Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

I’m a big fan of oatmeal cream pies. Always have been. Growing up, I got the famous Little Debbie snack maybe once every few years. I would always ask for them at the grocery store, but my mom was never one to buy cookies – if my family got baked cookies, they were always homemade.

And now I understand why… I mean, have you ever read the list of ingredients on the back of a Little Debbie box?

But that doesn’t stop my occasional craving for them! So instead of buying a box, I take the time to make my own! And I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like them.

This treat consists of two chewy and buttery oatmeal cookies sandwiched with a creamier version of my favorite buttercream frosting!

And since it’s fall, I decided to make these cookies festive and fill them with a pumpkin buttercream! Mmmm in my opinion, everything is better with pumpkin!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Yield: Makes about 10 cream pies

For the Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 and 2/3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 and 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (258.75 grams)
• 1/2 cup salted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Pumpkin Buttercream

• 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar

Directions

For the Oatmeal Cookies

1. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In another bowl, cream the brown sugar and butter.
3. Add the egg and vanilla extract until to the bowl and mix until well-combined.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined – do not overmix.
5. Chill the dough for at least one hour (or up to 1 day) in the refrigerator. Cookies will be very flat if the dough is not cold -- so don't skip this step.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll 2 teaspoons of dough into a ball and place onto prepared sheet. 
7. Bake for 8 minutes and let cool on cookie sheet for a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack.

For the Pumpkin Buttercream

1. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the buttercream.
2. Beat the softened butter for 2 minutes.
3. Add pumpkin puree and beat again.
4. Add pumpkin pie spice and vanilla extract and mix again.
5. Slowly add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency. You can always add more powdered sugar to the buttercream if it is not firm enough.

Assembly

1. Spread a generous amount of pumpkin buttercream to the underside of a cooled cookie.
2. Sandwich another cookie on top.
3. Store cookie in airtight container in refrigerator.

Oatmeal cookie recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.