This may be the recipe I’m most proud of developing. Because oatmeal cream pies are such a part of many of our childhoods, it was important to get it right. To make a real copycat Little Debbie, and not just a tasty oatmeal sandwich cookie.
Soft, bendable, and gently spiced oatmeal cookies just like the originals, with the perfect creme filling. And no artificial ingredients.
If you love a good, fine-tuned copycat recipe, take a look at my lemon cooler cookie recipe, too. They are super tasty!
For ease of browsing, you can find all my cookie and bar recipes in one place. Enjoy!
Watch my oatmeal creme pie recipe web story here.
I followed the recipe exactly, but changed the baking instructions, because I made one giant oatmeal cream pie. I dolloped the batter into a large round pan, flattened slightly, bake at 375 for 15 minutes, then reduced to 300 for another 15 mins. My only change in the future will be to use less cinnamon, or omit it, as the flavor is strong for such a small amount. These are SPOT ON! Thank you so much for sharing!
Reader Lisa
Little Debbies Changed Over the Years
While I often bemoaned the fact we weren’t allowed sugared cereals or the yearned after PopTarts, I could console myself with Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. I suppose my mother reasoned that since they were made of oatmeal, they were healthy.
When I was a kid, they tasted different than they do now.
The cookies were a bit firmer, the creme a bit grainier, and I loved them.
My young self absolutely noticed when the texture changed, although I probably wasn’t as concerned with the actual flavor back then.
They’re still beloved cookies that have stood the test of time, even if they have changed just a bit over the years.
Sadly the changes most likely were to add new food dyes, stabilizers, emulsifiers and cheaper sugars to their recipe.
But I remember them before they got their makeover, and I wanted to bring back that particular glory.
Testing to Get Them Just Right
And so, my quest to create the best homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies recipe began. I tested this recipe several times, second only to my Crunchy Butterfinger Candy Bars post which I tested a whopping 9 times. Because when you try to recreate a classic, you want to get it just right.
First up: research. To that end, I purchased a “Big Pack” of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies.
- I tasted them whole.
- I dissected them to taste just the cookie by itself and then just the creme.
- I looked over the impressive ingredient list (and by impressive, I mean disturbingly long) and wrote down all the ingredients I could pronounce, translating industrial food names–dextrose, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup solids, emulsifiers–into ingredients that I kept in my kitchen: sugar, corn syrup, eggs.
- I left out ingredients there was no way I could find and ended up with a list 27 ingredients long. Too long.
I got rid of some of the extraneous starches: corn starch, rice flour and concentrated on the ingredients that appeared before the list stated “Less than 2% of the following…”
That left me with, in this order:
- corn syrup
- enriched bleached flour
- partially hydrogenated oils
- sugar (dextrose)
- whole grain oats
- water
- actual sugar
- molasses
- raisins
To that I added some of the other singular ingredients contained in Little Debbies one doesn’t normally expect to find in an oatmeal cookie recipe and started testing.
Research, Research, Research
When I shared on Facebook that I was attempting to make the best Oatmeal Creme Pies in all the land, my friend Anna told me that Stella from Brave Tart (and now at SeriousEats) had posted an oatmeal creme pie recipe a couple of years ago.
Stella is one of my most trusted sources, so I immediately wandered over to her place to see what she had done. Turns out, our recipes for the cookie part are pretty similar. But our creme filling recipes are very different.
Stella’s filling is a traditional marshmallow made with gelatin, and mine is based on a Swiss meringue made with egg whites.
UPDATE: Stella’s recipe is now in her BraveTart Iconic American Desserts cookbook which you should absolutely own.
Other research included standard Googling of other “Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie Copycat Recipes” and “Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pie Copycat Recipes.”
Most of these types of recipes really aren’t copycat recipes at all.
They are all perfectly lovely oatmeal cookies sandwiched together with some perfectly lovely creamy filling, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Generally speaking, making something perfectly lovely is more than enough for me, but in this case I really wanted to capture the particular essence of the Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pie–the flavor and the texture, the subtle notes that you might not even notice until you taste a “copycat” recipe and realize it somehow misses the mark.
Like Stella, I want to make sure that when you taste these little guys, you will be transported to the best part of your childhood.
I want you to say “These are the best Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies I have ever had,” not “Wow, this is delicious but I really wish it tasted like a Little Debbie.”
Equipment You Will Need
Before we get on with the recipe, let’s make sure you have all the major equipment you need to make them–or really anything you want to make.
A medium-sized food processor will make short work of the oatmeal in this recipe as well as being perfect for making dips and dressings.
