Festive Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies: A Homemade Holiday Treat

There’s something truly magical about recreating cherished childhood flavors and infusing them with the warmth of the holiday season. These Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies are a perfect example, taking a familiar, comforting treat and giving it a delightful festive twist. Crafting these homemade delights not only brings a burst of seasonal flavor but also creates lasting memories for everyone who gets to enjoy them.

A freshly baked Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie, with a charming gingerbread man shape cut out of the top cookie, revealing the creamy white filling. Two cookies are perfectly sandwiched together, resting on a rustic wooden surface, evoking a cozy holiday feel.

Baking from scratch offers a unique opportunity to add your personal touch, transforming a simple dessert into something truly special. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, the joy of creating these gingerbread-spiced oatmeal cream pies is immense. The aroma filling your kitchen will instantly transport you to a holiday wonderland, making these cookies an essential part of your festive traditions.

If you’re embracing the spirit of a homemade Christmas, you might also enjoy exploring my Gingerbread Salt Dough Ornaments and Easy Pasta Ornaments, which are fantastic, simple crafts suitable for both adults and children to make together!

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and detailed instructions.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

One of the best aspects of these Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies is that most of the cookie ingredients are likely already staples in your pantry. This means you can whip up a batch of these delightful cookies at a moment’s notice! However, I highly recommend preparing your own Homemade Gingerbread Spice Mix. It allows for a greater degree of customization, letting you adjust the warmth and intensity of the gingerbread flavor to your liking. The blend of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg is truly what makes these cookies sing with holiday cheer.

A helpful tip to keep in your baking arsenal: if you don’t have dark brown sugar on hand, simply use light brown sugar and add an extra tablespoon of molasses to the recipe. This substitution will impart that rich, deep flavor profile characteristic of darker sugar, ensuring your cookies have that classic gingerbread depth.

A collection of ingredients for Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie cookies, including flour, oats, brown sugar, white sugar, butter, eggs, molasses, and a jar of gingerbread spice mix, neatly arranged on a white surface.

Just like the cookies, the ingredient list for the creamy filling is wonderfully straightforward. The magic truly happens through the technique, transforming simple butter, powdered sugar, and spices into an incredibly fluffy and flavorful frosting that perfectly complements the spiced oatmeal cookies. Using room temperature butter for both the cookies and the filling is paramount, as it ensures everything creams together smoothly and incorporates air for that light, airy texture we’re aiming for.

Ingredients laid out for the filling of Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies, featuring butter, powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and gingerbread spice mix, ready for preparation.

Crafting Your Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies: Step-by-Step

Let’s dive into the baking process, starting with the delicious gingerbread oatmeal cookies. As with many cookie recipes, the initial step involves creaming together the butter and sugars until the mixture is visibly light and fluffy. This isn’t a step to rush; dedicate a full 3-4 minutes to this process. Setting a timer ensures that sufficient air is incorporated, which is crucial for achieving that wonderfully soft and tender cookie texture.

Close-up shot of creamed butter and sugars in a mixer bowl, with an egg, vanilla extract, and molasses freshly blended in, creating a smooth and rich mixture.

Once your wet ingredients are perfectly combined, gently fold in the dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, salt, gingerbread spice mix, quick-cooking oats, and finely chopped pecans. Mix until just combined to avoid overworking the dough, which can lead to tough cookies. After mixing, portion out the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. This crucial step prevents sticking and aids in easy cleanup. Then, place the entire sheet into the refrigerator to chill for 20-30 minutes before baking. Chilling the dough not only prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven but also allows the oats to hydrate, resulting in a chewier, more flavorful cookie.

Close-up of fully mixed gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough, showcasing its rich texture and flecks of oats and pecans.

Portioned gingerbread oatmeal cookie dough balls, neatly arranged and chilled on a parchment-lined sheet pan, ready for baking.

Bake the cookies until their edges just begin to turn a beautiful golden brown. This usually takes about 10-12 minutes, but keep an eye on them as oven temperatures can vary. After baking, it’s important to let them cool completely on the baking tray before moving them to a wire rack. This allows the cookies to set properly, giving them a delightful crispness on the outside while maintaining a wonderfully soft and chewy center – the perfect contrast for an oatmeal cream pie.

Freshly baked gingerbread oatmeal cream pie cookies, golden brown and perfectly rounded, cooling on a baking sheet.

