Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies (Copycat Recipe)

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These Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies taste even better than the classic cookie sandwich you’ve grown to love. Fluffy cream filling is sandwiched between two chewy oatmeal cookies for the perfect cream to cookie ratio you’ve been craving.

Feeling nostalgic? These copycat oatmeal creme pies are sure to bring back happy childhood memories of finding a Little Debbie treat in your lunchbox. I don’t know about you, but those crinkly cookies were my favorite.

Homemade oatmeal cream pies in a basket lined with a teal napkin.

As a grownup, however, when I indulge, sometimes I don’t want store-bought oatmeal cream pies. I want the real deal cookies with lots of fluffy, sweet cream in the middle. How about you?

This homemade oatmeal cream pie recipe really hits the spot. The large cookies are soft and chewy on the inside, slightly crispy on the outside, but hold up well in the cookie sandwich. The cream (or creme) is light, fluffy, and the perfect amount of sweet.

Hand holding large copycat oatmeal cream pie cookie with a bite taken out of it.

Plus, when you’re making your own, you can make them as large or small as you want and pile on as much of the creamy filling as you’d like!

The homemade version is much easier to make than you’d think. You’ll use mostly pantry ingredients that you likely already have on hand.

Oatmeal cream pie cookies are perfect for church bake sales, school bake sales, potlucks, and the occasional lunchbox treat for the kids (or yourself).

Give the easy recipe a try and I bet they will have you thinking “forget Little Debbie” too!

Oatmeal cookie with marshmallow creme filling leaning against additional cookies and next to cinnamon sticks.

If you like this Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies copycat recipe be sure to check out my other Little Debbie copycat — Homemade Cosmic Brownies!

For more bakery-worthy cookies, try my Copycat Crumbl Snickerdoodles (perfect for Christmas gifts), Cookie Monster Cookies (cute, blue, and delicious), or sweet Banana Pudding Cookies.

Let’s get started on these oatmeal cookies, shall we?

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

For the oatmeal cookie dough:

Ingredients for homemade oatmeal creme pies.

Flour — I use all purpose for baking in almost all cases. If you use self-rising flour, you’ll need to omit the baking powder and salt.
Quick Oats — I use quick oats for the best texture. If you have Old Fashioned oats on hand, pulse them in a few processor to make the pieces smaller.
Cocoa Powder — Just a little of this ingredient adds an extra oomph of flavor.
Cornstarch — Cornstarch creates a tender cookie by helping the dough spread less.
Baking Powder — This serves as a leavening agent for the flour.
Baking Soda — Baking soda, like baking powder, is a leavening ingredient.
Salt — Salt reacts with the baking powder and/or baking soda in a recipe to help the cookies rise.
Cinnamon — A classic spice to add to oatmeal cookies!
Butter — Unsalted butter softened to room temperature works best for this recipe.
Shortening — Shortening has a higher melting point than butter and traps more air bubbles for a lighter, fluffier texture, according to Land O Lakes.
Sugar — This recipe calls for all granulated sugar, but you can use half granulated, half dark brown sugar for a bit of caramelized molasses flavor.
Molasses — Molasses is a must for that signature oatmeal cookie flavor. It also helps keep the cookies soft and chewy.
Eggs — Eggs help with the structure of the cookies and help serve as a binder for the rest of the ingredients.
Vanilla — Pure vanilla extract adds richness to the flavor.

For the filling:

Butter — Make sure you’re using unsalted softened butter for the filling. Softened butter creams more easily.
Shortening — Shortening has a neutral flavor and cuts through the richness of the butter. It also helps in making the cream filling light and fluffy.
Confectioners’ Sugar — Also called powdered sugar or icing sugar, this ingredient is powdery, sweet, and perfect for things like frosting, icing, and in this case — oatmeal cream pie filling. As The Spruce Eats notes, it’s ideal for creating sweet foods with a smooth consistency.
Marshmallow Creme — This super sweet ingredient makes the filling light and fluffy.

Equipment You’ll Need to Make Copycat Oatmeal Creme Pies

To make these classic cookie sandwiches, you’ll need the following kitchen tools and supplies:

2 Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper
Mixing Bowls
Whisk
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
Cookie Scoop
Airtight Container

How to Make Oatmeal Cream Pies

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Collage photos of steps to make oatmeal cookie dough: dry ingredients in mixing bowl, dry ingredients added to wet ingredients, dough in bowl, dough scoop onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart.

