Also known as, the way into the heart.
I have incredibly vivid food memories from when I was young.
I remember fluffer nutter sandwiches as being the ultimate birthday packed lunch (only on your birthday because it’s essentially a giant marshmallow in between two slices of bread). I remember oatmeal cream pies while waiting for It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown to come on. I remember dunking Oreos in peanut butter as I watched The Parent Trap.
It seems that as we age, the need for reminiscing and feeling those care-free moments again becomes more and more necessary. So why not turn to some creative nostalgia in the kitchen, shall we?
I give you: Chocolate peanut butter oatmeal cream pies. The blessing that is being an adult and mashing every single good food memory into one ridiculous confection.
There are two possible fillings for these bad boys. One is the classic, marshmallow cream. The other is an incredible twist, cream cheese peanut butter. Which will you choose? Spoiler alert: you don’t have to choose…
Let’s get to it! This makes 12 large cream pies.
For the cookies you will need:
1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable oil or shortening
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 room temperature eggs
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats (you may pulse these in a blender if you want a classic cream pie texture. I left them whole)
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
8 oz. roughly chopped semi-sweet chocolate
For filling 1 (Marshmallow peanut butter):
1 cup marshmallow cream
2 tablespoons melted peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For filling 2 (Cream Cheese Peanut Butter):
1 package room temperature cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons soft salted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
2 tablespoons melted peanut butter
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
If you are making the cream cheese peanut butter filling, and you definitely should try it, let’s begin there. Cream together the butter, cream cheese, vanilla and salt with the whisk attachment, until its very light and fluffy. Add in the sugar 1/4 cup at a time, until it is combined and airy. Swirl the peanut butter in with a spoon, leaving streaks. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
For the cookies: in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy on medium high. Turn the mixer down and stream in the molasses. Add in the vanilla and eggs one at a time.
In a separate bowl, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
Add in all of the dry ingredients with the mixer on low, and mix util just combined. Stir in the chopped chocolate.
Drop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough on a silpat or parchment paper lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of room for the cookies to spread. I tapped the cookie dough down a bit before baking, because I wanted a nice flat cream pie.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are slightly browned. Cool completely on a rack before assembling, lest you want melted filling! Patience, it sure is a bi-… virtue.
You shall be rewarded.
Soft, chewy, creamy, chocolate-penutbuttery. Halp me.
I don’t know what else to say, other than if you make these for a special someone for Valentines Day…be prepared for a long term relationship.
XOXO,
Megan