If you’re going to be baking with any frequency, invest in a stand mixer. If you only bake occasionally, you’ll be fine with a hand mixer.
Having a Silpat or two will ensure that nothing sticks–I don’t always use Silpat because I like that parchment paper sheets can absorb a bit of oil, but for these cookies, Silpat works perfectly.
Last, but not least, I implore you to buy a kitchen scale. My Escali Primo has never let me down in the 15 years I’ve owned it.
As Close As You Can Get to the Boxed Kind, With No Artificial Ingredients
It takes a lot of ingredients to make this copycat Little Debbie recipe. But if you’re an aficionado of the Oatmeal Creme Pie and you especially love the filling, you will go to the extra effort. I promise it will be worth your time.
These cookies are every bit as soft and bendable as the originals.
The flavor and texture are exactly right, unless you really love the chemical-ly aftertaste. Because these don’t have that.
If you’re not a raisin fan, remember that if you’re a Little Debbie fan, you’re eating them anyway. So you may as well just go for it.
My oatmeal creme pies make cookies the right color all on their own. And to smell them?
The Little Debbie smells sweet and of nothing in particular. My copycats smell sweet and oatmeal-y and like real food.
Whether you call them oatmeal cream pies or oatmeal creme pies, you’re going to want to make these Little Debbie copycats!
What You’ll Need
Here are the ingredients for making the oatmeal cookie part of this recipe.
As you’ll see, there are a lot of ingredients. That’s what happens when you’re trying to nail a flavor profile.
Cookie Ingredients
- all-purpose flour: provides bulk and contributes gluten so the cookies hold together
- rolled oats: provides bulk without contributing gluten so the cookies stay softer
- raisins: provides moisture, a little sweetness, improves shelf-life, adds some flavor
- apple chips: adds flavor and a little extra sweetness
- baking soda: leavener. balances out the acid in the brown sugar and molasses
- baking powder: leavener
- salt: brings all the flavors into focus
- cinnamon: provides just a hint of cinnamon flavor. Even with only 1/4 teaspoon, some people decided they’d rather leave it out according to their taste, so it’s entirely up to you
- malted milk powder: adds some protein and flavor
- cocoa powder: provides color and to a much lesser extent, a deeper flavor
- dark brown sugar: provides sweetness, moisture, a little flavor, and allows the cookies to brown in the oven
- butter: the main fat component. Carries all the other flavors and allows for browning
- vegetable oil: additional liquid fat just for texture
- molasses: brings sweetness, moisture, dark color, and flavor
- dark corn syrup: same as the molasses. If you are not a fan of molasses, you can use all dark corn syrup. Conversely, if you don’t like dark corn syrup, you can use all molasses, but the flavor will definitely be more molasses-forward if you do
- egg yolks: adds richness and emulsifiers, helps to keep the cookies soft
- whole milk: allows the cookies to spread and still remain a bit on the cakey side. Leave out the milk to have a more chewy cookie
Creme Filling Ingredients
This list is much more straightforward.
Note that the original filling does not contain butter, so if you really want to nail the filling flavor, you should substitute shortening or use a combination of butter and shortening.
This filling is basically a Swiss meringue buttercream. I subbed powdered sugar for granulated as well as add a bit extra powdered sugar at the end of mixing to more closely approximate the texture of the original filling
Also note there is no vanilla in the filling because there is no vanilla in the ingredient list for the boxed oatmeal creme pies.
A teaspoon or so of vanilla would be a nice addition, but then it wouldn’t be a true Little Debbie copycat.
- egg whites: whips up into meringue
- powdered sugar: powdered sugar is for divided use. Use twice the weight of the egg whites in powdered sugar to make the meringue and then add an additional amount of powdered sugar after you incorporate the butter
- butter: should be at cool room temperature. This is is what turns your meringue into buttercream
- salt: brings the butter flavor into focus and tempers the sweetness a bit
Should I Store These Cookies in the Refrigerator?
A reader recently asked this question in the comments, so I thought I’d address it here since it’s a good question.
I stored mine in the fridge.
I honestly think because of the amount of sugar that the filling would be fine at room temp for 2-3 days, but erring on the side of caution is always a good thing.
Just bring them up to room temp again before serving.
Alternatively, you can also cook the whites to a higher temperature–say 165F rather than 150F. In effect, that will Pasteurize the eggs and the filling will then be that much safer if you do decide to leave them at room temperature.
If you have questions about this post or recipe, don’t hesitate to get in touch. You can leave a comment on the post and I will get back to you within about 24 hours.
If your question is more urgent, please shoot me an email, and I will respond within 4 hours, unless I’m asleep.