Next up is the heavenly gingerbread cream filling. Begin by creaming the softened butter on high speed until it’s remarkably light, fluffy, and almost white in color. This vigorous creaming process incorporates air, making the filling wonderfully smooth and airy. Then, beat in the pure vanilla extract and your homemade gingerbread spice mix, ensuring these flavors are evenly distributed throughout the butter. Gradually add the powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, on low speed to prevent a sugary cloud from engulfing your kitchen. Once all the sugar is incorporated, add the milk and beat the mixture on medium speed for an additional 2 minutes until it transforms into a fluffy, spreadable cream, ready to sandwich between your cooled cookies.

Butter creamed until light and fluffy in a stand mixer, ready for the next steps of the filling.

Creamed butter with vanilla and gingerbread spice mix added, creating an aromatic base for the filling.

With your delectable filling prepared and your gingerbread oatmeal cookies cooled, it’s time for the assembly! Arrange your cookies in pairs, flipping one of each pair upside down. Using a small scoop (about 1 tablespoon), place a generous dollop of the creamy filling onto the flat bottom of the upside-down cookie. Gently top it with the second cookie, right side up, and press down just enough to allow the cream to spread evenly to the edges. Repeat this process for all your cookies, creating perfectly portioned cream pie sandwiches.

Gingerbread oatmeal cookies laid out in pairs, with half of them flipped upside down, awaiting the cream filling.

Cream filling being carefully placed onto the upside-down gingerbread oatmeal cookies using a small scoop, ready to be sandwiched.

For an extra touch of festive whimsy that’s sure to delight both kids and adults, consider using a mini gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut out shapes from the centers of some of your baked cookies. Then, fill them as usual, allowing a peek of the creamy white filling to show through the adorable cutouts. The tiny gingerbread man cutouts themselves can also be filled to create delightful, bite-sized mini cookies, perfect for little hands or as light appetizers at your holiday gathering. This playful detail adds a literal interpretation to the gingerbread theme, making these treats even more special and memorable. My nephew absolutely adores this playful touch!

Several gingerbread oatmeal cookies with charming gingerbread men shapes carefully cut out of their centers.

A beautifully assembled Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie with a gingerbread man cutout, showcasing the creamy filling peeking through, highlighting its festive design.

A festive Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie, showing the cutout gingerbread man shape filled with creamy goodness, ready for a holiday celebration.

Notes & Tips for Success

Achieving the perfect Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies is all about understanding a few key details and techniques. Here are some essential notes and tips to ensure your baking experience is smooth and your cookies turn out exceptionally delicious:

**Dark Brown Sugar Substitute:** As mentioned, if you typically only stock light brown sugar in your pantry, don’t worry! You can easily replicate the rich, deep flavor of dark brown sugar by adding an extra tablespoon of molasses to your recipe. This small addition makes a big difference in the final taste and moisture of the cookies.
**Perfectly Portioned Cookies and Filling:** For cookies that are consistently sized and bake up uniformly, a cookie scoop is your best friend. Use THIS SCOOP for portioning the dough, which helps ensure even baking and a professional look. For the ideal amount of creamy filling in each pie, reach for THIS ONE. Consistency in portioning leads to consistency in results!
**The Importance of Chilling the Dough:** Do not skip the chilling step! Refrigerating the cookie dough for at least 20-30 minutes is absolutely vital. It serves several purposes: it prevents the cookies from spreading too thinly during baking, maintains their desired shape, and allows the quick-cooking oats ample time to hydrate. Hydrated oats contribute to a chewier texture and a more developed flavor profile in the finished cookie.
**Cutting Festive Shapes:** If you opt to cut out cute gingerbread man shapes from the centers of some baked cookies, work slowly and apply even pressure with your cookie cutter. This technique helps prevent the delicate cookies from splitting at their thinnest points, such as the gingerbread man’s arms or legs. Should a cookie happen to crack, don’t despair! These cookies are quite forgiving. Once you press the cut cookie onto another with the filling, the cream acts as a wonderful adhesive, holding everything together perfectly.

