A super-soft, chewy, flavor-packed cookie inspired by Little Debbie oatmeal creme pies! With an easy oatmeal cinnamon dough & fluffy marshmallow filling, this recipe is a gourmet version of one of my favorite childhood treats!
More Little Debbie Recipes! Check out my TikTok viral Homemade Cosmic Brownies or Homemade Star Crunch Cookies next!
Save this Recipe!
Enter your email below and I'll send this recipe to you.
Why I Love These Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies
Simple ingredients: I wanted this recipe to taste amazing but not require you to buy a bunch of ingredients you will only use once (i.e. a bottle of molasses). So while these don't taste exact to the store-bought, they are a super flavorful oatmeal cookie!
Super soft, chewy texture: I didn't just want to put frosting between two regular oatmeal cookies, I wanted to get a super soft, chewy texture just like the real thing...and I think I did it!
Easy filling: I've included a recipe for a simple fluffy frosting using jarred marshmallow fluff but if you want to keep it super simple, you can use the fluff on its own (straight from the jar!) or whip up my alternative vanilla buttercream frosting recipe without marshmallow fluff (still delicious, just not fluffy and gooey).
Ingredient Overview & Substitutions
This is just an overview of ingredients & substitutions; click here to jump down to the full recipe card for ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar: this gives it that super chewy texture. You can use dark brown sugar if that's what you have on hand.
- Powdered sugar: we're using this in both the dough (to make it super soft!) and the filling
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract
- Baking soda: not baking powder, as we need the baking soda to help them spread!)
- Salt
- Cinnamon: this is the a key ingredient to a flavor packed cookie
- Cornstarch: this helps make the cookie extra chewy but if you have a corn allergy, you can leave it out.
- Cocoa powder: we're only using 1 teaspoon to help give the cookies a darker color! You can't taste it, it's merely for looks, so feel free to omit if you'd like.
- Quick oats: I haven't tested these with "rolled oats" yet but they should work just fine!
- Raisins: the chopped raisins give the cookies an amazing flavor and texture. I typically don't like raisins but they're essential for making this cookie flavorful and chewy!
- All-Purpose Flour: For gluten free, use a 1-to-1 Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour.
- Marshallow Fluff: This gives it that iconic creamy texture but I've also include a simple buttercream recipe without it in the notes section of the recipe card!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make oatmeal creme pies gluten free?
Always check that your ingredient brands are gluten-free (like the oats!) but you can easily make these gluten-free by using a flour like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour.
Can I leave out the raisins?
I typically don't love raisins in cookies but since they're chopped, they add a lot of amazing flavor and extra chewiness (without having giant raisins in the dough). You can totally leave them out (no substitutions needed) but I do recommend adding them!
What if I don't have marshallow fluff?
I've included a basic vanilla buttercream recipe in the "notes" section of the recipe card below for those of you who don't have access to jarred marshmallow fluff! The buttercream is a little sweeter & not as gooey but it still tastes amazing!
Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookies
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (this is for color, you can omit if desired)
- 1 cup quick oats
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (not packed, just scooped and leveled with a knife)
- 2 tablespoons milk
Marshmallow Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 7 oz. marshmallow fluff
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (you want the oven ready as soon as you're done scooping!)
- In a small microwave-safe bowl, add the unsalted butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) and cover with a paper towel (will help for splattering). Melt the butter for 30-45 seconds until all is melted (no chunks left).
- Pour melted unsalted butter into a larger bowl, then add in light brown sugar (¾ cup) and powdered sugar (½ cup) and use a spatula to stir until combined (it won't look totally smooth). Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes until no longer hot (you don't want to cook the egg in the next step).
- Add in egg (1 large) and vanilla extract (1 teaspoon), then mix. Next, add in baking soda (¼ teaspoon), cinnamon (1 teaspoon), salt (½ teaspoon), cornstarch (1 tablespoon), and unsweetened cocoa powder (1 teaspoon) and mix again.
- In a food processor or blender, add quick oats (1 cup) and raisins (½ cup) and pulse until broken up (you want them coarse, not a fine powder). I did this for 10 pulses in my Ninja food processor.
- Add oatmeal raisin mixture and all-purpose flour (1 cup) to the dough, then mix until all the flour disappears into the dough. Add milk (2 tablespoons) and mix until combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Regular Sized: Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon sized scoop, roll into balls, then bake at 350℉ for 9-10 minutes. You want them look slightly underbaked, as they will continue baking on the pan (my oven was perfect at 9 minutes). This is important for a soft cookie!Minis: Scoop into a heaping 1-tablespoon scoop, split in half, then roll into balls. Bake at 350℉ for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove from oven and (if cookies have a slight puff to them) gently tap pan on counter to "deflate" cookies. Allow the cookies to cool on the hot pan for 10-15 minutes before removing them. This will allow them to finish baking on the hot pan.
- Once cooled, use a knife or piping bag to pipe frosting in the center of one cookie then press another one on top to create a sandwich. If piping, don't pipe all the way to the edge to ensure the frosting doesn't squeeze out.
To Make Filling:
- Beat the unsalted softened butter (½ cup, i.e. 1 stick) on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until smooth. Turn the mixer to low speed then add the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time (1 cup total). You may need to stop and scrape down the sides. Add vanilla extract (½ teaspoon) and salt (¼ teaspoon) and turn the mixer to medium speed. Add in marshmallow fluff (7 ounces) and beat on high for 2-3 minutes until creamy. If it looks too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it looks too stiff, add a tiny bit of milk until you get to the desired consistency. Spread onto cooled cookies.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Jade
I made these in mini form and they were jaw droppers. Everyone that tried them couldn’t believe it. It’s not a quick chocolate cookie but 100% worth the make! I wish I made double!
Melissa
I am so glad to hear everyone enjoyed this recipe! Thank you so much for leaving a review, Jade! I really appreciate it!
Tomma Marcincuk
I made the mini version of these, which is dangerous. You’ve eaten 5 before you know it!
Mollie
SO tasty! I had steel cut oats and ended up needing a bit more than called for (I added some finely cut oats to help hold everything together). I made the mini version and was so happy with how they came out. And as a bonus, I have extra filling left, so I'll either make more cookies or heck...just eat the filling!
Melissa
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe, Mollie! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, I really appreciate it!
Daniela Reinhart
Can the dough, and/or the baked cookies themselves be frozen?
Melissa
Yes, either! I would lean towards baking then freezing to ensure they spread well and aren’t too puffy!