Strolling through the aisles of the grocery store yesterday, I found myself on the aisle that is home to all of the pre-packaged sweet snacks. Growing up, I remember my friends always ate those sweet confections wrapped in plastic and poor me, always had homemade baked goods. I laugh at it now, but when I was younger I wanted one of those artificially enhanced, crushed in the bag, sweet treats desperately. Instead, the Original Preppy Hostess made my brother and I homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies with REAL ingredients. Crazy, I know. I’ve yet to try one of those cookies wrapped in plastic and shoved in a box but I’m pretty positive these are much, much better.
There’s just something about soft oatmeal cookies sandwiched together with a layer of sweet frosting that makes me smile. Fluffy oatmeal cookies are sandwiched in-between a light and creamy buttercream frosting, that is so good, you’ll definitely want to lick the bowl. I love oatmeal cookies on there own but this frosting just sends them over the top. I love anything that brings me back to the sweet times of my childhood, and these cookies certainly do. Serve with a tall glass of extra cold milk… I highly recommend it.
Ingredients:
For the Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups quick or old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup rasins
For the Cream Filling
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk or half and half
Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add in oats and raisins and mix until incorporated.
4. Use a small cookie scoop to drop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake in a pre-heated oven about 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Allow cookies to sit on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool.
5. To prepare the cream filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix until well blended. Add in the vanilla and milk (or half and half) and blend until well combined.
6. To frost cookies, either pipe frosting with a pastry bag or use a knife to spread a thin layer on the bottom of a cookie. Top with another cookie to sandwich together.
