Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies

The only Little Debbie treats that I ever consider buying are those darn oatmeal cream pies.  Most of the time I have enough self-control to walk past them without throwing them in the cart...but when I saw this recipe on The Craving Chronicles blog, there was no passing it by!  They promise to be better than the actual thing, which I agree that the cookies are, but the cream doesn't quite hold up to Little Debbie's standards!  Still, they will be something I make again!

Cookie Ingredients
1 cup of margarine
¾ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 ½ cups flour
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 ½ cups quick cook oats

Cream Filling Ingredients
2 tsp. very hot water
¼ tsp. salt
7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream
½ cup shortening
1/3 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. vanilla


In a large bowl cream the margarine, brown sugar, sugar, molasses, vanilla, and eggs.
Combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon and add to the creamed mixture.
Mix in the oats.  Drop by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350º for about 11 minutes.  Be careful not to burn them. (SET A TIMER if you are anything like me!)  They will still look moist, but you want this rather than overcooked.  Remove cookies to a cooling rack to make sure they don't continue to cook on the hot pan.
     As the cookies are baking, you will want to prepare the cream filling.  First, in a small cup, dissolve the the salt in the hot water.  Set aside to cool.  Combine the marshmallow cream, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  Mix on high until fluffy.  Mix in the cooled salt water.
     When the cookies have cooled slightly, you will want to spread the flat side of half the cookies with the cream filling.  Take the other half of the cookies and press into the filling to make a "sandwich."  Makes about 18 pies.