Step 2: Add the flour, oats, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to a large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to combine the ingredients, and set aside.

Step 3: In a separate bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, shortening, sugar, and molasses on medium-high speed until the ingredients are fluffy and well-combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, mixing in between to make sure everything is well combined. Do not overmix.

Step 5: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the lined baking sheets at least 2 inches apart.

Step 6: Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges start to brown. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.

Homemade oatmeal cookies on lined baking sheet and an oatmeal cookie topped with creme filling.

Step 7: Prepare the filling. With your mixer on low speed, combine the butter, shortening, confectioners’ sugar, and marshmallow fluff. Your whisk attachments will help you get a really fluffy filling.

Step 8: Use a piping bag, offset spatula, or spoon to spread the creamy filling on the bottom half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies, pressing down gently to create cookie sandwiches.

Storage and Freezing

Room temperature: Store oatmeal creme pies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Refrigerator: Homemade oatmeal creme pies will keep up to 7 days in the refrigerator wrapped tightly or in an airtight container. Let the cookies come to room temperature for about an hour before serving.

Freezer: To freeze oatmeal cream pie cookies, wrap each cookie individually with plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookies and filling separately, letting each thaw to room temperature before assembling.

Oatmeal creme pie cookie sandwiches with marshmallow creme filling served in a teal napkin-lined tray with cinnamon sticks around them.

Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookies Tips and Tricks

Leave a little room around the edges when piping on or spreading the filling. When you add the top cookie, you’ll press down a little on it, which will fill it to the edges. You don’t want to overfill the sandwich cookies and have an overflow situation on your hands!
Under-bake the cookies slightly. They’ll continue baking as they cool on the baking sheet.
Make sure your ingredients (like the butter and eggs) are at room temperature. This helps you better incorporate the ingredients when mixing and creates a fluffier texture.
Cut the tip off a zip-top bag if you don’t have a piping bag. Piping the cream onto the cookies is way less messy than spreading it on.
Let the chewy cookies cool completely before adding the cream filling. Otherwise, the filling will melt.

Additions and Variations

Substitute the molasses. Are you all out of molasses? Honey can work in a pinch. Alternatively, you can use a half and half mixture of honey and maple syrup for a more flavorful option.

Make them gluten-free. Swap out the all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour to make gluten-free oatmeal cream pies. Carefully read the labels on the other ingredients, but in most cases, the remaining ingredients are already gluten-free.

Try some add-ins. Oatmeal cookies are delicious with chocolate chips or raisins. Add some to your cookie dough for a fun twist on a classic cookie.

Make mini oatmeal creme pies. Scoop the dough by the tablespoon to make 18 smaller cookie sandwiches. Watch the bake time, however, because they will likely need closer to 8 minutes in the oven.

Oatmeal Cream Pie Cookie Recipe FAQ

What is the cream in oatmeal cream pies made of?

The cream in these oatmeal cream pies consists of four ingredients: butter, shortening, powdered sugar, and marshmallow creme. It’s easy to make, really fluffy, and so delicious!

What’s the best way to measure flour for baking?

The most accurate way to measure flour is by weighing it. However, since most recipes don’t have the weight of the flour listed, here’s the next best thing. First, use measuring cups for dry ingredients. Fluff up the flour with a spoon and scoop it into the measuring cup a little at a time. Once the cup is full, use the flat edge of a knife to scrape the top of the cup to get it perfectly level.

What if I don’t have parchment paper?

While parchment paper is preferable because it prevents sticking and keeps the cookies from getting too dark on the bottom, aluminum foil sprayed lightly with cooking spray can work in a pinch. You can also just spray your pan. Silicone baking mats are also great to keep on hand for baking cookies, roasting veggies, etc.

Why are my oatmeal cookies flat?

This is usually caused by butter that gets warm too quickly. You should start with softened — not melted — butter. While with other cookie recipes you can refrigerate the dough before baking to resolve this issue, refrigerating the dough is not recommended for oatmeal cookies because the oats will soak up too much moisture.