Versatile Substitutions for Your Recipe

Baking should be adaptable to your pantry and preferences. Here are some smart substitutions you can make without compromising the delicious outcome of your Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies:

**Brown Sugar Swap:** As discussed, light brown sugar can be directly swapped for dark brown sugar. Just remember to add an extra tablespoon of molasses to boost the rich flavor that dark brown sugar naturally provides.
**Gingerbread Spice Mix Alternatives:** While a homemade gingerbread spice mix offers the best customization, if you don’t have all the individual spices or a pre-made mix, you can still achieve a wonderful flavor. At a minimum, ensure you include a generous amount of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg. Adding a touch of ground cloves or allspice can further enhance the classic gingerbread taste.
**Oat Varieties:** This recipe calls for quick-cooking oats, which provide a delicate chewiness. While rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) can be used, quick-cooking oats are preferred for their finer texture, which integrates seamlessly into the cookies and contributes to their signature softness. If using rolled oats, the texture might be slightly heartier.
**Pecan Omission:** The addition of finely chopped pecans in these oatmeal cream pies adds a lovely crunch and nutty depth. However, if you have a nut allergy, or simply don’t have pecans on hand, feel free to omit them altogether. The cookies will still be incredibly flavorful and delicious without them. You could also try other finely chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds if desired and not for allergy reasons.

A festive Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pie with a charming gingerbread man shape cut out of one side, revealing the creamy filling. Two cookies are sandwiched together, perfectly baked, and ready to be enjoyed as a holiday treat.

More Festive Christmas Treats

Peppermint Chai Eggnog Cocktail

Pistachio Amaretti Cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Winter Whiskey Wassail

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Pistachio Cookies with Nutella

Hot Buttered Rum

Homemade Oreo Cookies

Sugar-Free Hot Cocoa Mix

Soft Baked Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Did you make this recipe? Let me know by leaving a review or comment! And be sure to sign up for my newsletter, and follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!

📖 Recipe

Yield: 15 sandwiched cookies

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Prep Time:
15 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Additional Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
55 minutes

What I love about these Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies is taking a favorite treat and infusing it with lots of festive holiday flavor!

Ingredients

for the cookies:

20 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, room temperature (2 ½ sticks)
1 cup packed Dark Brown Sugar
½ cup Granulated Sugar
1 large Egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 tablespoon Molasses
1 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
4 teaspoons Gingerbread Spice Mix
3 cups Quick-Cooking Oats
1 cup Pecans, finely chopped

for the filling:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Gingerbread Spice Mix
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepared three large baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

to make the cookies:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses to the bowl and blend until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the baking soda, salt, and gingerbread spice mix; blend for 30 more seconds.
Place the flour, oats, and pecans in the bowl and mix on low speed until well combined.
Using a 1 ½-tablespoon scoop to portion the dough onto a baking pan, you can put them all on one sheet this time, and refrigerate them for at least 20 minutes, up to an hour.
When ready to bake place the dough balls about 2 inches apart across your 3 prepared baking sheets (10 cookies per sheet).
One sheet at a time, bake the cookies until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet placed on top of a wire rack for 30 minutes.

To make the filling:

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla and gingerbread spice and beat in until well combined.
On low speed beat the powdered sugar in ½ cup at a time. When all the sugar has been worked in, beat in the milk. When the mixture is smooth, increase the speed to medium, and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Lay out the cookies in pairs, flipping one of each face-up. Using a small (1-tablespoon) scoop, place the filling on the bottom of the upside-down cookie. Place the second cookie on top, right side up, and sandwich them together, pressing just enough to spread the filling to the edges. Repeat to make the rest of the sandwiches.

Notes

Notes & Tips

If dark brown sugar isn’t something you keep on hand, I know I typically only keep light in my pantry. You can add an extra tablespoon of molasses to the recipe to enhance the flavor that the dark brown sugar brings.

For perfectly portioned cookies that bake up all the same size, use THIS SCOOP! And use THIS ONE for the perfect amount of filling.

Chilling the cookies is a very important step and is not to be skipped. It ensures the cookies do not spread too far and become too thin. It also gives the oatmeal some time to hydrate.

If you cut out the centers of some of the baked cookies with gingerbread man cutters, just work slowly and apply even pressure so the cookies don’t split at the smallest points. If this does happen, it is super forgiving and when you press the cut cookie onto another with filling, you can press it together and it will stay put.

Substitutions

As noted earlier, light brown sugar can be swapped for dark. If you do this add an extra tablespoon of molasses to the recipe.

If you don’t make your own Gingerbread Spice Mix simply use some cinnamon and nutmeg at a minimum.

Be sure to use quick-cooking oats, using rolled oats is on, but quick cooking is better.

I like the addition of pecans in my oatmeal cream pies, but if you have an allergy and need to leave them out, or don’t have any on hand you can omit them altogether.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Festive Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies