on the pan for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Overhead view of buttercream in glass mixing bowl — Make the cream filling.

Overhead view of oatmeal cream pies on wire rack with half frosted — Make the cream filling.

To make the filling and assemble:

Make the filling. Combine all of the filling ingredients in a medium bowl. Use an electric mixer on low speed to beat them until they’re combined. Then, increase the mixer speed to high, and continue to beat until the filling is light and fluffy.
Finish. Spread about a tablespoon of filling over the bottom sides of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies so that the bottoms of both cookies are sandwiching the filling.

Tips for Success

Knowing when the cookies are done. When the edges of the cookies are lightly browned, you can pull them out of the oven even if the centers don’t seem completely set. They’ll continue baking from the residual heat on the baking sheets.
Pair like-size cookies together. The downside of these cookies being freeform vs. cut-out is that the shapes might vary slightly. Do a little planning before you start assembling and pair similar shapes and sizes.
Don’t spread the filling all the way to the edges. Just put a dollop in the center (or pipe it for a more professional look), then press the two sides of the sandwich together until the filling reaches the edges of the cookies.

How to Store

Store Oatmeal Cream Pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. I recommend letting them come to room temperature before serving so the filling softens up a bit.

Can I Freeze Oatmeal Cream Pies?

Yes, you can freeze oatmeal cream pies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Oatmeal cream pie leaning against stack of pies on cooling rack

Get the Recipe:

Oatmeal Cream Pies

Yield about 18 sandwich cookies (36 cookies)

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Total Time 37 minutes

Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies beat store-bought, hands down!

Stack of 3 oatmeal cream pies on cooling rack