High-Altitude Oatmeal Cream Pies

This recipe was developed and tested in my home kitchen at 5,400 feet above sea level.  I’ve got another classic recipe made high-altitude-friendly this week with these oatmeal cream pies. Soft, chewy oatmeal cookies with a marshmallowy buttercream in the middle. They taste absolutely lovely, they freeze perfectly to make ahead of time, and they give you all the nostalgic vibes.

These oatmeal cookies are super simple to make, and the marshmallow frosting uses store-bought marshmallow fluff to make things extra easy. Let me show you how to make them!

How to Make High-Altitude Oatmeal Cream Pies

Starting off with the cookies, this recipe uses fairly simply ingredients. We’re using a little bit of cinnamon to keep things warm and cozy, but it won’t taste overly spiced. Also, I’ve opted for quick-cooking oats in this recipe because they soften a bit more in the dough and create a chewier, softer texture.

Start by beating together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until everything is well combined and fluffy. Then add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and a little bit of milk.

From there it’s time to add all the dry ingredients except the oats. Mix everything together until you have a thick, smooth cookie dough. I like to stir the oats in by hand until they are well distributed. Then scoop your cookies onto a baking sheet and it’s off to the oven to bake until they are lightly golden around the edges.

The filling is a simple american-style buttercream with marshmallow fluff added in, plus a good pinch of salt. I like to use a piping bag to pipe about 1 1/2 tbs. of filling onto each cookie, and then add your second cookie on top to make the sandwich.

You can store your cookies at room temp in an air-tight container for about a week, or you can freeze them to save them for later. I like to individually wrap each sandwich in plastic for easy storage, but it’s not necessary. Either way you end up with chewy, soft Oatmeal Cream Pies!

Tips & Tricks for the Perfect High-Altitude Oatmeal Cream Pies

Here are my tips to help you along the way!

• Do I have to use quick-cooking oats? Yes, old fashioned oats will make a lovely cookie, but they won’t result in the extra soft, chewy version we need for oatmeal cream pies.
• Do I have to use dark brown sugar? Yes, this also contributes to chewiness in these cookies along with flavor. I highly recommend keeping dark brown sugar on hand- I like it better in nearly everything!
• How do I know when the cookies are finished baking? The cookies will spread out, and they should no longer look wet on top. The edges will become a light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan to finish cooking!
• Do I have to use the marshmallow fluff? I think it gives the filling the perfect flavor here, but if you prefer, you can replace it with another 1/2 cup of butter for a simple classic buttercream. I highly recommend the fluff though.
• Do I have to individually wrap the oatmeal cream pies? No, this is optional, but I think it helps the cookies soften even further and it makes it easy to freeze the batch and simply pull one out to thaw when you want it.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

High-Altitude Oatmeal Cream Pies

Servings 14 oatmeal cream pies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tbs milk
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 cups quick cooking oats

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 7 oz container marshmallow fluff
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

For the cookies:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined. Add in the vanilla extract, eggs, and milk and mix until well combined. The mixture may look slightly split at this stage, but that’s ok.
3. Add in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and mix until there are no dry pockets of flour and you have a smooth dough. Then use a spatula to fold in the quick oats until everything is well combined.
4. Scoop your cookie dough into 2-tablespoonful sizes balls onto your baking sheet, leaving room for the cookies to spread as they bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are spread and lightly golden around the edges. Let the cookies cool completely before filling!

For the filling:

1. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and marshmallow full until well combined. Add in the powdered sugar and salt, and beat together until you have a thick mixture. Beat in the vanilla extract. The mixture should be thick but still soft and spreadable.
2. Once the cookies have cooled, you can pipe or spoon the filling onto one cookie, and use a second cookie to make your sandwich. I use about 1 1/2 tbs. of filling per cookie, but it doesn’t have to be perfect!
3. To store the cookies, I like to wrap them individually and then place all the cookies into an airtight container for about 7 days at room temp. Optionally, you can also freeze the fully assembled oatmeal cream pies for up to 3 months, thawing as needed. Enjoy!

Nicole Hampton

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!

[addtoany]