Other Nostalgic Recipes
Since it’s my blog and I share what I like to make (and also take requests), I have made quite a few recipes that remind me or readers of childhood. Here are a few you might enjoy.
- Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Fudge Recipe (recreated from a reader recipe)
- Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake (this version has rocky road frosting, too)
- Butterscotch Pudding which is one of the most comforting pudding flavors in all the land.
- Bread, Butter, & Sugar Sandwich (do you remember those?!)
And now, without further ado, I give you my five-times-tested Oatmeal Creme Pies. Amen.
And if you’d like a good copycat recipe without a super long ingredient list, you may want to give my homemade pecan sandies recipe a go.
A Note About Measurements
NOTE: Most of my recipes are written by weight and not volume, even the liquids.
Even though I try to provide you with volume measurements as well, I encourage you to buy a kitchen scale for ease of measuring, accuracy, and consistency.
This is the scale I use, love, and recommend. If you’re unsure, please read my post about how to use a food scale.
Don't let its small price and small size fool you. The Escali Primo is an accurate and easy-to-use food scale that I have used for years. It's easy to store, easy to use, has a tare function, and easily switches between grams and ounces/pounds for accurate measurements.
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Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pie Recipe
These cookies are the real deal. The cookie part is a dead ringer for Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies (without that annoying chemical afterburn). The filling is very close texturally, but I truly couldn't bring myself to use shortening in it, so it's buttery-er than the original. If that's a bad thing, sue me. And if you'd prefer a marshmallow filling, do check out Stella's recipe. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Yes, you do have to use a scale to make these cookies. Most of the measurements are in ounces. Some of the smaller measurements are in grams. This is no problem with most scales since most will go back and forth between metric and standard weights with the press of a button. If your scale doesn't have that button, you'll need to do the conversions yourself. An ounce equals 28 grams.
You will need an instant read thermometer to make the creme filling.
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 5 oz all purpose flour
- 4 oz rolled oats, (the regular kind, not quick cooking)
- 16 g (roughly 1/2 ounce) raisins
- 8 g (roughly 1/3 oz) dried apple chips (I used the crunchy kind. I'm sure the chewy ones will work fine as well)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 grams (4 teaspoons) malted milk powder
- 4 grams (1 teaspoon) cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
- 3 oz unsalted butter, , softened
- 4.5 oz dark brown sugar, , sifted to remove lumps
- 2 oz neutral vegetable oil
- 2 oz dark corn syrup
- 1.2 oz molasses, (not blackstrap. I used Grandma's brand)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 oz whole milk, (optional, leave out for a slightly chewier cookie)
For the Creme Filling (Read Instructions for more information on the weights and amounts)
- 2 egg whites, (weigh them into the bowl)
- 4 oz sifted powdered sugar**, , twice as much by weight as the egg whites
- pinch of salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter**, , softened (add the weights of the whites and sugar together to get this measurement)
- 6 oz sifted powdered sugar**, (the same weight as the butter)
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Place your oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Line 2 cookie sheets with Silpat or parchment. Set aside.
- Combine flour, oats, raisins, apple chips, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, malted milk powder and cocoa powder in the bowl of your food processor or high-speed blender. Process/blend until you can't see bits of raisins, oats or apple. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and dark brown sugar together until smooth. Cream an additional minute on medium speed.
- Add the oil, corn syrup and molasses and cream another minute, scraping bowl as necessary.
- Add both yolks and mix until well combined. Scrape the bowl.
- Dump in all the dry ingredients all at once and mix on low speed until combined. Increase speed to medium and mix for a minute more.
- Mix in the milk, if using. Whether or not you use the milk, the dough will be sticky.
- Portion out the dough in level tablespoons to end up with 2" cookies. Use 1 1/2 level Tablespoons (4 1/2 teaspoons) for 3" cookies.
- Leave a good 3" between cookies since they will spread. I was able to portion 8 smaller cookies or 6 larger ones on each sheet.
- For the Tablespoon-sized cookies, bake for 4 minutes. Rotate pans top to bottom and front to back. Bake for an additional 3 minutes. For 1 1/2 Tablespoon-sized cookies, bake for 4 minutes, rotate the pans and bake for 4 more minutes.
- Remove pans and let cookies cool for 4 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool completely. Sandwich together with about 1-1 1/2 Tablespoons of frosting (recipe below)
For the Creme Filling
- As to the measurements, if your whites weigh 2 ounces, you'll need 4 ounces of powdered sugar. Then you'll need 6 ounces of butter and an additional 6 ounces of powdered sugar. If your whites weight 1.5 ounces, you'll need 3 ounces of powdered sugar, 4.5 ounces of butter and an additional 4.5 ounces of powdered sugar. Okay, here's what you do.
