Description
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies are soft, spiced sandwich cookies filled with tangy cream cheese frosting, perfect for cozy fall cravings and holiday dessert trays. This easy recipe doubles as a fun make-ahead treat for lunch boxes, sweet snacks after an easy dinner, and even quick breakfast or breakfast ideas when you want something a little indulgent—save it in your folder of healthy snack inspo, dinner ideas, and food ideas to come back to all season long.
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter softened for filling
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract for filling
1 pinch fine sea salt for filling
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream optional
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until light, creamy, and slightly fluffy.
3. Add the egg and mix until fully combined, then beat in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until the mixture looks smooth, even if it appears slightly curdled.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until everything is well blended.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed or gently by hand just until no dry streaks of flour remain and a thick, sticky dough forms.
6. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up slightly and the cookies bake up thicker and chewier.
7. Scoop tablespoon-size portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them a couple of inches apart to allow for spreading.
8. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden and the centers no longer look shiny but still feel soft.
9. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.
10. For the filling, beat the softened cream cheese and softened butter together in a clean bowl until smooth, creamy, and lump free.
11. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract for filling, and pinch of salt for filling, then beat until the mixture is thick, fluffy, and spreadable, adding the heavy cream a little at a time if you want a softer filling.
12. Pair up the cooled cookies by size, then pipe or spread a generous layer of cream cheese filling on the flat side of one cookie in each pair.
13. Gently press the second cookie on top to form a sandwich, repeating with the remaining cookies and filling to make all of the pumpkin oatmeal cream pies.
14. Chill the assembled cream pies for at least 30 minutes before serving so the filling can firm up and the flavors meld together.
Notes
For the best texture, don’t skip chilling the dough; even a short chill helps the cookies bake up thick, chewy, and sturdy enough to sandwich.
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before adding the cream cheese filling, or the frosting can melt and cause the cream pies to slide apart.
Store the finished cream pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving for the perfect soft, creamy bite.
- Prep Time: 25
- Cook Time: 12
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cream pie
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 27
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 46
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 65
Keywords: pumpkin oatmeal cream pies, pumpkin oatmeal cookies, pumpkin desserts, fall cookie recipe, easy dessert