Easy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

My Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies are the result of a kitchen blunder, when I inadvertently used pumpkin instead of applesauce in my regular oatmeal cookies. So I chose rather to go with the mistake and see what you made of it. That first couple of batch of cookies were so good, that my late neighbor Mrs. Henderson asked me three times for the recipe before I could even complete the batch!

Now I make these every October when my kitchen becomes a pumpkin shrine. They’re basically Little Debbie’s dream cookies but with real pumpkin and way better cream filling that doesn’t stick to your teeth.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Listen, I’ve tested this recipe on everyone from my picky 8-year-old to my mother-in-law who thinks store-bought is always better. Even she admitted these beat anything from the grocery store. The cookies remain soft for days and don’t turn into hockey pucks, and the cream filling actually tastes like cream cheese instead of sugary fluff. My husband physically hides them from me in the fridge, he knows I’ll sit there and eat an entire pan for breakfast.

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📝 Ingredient List

For the Cookies:

• ¾ cup blotted pumpkin purée
• 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Cream Cheese Filling:

• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• Pinch of salt

Swap gluten-free flour if needed, or use dairy-free alternatives

🔍 Why These Ingredients Work

The pumpkin blotting thing sounds weird but it’s not optional – trust me on this one. I learned the hard way when my first batch turned into pumpkin muffin tops instead of cookies. The oats give you that chewy texture that makes these feel homemade, not like factory cookies. I only use the egg yolk because whole eggs make them too cakey – discovered this after ruining two dozen cookies and wanting to throw my mixer out the window. The brown sugar gives it that molasses flavor that makes everything taste like fall, and cream cheese in the filling provides a balance to all that sweet so you can eat more than one.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Big mixing bowls
• Electric mixer
• Paper towels for blotting
• Cookie scoop (1½ tablespoon)
• Baking sheets
• Cooling racks
• Piping bag if you want to get fancy

👩🍳 How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Step 1: Prep Your Pumpkin (Don’t Skip This!) Spread your pumpkin on paper towels and press out the water for about 10 minutes. I know it seems stupid but this one step makes the difference between amazing cookies and disappointment. You want about ¾ cup when you’re done.

Step 2: Mix Your Dry Stuff Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl. Nothing fancy here.

Step 3: Cream the Butter Beat butter and both sugars until fluffy – about 4 minutes. Your arm will hurt if you’re doing this by hand, so use a mixer.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and your blotted pumpkin. Don’t add the pumpkin until it’s properly blotted or you’ll mess up the whole batch.

Step 5: Combine Everything Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Mix just until combined – don’t go crazy here or you’ll get tough cookies.

Step 6: Shape and Bake Heat oven to 350°F. Scoop the dough (I use a 1½ tablespoon scoop) and flatten each one slightly with your fingers. This helps them bake evenly instead of staying thick in the middle.

Bake 14-15 minutes until the edges look set. They’ll look underdone but keep cooking on the hot pan.

Step 7: Cool Completely Wait for them to cool completely before adding filling. I know it’s torture but warm cookies plus cream cheese equals a mess.

Step 8: Make the Filling Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, pumpkin spice, and salt. Beat until fluffy – about 4 minutes.

Step 9: Put Them Together Spread filling on half the cookies, top with the other half. Press gently so the filling spreads to the edges.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

Martha Stewart: Wait until cookies are totally cool before adding filling. Hot cookies = melted mess.

Ina Garten: Don’t cheap out on vanilla extract. The fake stuff tastes fake.

❗ You Must Know

Blot the pumpkin or your cookies will suck. I’m not being dramatic – I’ve made this mistake and had to throw away entire batches. Also, your cream cheese and butter need to be room temperature. Cold ingredients make for lumpy filling and lumpy filling does not taste good.

Personal Secret: I add a tiny pinch of cardamom to my pumpkin spice. Most people can’t figure out what makes these taste different from everyone else’s, but that’s it.

💡 Pro Tips & Cooling Hacks

Stick your assembled cookies in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. The filling sets up and doesn’t squish out when you bite them. If your filling looks too thick, add a spoonful of heavy cream. Too runny? More powdered sugar.

Want to get fancy? Roll the edges in mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans after you assemble them. I make the cookie dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Just let it warm up a bit before baking or the cookies will be weird and thick.

🎨 Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Try these if you want to mix things up:

• Maple Cream: Replace half the powdered sugar with maple syrup
• Chocolate Chip: Add ½ cup mini chips to the cookie dough
• Extra Spicy: Add ginger and nutmeg to both cookies and filling
• Caramel: Drizzle caramel into the filling before spreading
• Crunchy: Roll edges in toasted pecans

⏲️ Make-Ahead Options

Cookie dough keeps in the fridge for 3 days covered. Baked cookies without filling last a week in a container. The cream cheese filling stays good for 2 days in the fridge – just let it soften before using.

You can freeze the whole assembled cookies for up to 3 months. I wrap them individually and toss them in a freezer bag. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or leave them out for an hour.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

The pumpkin blotting really is everything – don’t skip it even if you’re in a hurry. I use parchment paper instead of greasing pans because it prevents sticking and the cookies brown more evenly.

If you live somewhere high up (over 3,000 feet), use only ¼ teaspoon baking soda and add 2-3 more tablespoons flour. Otherwise they’ll spread too much and look weird.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

These work for everything – lunch boxes, potlucks, gifts for neighbors who actually deserve them. They’re great with coffee or apple cider. If you want to look fancy, dust them with powdered sugar or put them on a wooden board with apple slices and caramel sauce for dipping.

I hope these become your new fall obsession like they are mine. There’s something satisfying about making these from scratch when you could easily buy the store version but yours taste a million times better.

🧊 How to Store Your Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies

Keep them in a container at room temperature for 2 days max, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. The cold ones are actually really good – the filling gets firmer and they’re like little treats.

For long-term storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. Put parchment between layers so they don’t stick together. Thaw in the fridge overnight or leave them out for an hour.

⚠️ Allergy Information

These have gluten, dairy, and eggs. For gluten-free, use your favorite GF flour blend. For dairy-free, substitute dairy-free butter and cream cheese – just make sure they’re room temperature so they mix properly.

❓ Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Why blot the pumpkin? Because wet pumpkin makes cake-y cookies instead of chewy ones. Found this out the hard way.

Can I use quick oats? Yeah but they won’t be as chewy. Old-fashioned oats are worth buying.

Why only egg yolk? Egg whites add moisture we don’t want. Yolk binds without making things wet.

Need a piping bag? Nope. Spoon works fine. Piping bag just looks prettier.

Make filling ahead? Sure, up to 2 days in the fridge. Let it soften before using.

How long do they last? 2 days room temp, 5 days in fridge.

💬 Made these? Tell me how they turned out! Drop a comment below and let me know if you tried any weird variations. I’m always looking for new ways to mess with this recipe. Share your pics too – I love seeing what everyone makes!