- Combine the whites, first amount of powdered sugar and a healthy pinch of salt in the bowl of your stand mixer. Set this over a pan of water sized so that the bottom of the mixer bowl doesn't dip down into the water.
- Whisk constantly over medium heat (or high heat if you're feeling frisky), until water comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking until the mixture is 150F--too hot to touch, hot enough to gelatinize the starch in the powdered sugar but not hot enough to cook the whites.
- Immediately put your bowl on your mixer fitted with the whip attachment and whip on medium-high speed until glossy, billowy and beautiful. Whip until the meringue reaches room temperature.
- Add in the butter, a bit at a time, until you have a gorgeous Swiss buttercream. Scrape bowl as necessary. You can use the buttercream as is, but to taste like real Little Debbie creme, you'll need to add more sugar.
- Beat in the second amount of powdered sugar, scraping bowl as necessary.
- You can add in a splash of vanilla, but I don't get that from the Little Debbie creme. Add it in if you want, because it will be delicious.
Notes
Depending on the size you make your cookies, you'll get anywhere from 12-18 or so sandwich cookies. Use about a tablespoon of filling per 2" cookie and 1 1/2 Tablespoons per 3" cookie. In other words. Use as much filling as you used to make the cookies. That way, your ratio will be a perfect 2:1 cookie to filling.
NOTE: baking time may vary depending upon your oven. Use my baking time only as a guide. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they stay soft. If they do end up getting crisp, all is not lost.
Once you fill them, wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate them overnight. The cookies will absorb some liquid from the filling and will soften up.
**Amounts of frosting recipe added for nutrition calculation. Your measurements will be based on how much your egg whites weigh, so may differ slightly from the amounts in the recipe.
Nutrition information calculated on the smaller sized cookies.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 18Amount Per Serving Calories 300Saturated Fat 10gCholesterol 52mgSodium 100mgCarbohydrates 38gFiber 1gSugar 26gProtein 2g
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Thank you so much for taking the time to read. I know that if you’re a die hard Little Debbie fan, you’ll love these! Enjoy.
Have a lovely day.
Renee says
Oh fantastic! Pinned to be sure to save for later.
Jennifer Field says
Yay! You’re going to love them, Renee! xo
Jackie Garvin says
You are awesome! I’m sharing this post on SyrupAndBiscuit’s FB page.
Jennifer Field says
Thank you, Jackie! I hope you love these as much as I do! I better not make them too often!
MaggieToo says
I recently copied out Stella’s recipe, planning to make them for a client of mine who devours OCPs by the truckload. I may have to try both your filling and hers to see which gets the thumbs-up. I’ll check back in and let you know which one receives the trophy. So grateful to have you around to do the heavy recipe testing!
Jennifer Field says
I am sure Stella’s are fabulous–I love her work! Yes, I’d like to hear your review. I decided to go with a Swiss buttercream base since the filling in store-bought OCPs is not sticky like marshmallow. Still, I like the addition of some molasses in the filling.
MaggieToo says
Jenni, I made these this week, a double batch, and made one batch of your filling recipe and one batch of Bravetart’s filling. I expected Stella’s filling to get better reviews since my audience was full of marshmallow fanatics, but I had a big technical problem with hers — when I added the butter & vanilla, my big bowl of fluffy marshmallow reduced to a liquid. It regained about 2/3 its original volume after ten minutes of fast whipping. I let it sit in piping bag for ~30 minutes and it did finally work, but caused me severe panic for a while. The flavor of it was good and definitely marshmallow-y.
Surprisingly, more people preferred your filling — it was definitely more true to the original OCPs. And as big plus for the baker, it caused me no technical problems and didn’t require a piping bag to fill the cookies.
As for your cookies, they were letter-perfect. The only thing I might change is reduce the amount of molasses, because I could definitely taste molasses, which I can’t in the Debbie OCPs, but if you like the flavor of molasses that’s not a problem
Job VERY well done, Jenni. You really nailed this one.
Jennifer Field says
I am *thrilled* that you made these!! I am so proud of them, and it’s nice to get objective feedback that they were good! I agree with you on the molasses, but I’m a fan of it and wasn’t too sad to be able to taste it. Still, for dead-on, you could certainly tweak the amount and replace it with the corn syrup. Hooray for OCP!!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I think making these this weekend will make me feel like I’ve had a visit back home. I get nostalgic on holidays. These look better than Little Debbie!
Jennifer Field says
I humbly submit that they are indeed better than Little Debbies, Maureen! I managed to make them without any chemical aftertaste. Imagine that! lol =) They truly will make you feel like a kid again!
