Oatmeal Cream Pie Copycat Cookies

With this recipe, I make great use of my digital kitchen scale. I found this recipe when I was searching for a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie Copycat. Onlinepastrychef, like the name implies, is a very precise chef that gives her measurements by weight rather than volume. Weight measurements are by far the most accurate; measuring flour by the cup can get 2 bakers very different results depending on if they pack their flour into the cup, spoon and level it, or sift it. I love the precise nature of this recipe because I am trying to exactly replicate a beloved cookie; the weight measurements ensure the greatest likelihood that the result I get is a perfect match. 

I did tweak this recipe ever so slightly to my tastes. Onlinechefpastry does not use vanilla, which is truer to the Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie, but I prefer the taste of vanilla in my cream filling and in my cookie. I also decrease the amount of cocoa powder by half compared to hers; the first time I made them, I could taste the cocoa powder too much for my preference. I also increase the amount of raisins, dried apple and malted milk powder, again to my preference. 

I love this cookie recipe; I get the satisfaction of a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie without the chemical aftertaste, tailored to my tastebuds (cream filling with improved flavor!). I used to buy myself a Cream Pie almost overtime I gassed up my car in high school; now I can whip up a batch, freeze them, and enjoy them when the craving hits me! Do try these out; you won’t regret it!

Recipe adapted from pastrychefonline.com

Cookies: 

Ingredients:

5 ounces all purpose flour

4 ounces rolled oats (not instant)

18 grams raisins

10 grams dried apple chips, I used the chewy kind

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste

10 grams malted milk powder

2 grams cocoa powder

3 ounces butter, softened

4 1/2 ounces dark brown sugar

2 ounces neutral vegetable oil

2 ounces dark corn syrup

1 1/4 ounces molasses (I used Grandma’s brand)

2 egg yolks

1 ounce whole milk

Method:

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicon liner, such as Silpat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

In a high speed blender like a Vitamix (which is what I used, though a food processor would work just as well) add your flour, oats, raisins, apple chips, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla paste, malted milk powder and cocoa powder. Blend on high until you can no longer see any chunks of raisins, apples or oats. Pour this flour mixture out of the blender and into a bowl. Set aside.

Put your softened butter and brown sugar into your blender and cream together.  Add the oil, corn syrup and molasses and cream these ingredients together as well. Scrape the sides of the blender down as needed. Add your egg yolks one at a time, with your blender on low, allowing them to blend in the mixture well. Add your ounce of milk and combine. 

Pour this wet mixture into your dry ingredients; combine will with a spatula. It will be a wet, sticky dough (almost a very thick batter.). Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the batter onto the lined baking sheets, allowing 2 inches between each cookie. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes total, flipping and rotating the pans halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool for four minutes on the pan, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

Frosting Filling:

Ingredients

2.25 ounces of egg whites (from 2 large eggs)

2.25 ounces of powdered sugar

4.5 ounces of unsalted butter

4.5 ounces of powdered sugar

pinch salt

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

Using a hand mixer, whisk together the 2.25 ounces of egg whites and 2.25 ounces of powdered sugar in a heat proof bowl. Set it over a simmering pot of water, and whisk on high speed, until the mister reaches 150 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour your egg white into a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, and which on high speed until our egg white mixture is glossy and shiny and room temperature. This may take 5 to 10 minutes.

Once there, add in your butter one half tablespoon at a time, allowing the butter to blend well into the egg whites before adding more. Once all your butter is added, start adding your powdered sugar, again a little at a time. Finish with your vanilla paste, mixing well to incorporate.

To assemble, take one cookie and generously spread it with the frosting filling. Top with another cookie. Try your hardest not to inhale it with a tall glass of milk.