Oatmeal Cream Pies with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

We found this little cookie shop just down the road from our new house. They have these delightful oatmeal cream pies that we just haven’t been able to stay away from! However, at $1.50 a piece we have been racking up quite the bill! When I saw a recipe on my friend, Melanie’s, blog, for Double cruncher cookies, I knew it would be the perfect recipe for my attempt at the oatmeal cream pies. So, I decided to go for it! I added a little more “crunch” than both the original cookies and recipe have, and added this heavenly salted buttercream frosting to the center. You won’t regret. My husband has been raving over them all night, as well as the neighbors I shared them with! If you want some raving yourself, make these, tonight.

Oatmeal Cream Pies with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Printable Version

Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened to room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cups crushed cornflakes

1 cup rice crispie

1 cup sweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl (of a stand mixer or with a handheld electric mixer), cream together the butter and both sugars until the mixture is light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the oats, cornflakes, rice crispies, and coconut. (Just a side note, I like to shred my coconut a little further in a food processer). Stir until combined.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on silpat or parchment-lined baking sheets (or lightly greased baking sheets). Bake for 10 minutes until lightly browned around the edges but still slightly soft in the middle.

Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Spread frosting (recipe below) on the underside of half the cookies and top with the other half of the cookies (pretty sides facing out).

Cookie Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Makes about 24 sandwiches (48 cookies)

(If you make mini cookies, it makes about 80 cookies, or 40 sandwiches)

Salted Caramel Buttercream

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

20 bite sized caramels

2 T. heavy cream

2 c. powdered sugar

heaping 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

First, melt the caramel with the heavy cream. You can pop it in the microwave for 30 second increments, until the caramel is smooth, it takes about 1.5 minutes in my microwave. Allow it to cool in the fridge for about 10 minutes, stirring to help it cool evenly.

Meanwhile, whip the butter for about 30 seconds on med-high speed, so it gets fluffy. Add in one cup of powdered sugar, and mix until it’s all combined. Once the caramel is cool to the touch, turn the mixer on medium speed and then drizzle the caramel into the frosting. (If it’s too hot, it’ll melt the buttercream, so be patient.)

Beat until fluffy. Then add in the other cup of powdered sugar and the salt, a 1/4 to a 1/2 t. at a time, mixing and then tasting after each addition to make sure you don’t add too much. A little goes a long way with the salt. Once it tastes the way you want it to taste, frost your cookies!

Buttercream recipe from bakeitinacake.com

Makes enough frosting to make 24 sandwiches

(Or enough for 40 mini cookie sandwiches)