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
You definitely should name these Little Jenni’s!!! I am so glad that you got rid of the chemical-ly aftertaste because that’s the part I can’t stand!! 🙂
Jennifer Field says
It’s so apparent, especially if you’re mostly used to homemade goodies. Next up: Swiss Cake Rolls, because those guys were The Best along with the oatmeal cream pies!
MaggieToo says
Can’t wait to see your version of Swiss Rolls. When you do it, could you give us an alternate chocolate filling for them? I used to be able to find the Debbies with chocolate fill, but haven’t seen them in years. They were sooo good frozen solid and eaten straight from the freezer.
Jennifer Field says
I will see what I can do, because Swiss Rolls are definitely on my list!!
Mels says
Chica, the biggest difference between yours and theirs is they add red #40!! Whenever a company can’t or won’t get a good chocolate color from their recipe (instant chocolate pudding–I’m looking at you, Jell-o) they resort to chemical colorants. Yay for petrochemicals! But if I ever decide to yank out the old scale for more than pinewood derby cars, I’ll try this one.
Jennifer Field says
There is all manner of weird ingredients in Little Debbies, and the food dye definitely is one of the most unwelcome, in my opinion. I do hope you give these a try. I promise they taste just like the originals, minus the weird chemical-burn aftertaste. I also encourage you to get a scale just for baking in general–makes it so much easier and faster as well as much more precise. Thanks so much for stopping in, Melissa!
allison thomas says
how do these hold up? can you make a day in advance? i am a caterer looking for a little debbie copycat recipe for a 1965 themed party. i need to make bulk amount and a day ahead. will this recipe do?
Jennifer Field says
They should work just fine, Allison. Mine held up quite well for 3-4 days just at room temp. Would love to see photos of the spread from the party–sounds like fun!
Patric Hamilton says
I am going to try making these, but I won’t have time today. I gradually began to fall out of love with the Little Debbie oatmeal crème pies, for the same reasons mentioned. I even went so far, a few years ago, as to contact the manufacturer to ask them why they had changed the filling…..telling them that it no longer had the same taste or texture, and “would they please go back to the original recipe”, but they denied it, and in typical large-company fashion, offered me some discount coupons, which I told them wasn’t the point.
I finally realized that it was pointless, and that they probably thought I was just some kook.
The original crème pies were amazing, and I hope to be able to have the experience of once-again tasting and feeling (yes, the texture is also gone) those original treats.
Thank you for taking the time to do this…..amazing dedication!!!
Jennifer Field says
Patric, I will say that these are not the same as the oatmeal cream pies I used to have as a kid. Those seemed to be a bit…sturdier…or something? The cookies had more texture. But since I don’t have those (boo) to compare, I based this new recipe on the newer formulation. I think you’ll really like the flavor and the texture both, and I promise you won’t get that weird burning sensation in your mouth when you eat them. When you do have time to make them, I hope you let me know what you think!
Take care, and thanks for visiting!
Soraya says
I can’t wait to make these! My boyfriend just requested I bake homemade oatmeal creme pies cause he bought the Little Debbie ones recently and remembered how much he loved them. He definitely does NOT like the chemical afterburn they cause though! Will report back once I’ve tried out the recipe 🙂
Jennifer Field says
Oh, wonderful! I can guarantee you both Little Debbie goodness AND no chemical afterburn! I look forward to hearing your review, Soraya. Thanks so much for stopping in!
Bobby says
Late to the party on this one but I’ll definitely be trying your recipe! I’m curious to know if palm oil (instead of butter) might bring the creme filling closer to the original? I might have to try both ways! Thanks for doing the heavy lifting on this one!
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Bobby! I’m going with yes, it most likely will get you closer. I am a fan of the butteriness, but if you want to get even closer than I did, I think that’s a great place to start. You’ll have to let me know how they turn out. Enjoy!
Bobby says
Hi again!
I’m getting ready to give these a whirl and just for kicks I went and looked at the little debbie ingredient list. I noticed Coconut is listed in the current ingredients! Just curious if you tried coconut when doing your testing? I’ve never noticed a coconut element to the taste but then again I never would have considered apples or raisins!
I’m by no means a professional baker but while going over and over your wonderful looking recipe I got to thinking that with the Dark brown sugar, molasses, and dark corn syrup there are 3 sources of molasses. The malted milk powder is most likely there for the malt flavor (possibly also the milk solids for browning?).
I am thinking of ditching the malted milk powder, replacing the corn syrup for Barley malt syrup (which, if I’m understanding the process correctly, is also an invert sugar) which will provide some sweetness and the malt flavor and then maybe just adding some milk powder?
