Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Remember those Oatmeal Cream Pies we ate as kids?  Damn, those were good.  They’re probably terribly sweet and too much to handle now, but back in the day those were the business.

Well, I make them at home.  And they’re amaaaahhhhzing.  I make them with a cream cheese filling, all whole wheat flour and oats and cut way back on the sugar and even replace half of the butter with avocado puree, (which makes them something I like to call an Avocookie – copyright pending).

And then last year, I created a pumpkin version.  And holy hell cats are they good.  But I figured they needed a new photoshoot and rebranding, and I also tweaked the recipe a little… which brings us to today.

Y’all need to make these, like yesterday.  It’ll getcha in the Thanksgiving spirit without ruining what you’ll get for Feast Day.  These cookie sandwiches are tender, slightly sweet, hearty, and HUGE!!

Plus, they freeze well and are even insanely good frozen.  Ask my husband who just broke into the bag and dove right in.

I may have also done that, but it’s unconfirmed.

 

PUMPKIN OATMEAL CREAM PIES

So, what makes my cookies super awesome, but still lower in some of the bad stuff, is the fact that I brown my butter first so it intensifies the butter flavor.  That’s very important since we’re eliminating half of it.

In a small skillet, place…

• 1 stick unsalted butter

Turn the heat on medium-high and let the butter melt, then sizzle and foam… then once the sizzling stops, turn the heat off and remove it from the eye.  You now have brown butter.  Set this aside to cool completely.  Do this a day in advance if need be, but allow it to sit at room temperature and cool, but remain soft.  If you don’t do this step, and use the hot browned butter, you will run the risk of cooking the eggs in the batter, over-browning the avocado, and changing the consistency of the cookies themselves.  I’ve done it, and they will still come out good… just a little not so awesome.

When you’re ready for baking, add in…

• the flesh of 1 ripe avocado

Using the paddle attachment, beat this until it’s pureed.

Add in…

• your cooled and softened brown butter

Mix this until combined.

Add in…

• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar

Mix well.  Add in…

• 1 can pure plain pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• good splash vanilla extract
• smaller splash of almond extract

Mix well and then mix together your dry ingredients.

In a large bowl, whisk together the following…

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 rounded tsp kosher salt

Add to the mixer when it’s on low, little by little, until your dry ingredients are fully incorporated into the wet.

Add in…

• 3 cups rolled oats (or quick oats are also fine)

Once the oats are mixed in well, unlock the bowl from the stand.  Grease 2 cookie sheets and also a medium sized ice cream scoop.

Using the greased scoop, portion out exactly 20 cookies onto the sheets.  Flatten them down with a wet spatula or hand.

Place in a preheated 375 degree oven, one on the top rack and the other on the bottom, for 6 minutes.

Flip and rotate the pans and bake for another 6 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the pans.

Once cooled, frost with the Cream Cheese Icing and top with another cookie.

 

f l u f f i n ‘   g o o d  

c r e a m   c h e e s e   i c i n g

In a medium bowl, combine the following…

• 8 ounce brick neufchatel cream cheese, softened (I prefer the flavor of the reduced fat)
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup marshmallow fluff (yes, you heard me.  It’s only a little and helps the consistency.  Trust me.)
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar 
• splash vanilla extract
• pinch kosher salt

Use an electric mixer to beat this until light and fluffy.  Be sure to break down the marshmallow fluff, as it tends to gum up.

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a gallon sized freezer safe zip bag to be frozen for several weeks.

If they last that long.

XOXO