Monday, March 21, 2011

Oatmeal Cream Pies


My husband has another woman in his life.   Her name is Little Debbie. She lives in his lunchbox on a regular basis.  He loves the treats she comes up with.  You know the kind, sticky sweet cake-like bits?  Spackled together with shortening based goo, a list of unpronounceable ingredients as long as the box ?  What, you know her too?  I think it's the crackly sound of cellophane that has bewitched people into thinking her stuff is actually food.  When I was a kid, I had an aunt who made oatmeal cream pies all by herself.  No Little Debbie to help. I remember a pail piled full of these little pillows of deliciousness, better then anything that ever came cellophane wrapped.  Recently, I dug out the recipe and they were every bit as yummy as I remember.  Best of all?  I think they have convinced the husband to be done with Debbie!

Oatmeal Cream Pies
The cookie part of this recipe is good enough to stand alone. It makes a moist, chewy, oatmeal cookie that is just right for the chubby hands of the Baby of this household.  And that is good.  Oh, but there's more.  The frosting is what turns this into something memorable, something you will make again and again.  Don't let the flour stop you.  Yes, you read that right. Flour in the frosting. Flour boiled with milk into a paste, then whipped into a fluff with butter and vanilla, resulting in the lightest, fluffiest, unspackling-like frosting you have ever tasted.  What's stopping you?!  Go make them

Cookie
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
12 Tbsp softened butter
2 eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda dissolved in 3 tbsp boiling water
In a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar for several minutes or until fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla, beat well.  Slowly add the flour, salt, baking powder, oatmeal, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Last of all, add the soda water and beat one final time.  Drop by spoonful onto parchment lined (or sprayed) cookie sheet.  Flatten dough balls just a little.  Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Cool.

Frosting
1 cup whole milk
5 Tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
14 Tbsp salted butter, softened (the real deal - no plastic based margarine)
1 generous tsp vanilla (REAL vanilla - not flavored corn syrup)

In small saucepan, over med high heat, combine milk and flour.  Wisk, wisk and wisk some more or until mixture comes to a boil and thickens.  Wisk until it is good and thick.  Do not get sidetracked by Baby while mixture is coming to a boil.  It WILL cement itself to the bottom of the saucepan and you will have to throw out batch #1 and start over.  Ask me how I know this.  When mixture is thick, turn off heat and set aside to cool.  Let cool completely.  To room temp.

Meanwhile:  In stand mixer, beat butter and sugar very well or until sugar is dissolved and graininess is gone.  This may take about 5 minutes.  Add vanilla, beat in.  When flour mixture is cool, add to butter/sugar mixture and beat on high.  It now look like you have ruined it.  It will curdle and look awful and you will want to give up.  Beat, beat, beat.   You are SO close to deliciousness.  Keep beating on high until mixture is fluffy and has the texture of whipped cream. This is a good 5-10 minute process depending on your mixer. Taste!  Isn't that amazing?!  Scoop frosting into large resealable bag and snip off a small corner. Squeeze a generous dose of  frosting onto one cookie and top with another one. Good-bye Little Debbie!

If you think these cookies will last more then one day at your house, they keep best and stay moist in the fridge.  They also freeze quite nicely.

4 comments:

  1. I love these, thanks for posting!!!!

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  2. Let me know what you think when you try them!

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  3. Oooh I'm gonna try this one. Toby loves loves whoopi pies...

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  4. Made these tonight as a belated Fathers Day meal, they don't last very long!

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