It’s probably asking for trouble to change the recipe before I make them the first time but for whatever reason this project has me thoroughly excited to play around with it!
I’ll certainly let you know how it all shakes out!!!
Thanks again for the inspiration!
Jennifer Field says
Hooray for inspiration–that’s what it’s all about! And you know, I don’t remember seeing coconut. That print is tiny! lol I say go for it though–maybe just a touch of desiccated coconut (unsweetened). And yes, I think you can absolutely use malt syrup and plain powdered milk. Looking forward to your notes on your experimentation, Bobby. Enjoy!
Bobby says
I absolutely will let you know how they turn out! Also I think I figured out how to work some coconut into them. Since my proposed use of malt syrup would eliminate the malted milk powder I’d like to replace those 4 tsp of dry ingredient. Malted milk powder is flour, malt, and milk powder (essentially). SO I think I’ll replace that bit of flour with coconut flour, and then use milk powder.
I’ll be back soon to let you know if it worked or was a disaster! 🙂
Jennifer Field says
I support your plan!! Can’t wait for the report!
Bobby says
Well I made them last night! The substitutions I made were: 1) Barley malt syrup instead of Corn syrup. 2) Liquid Coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. 3) Coconut flour instead of malted milk powder. (Was going to use a bit of dry milk powder but didn’t feel like buying a $10 bag of it just for a teaspoon!). 4) Palm oil in the filling (with just a little butter that was leftover from what went in the cookies).
Everything went together easily. I used a number 20 scoop to portion the cookies (I compared the volume and if I under filled the scoop that was the 1-1/2 tablespoons called for). Now it could be my elevation here in Minnesota, it could be the substitutions I made in the recipe, etc but my baking time needed to be increased dramatically. I did the 4 minutes, rotate pans, 4 minutes, cool 4 minutes that was in the recipe but my cookies just oozed through the wire rack. I put them back together on the pan and baked longer and they came out fine.
The second round I did something a little different. Instead of leaving the dough in the ball shape (from coming out of the scoop) the sort of flattened them (the way they’d look if I had cut them off of a log of cookie dough). Also paying attention to the previous baking time I baked them for the same amount…which was approximately 12-14 minutes total. The second batch turned out picture perfect!
While making the filling I realized that the thermometer I had on hand must not be calibrated and so I’m thinking the egg whites might not have been quite hot enough (though they seemed to whip up fine?). The filling went together nicely. As mentioned above I had just a little butter left from the stick that was cut up for the cookies so I started there and used (organic, fair trade, responsibly sourced) palm oil for the remainder of the fat. This was my first time using palm oil in..well…anything and it is very interesting! It’s not as thick/heavy/paste-like as the little debbie filling but it works nicely and I think it could be a perfect filling for something like a homemade twinkie! Maybe the cookies will absorb some of the moisture out of the filling and it will firm up a bit more. (Any thoughts on how to modify this filling to make it heavier/thicker?)
So there was the experience making them. I was going to wait until they had sat for a day to taste them but after a couple hours I couldn’t help myself. So here’s my impression of them:
First off they’re delicious! Now have not been born until the early 80s my only frame of reference is the modern chemical-cakes that we all know these days. I have no idea what an “original” oatmeal pie would have tasted like. I think that the next time I make these I’m going to try something a little more daring. First I’m going to use the barley malt syrup (Eden brand) in place of the corn syrup AND the molasses. The second thing I’m going to do is try omitting the cinnamon. It’s crazy that for how little cinnamon is in here I can REALLY taste it. It tastes nice but cinnamon isn’t a flavor I pick up from the little debbie snack.
The barley malt syrup has a mild molasses flavor so using it to replace the molasses would help tone that down just a touch. I think reducing the molasses and ditching the cinnamon will take it further out of “spice cookie” territory and move it firmly into “nondescript soft oatmeal cookie recipe”.
OH and by the way since I haven’t seen apple chips in YEARS I did use dried apples (the slightly squishy ones). No problem!
This was my first time every baking by weights (I just went out and bought a kitchen scale the night before) so I had no idea what to expect and what amounts would be. I bought a ridiculous amount of dried apples and a big bag of raisins. Imagine my surprise when I only needed maybe 10 raisins, and just a few pieces of apple. HA! I really think you nailed it though, those raisins and apples really make for a moist cookie!
The next time I make these with my additional changes I’ll post again what the results are! Regardless the recipe as-is is dynamite and for anyone thinking of trying them out you will dig it!
If you have any thoughts on making the filling more dense/thick please let me know!
Cheers!!!!
Jennifer Field says
This is the best! I love the changes you made, and also “nondescript soft oatmeal cookie” is exactly what we’re going for. Too funny! Stella Parks just released her incredible (and highly recommended) BraveTart cookbook, and she has her own version of Little Debbies. Ours are of course fairly similar since we both started with looking at the ingredient list. Her filling might work better for you. I don’t recall off the top of my head exactly what is in hers, but I can guarantee you hers will be as spot on as possible. I bet that recipe is floating around if you give it a quick Google.
So glad you enjoyed the cookies, and thank you for taking the time to tell me all your subs.
Take care, and have The Best Holiday!
Bobby says
Hey there! Happy 2018!
I just wanted to pop back in to say that my comment about the filling was entirely premature. Even before I made them that first time I knew in my head that upon sitting for a day that the cookies would suck a bit of moisture out of the filling which would make the cookies super soft and thicken the filling a bit. When I made them last month I wasn’t even going to taste one the right away as I knew that letting them sit a day would change things. Well I didn’t wait, I tasted right away, and of course my reaction was stupid! hahaha. The very next day the cookies had absorbed some moisture as planned and the filling was spot on.
I’m going to make another batch tonight that incorporates a few more changes in an effort to get rid of some of the molasses flavors. I’ll let you know how they come out! After I get this one dialed in I think I might have to try recreating Little debbie zebra cakes or Hostess ding dongs. 🙂
Jennifer Field says
You could do a whole series of LD copy cats! Glad the filling shaped up for you. I am often, okay almost always, impatient, so I taste immediately, the next day, and then try to save one to taste after 2-3 days. That’s a hard one! lol
Katie says
Absolutely delicious! I had to (had to) tweak a few ingredients, and am pleasantly surprised the cookies still turned out delicious! I used everything exactly what was called for for the filling, though! Which turned out equally delicious.
~ My tweaks for those who don’t have certain ingredients, or the store down the street doesn’t sell them:
– no malt powder (sadly couldn’t find any, and I HAD to make these today)
– no corn syrup : honey as substitute
– used .5oz blackstrap molasses and the rest maple syrup to total the 1.2oz
– no apple chips : coconut flakes as substitute
Thank you Jenni for the delicious recipe! I can’t wait to try it with all the right ingredients!!
Jennifer Field says
Katie, hi! I am so glad these turned out for you, and I love your subs as well! I completely understand having to make them RIGHTNOW and just going with what you have! Hooray! Thank you so much for stopping by to let me know. You made my day! 🙂
Annie says
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made these tonight and was so pleased with how they turned out. The cookies took longer than 8 minutes to bake for me, but I find that ovens vary and therefore baking times vary, as well.
I’ll be adding this recipe to my stash, for sure! We’ve put the leftovers in the freezer and are looking forward to trying them out in the days to come. 🙂
Again, thanks for sharing. I know a lot of hard work goes into fine-tuning a recipe like this.
Jennifer Field says
Annie, hi! Thanks so much for commenting–I am thrilled you love the cookies! Enjoy your leftovers, and do let me know how well the freeze. Seems like they’d be just fine, but you never know. I’m so happy another oatmeal cream pie lover found this post! 🙂
Denise says
Well, I am a true oatmeal cookie lover and I use to love Little Debbies back in the day too! Your new recipe sounds and looks even better. I cannot wait to get a chance to make them at home!!
Jennifer Field says
I would be thrilled if you make these, Denise! Hope you and Lenny are doing well. I think about you guys often! ❤️
Kate says
Made these tonight but haven’t assembled them yet. Do they need to be stored in the fridge because of the eggwhites? Or is on the counter fine? Thank you!
Jennifer Field says
Hey, Kate! Good question. I will add this piece to the post, so thank you for bringing it up. I stored mine in the fridge. I honestly think because of the amount of sugar that the filling would be fine at room temp for 2-3 days, but erring on the side of caution is always a good thing. Just bring them up to room temp again before serving. Alternatively, you can also cook the whites to a higher temperature–say 165F rather than 150F. In effect, that will Pasteurize them and the filling will then be that much safer if left at room temperature for a few days. I hope that helps, and I’m looking forward to hearing what you think of the cookies. I wanted them to be as close to perfect as I could make them! 🙂
JenP says
Thank you so much for going to all the trouble of making a *true* copycat recipe!! It’s that particular texture of the filling that I have been stumped on how to recreate. Most recipes I’ve been finding online simply use an American Buttercream, or else a plain homemade marshmallow fluff (aka seven-minute frosting aka Swiss meringue.) Like you said, they are all perfectly delicious cream-filled oatmeal cookie recipes, but they aren’t “copycats.” I see you made a Swiss meringue buttercream, but with confectioners sugar where you would normally use granulated, and with additional confectioners sugar added after the butter. Interesting! That should make it thick and firm like the filling I remember. I may even make it with shortening instead of butter just to make it more like Little Debbies…you know they don’t spend the money to use real butter.
Thanks again!
Jennifer Field says
Yes, exactly! Yay! I actually already had that SMBC in the house when I was developing this recipe, so adding some powdered sugar to it really gave me that slightly gritty texture I was looking for. I truly hopw you enjoy these, and if you do make them, please let me know what you think. Thanks so much for stopping in, Jen!
Lisa says
Ok, I love this for this reason: my hair stands up every time I read a “copycat” recipe that’s “better than the original!” Then it’s not a copycat!
I followed the recipe exactly, but changed the baking instructions, because I made one giant oatmeal cream pie. I dolloped the batter into a large round pan, flattened slightly, bake at 375 for 15 minutes, then reduced to 300 for another 15 mins. My only change in the future will be to use less cinnamon, or omit it, as the flavor is strong for such a small amount. These are SPOT ON! Thank you so much for sharing!
Jennifer Field says
Ooh, I love that you made 1 big oatmeal pie! Very cool! Glad you like them! I tried really hard to get it as exact as I could minus the chemical burn!
Jenny says
Well, I wish I had found YOUR recipe first! I just made a batch of “copy cat (not)” LD oatmeal creme pies and while they are good cookies, I immediately thought something was missing – then it was “wait, doesn’t the LD’s have raisins in them? I KNOW I can taste raisins in them.” This recipe used no raisins. So I googled. Yep, they do. And that lead me to YOUR post. I will definitely be making your recipe next time!!!! Thank you for taking the trouble to make a real copy cat. Oh, and I loved the original oatmeal creme pies and can remember the difference. Nowadays when I get a craving for one I am always disappointed but hadn’t figured out what the problem is. You nailed it – it is the chemical burn!!! I’ll come back and post again when I get to make your recipe.
Jennifer Field says
Yeah, that chemical burn is real, right?! lol Can’t wait to hear your review. I think you will really like them!
Kristin Thompson says
I had an oatmeal cream pie cookie recipe but wanted a filling that tastes authentic and didn’t use marshmallow fluff. Your filling was perfect! I heated my egg to 165 to be safe, but it took forever to cool down to 65. I ended up putting my mixing bowl in an ice bath to cool it the rest of the way, for fear I would over-whip the egg whites. Thankfully the second addition of powdered sugar helped everything mix smoothly.
Jennifer Field says
Two pieces of good news, once the eggs are up to 165F and have that much sugar in them, there’s almost no way to overmix. And second: you came up with a great solution for cooling the whites more quickly! I’m so glad you like the filling–I wanted it to be as close to the original as possible. So glad you went for it, Kristin!
Jacque says
Hi Jenni!
I am a GF/ Celiac Safe home baker. I have a friend’s son coming for a visit . I asked what he misses most since becoming Celiac. His answer..LITTLE DEBBIE OATMEAL CREME PIES. As a Canadian I am out of the loop on this product. So I found you and will need to give your recipe a few modifications. Looking for some help. As a Celiac Malt Milk Powder is a no no. Do you have an alternative that would still satisfy? Thank you so much!
Jennifer Field says
Oh, Jacque, I really hope you can turn this into the Little Debbie of this kid’s dreams! It must be so hard not to be able to eat your most favorite foods when a medical condition precludes it. You can safely leave the malted milk powder out or replace it with an equal amount of dried milk powder. Please report back. I cannot wait to hear how he likes these, and thank you on his behalf for tackling it. I know it has a lot of fussy ingredients in it, but it really is pretty much a dead-ringer for a real Little Debbie. I think he’ll be thrilled!
Jacque says
Thank you Debbie for the encouragement! It is my pleasure to experiment and bring a little joy to others in the process.
I just wasn’t sure if the Malt Milk Powder was for flavour and colour in which case Soy Milk powder might be a better alternative versus for rise which then plain Milk powder would work well. So it isn’t for the malt taste correct? Thank you again for your help and I will let you know how my experiments (you know there will be more than one) go!
Jennifer Field says
I can’t really detect any malt flavor in the cookies, even knowing the malt powder is there. The cookies do not rise much at all, so I think you are good to sub what you think is best. I can’t wait to hear what you come up with!
Jacque says
Thank you Jenni! I just noticed above that I thanked Debbie …. Well I guess “she” deserves a thank you as well! I will let you know how I do!