Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies Recipe — Soft Spiced Sandwich Cookies

A festive twist on classic oatmeal cream pies—soft gingerbread-oatmeal cookies sandwich a tangy cream cheese frosting for a cozy holiday treat.

If you love traditional oatmeal cream pies, these gingerbread oatmeal cream pies are a holiday must. They keep everything you enjoy about the classic sandwich cookie but add warm holiday spices and molasses for a rich gingerbread flavor.

The cookies are soft and chewy ginger-molasses rounds spiced with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Rolled oats give the cookies texture and chewiness while a tangy cream cheese frosting brings brightness that balances the warm spices.

Making the Cookies

This recipe is straightforward. Clear step-by-step instructions are included to help ensure consistent results.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
   • No chilling is required for this dough.
   • Lining sheets prevents sticking and limits excess spreading.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl: all-purpose flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. This ensures the spices are evenly distributed.
3. Cream the softened unsalted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Using dark brown sugar deepens color and caramel flavor.
4. Mix molasses, the egg, and vanilla into the butter-sugar mixture. Lightly greasing the measuring spoon helps the molasses release cleanly.

5. Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Start mixing on low and increase to medium until incorporated.
6. Stir in the oats.
   • Quick oats are recommended for uniformly shaped cookies ideal for sandwiching, though old-fashioned rolled oats also work.

7. Scoop dough into balls about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each (a cookie scoop works well). Space them roughly 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the prepared sheets.
   • The dough will be sticky—use a scoop for neat, even portions.

8. Bake on the middle rack for about 8–10 minutes.
   • Cookies will spread as they bake; press dough balls gently before baking if you prefer flatter cookies.
   • Bake one sheet at a time for even coloring and texture.

Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheet—they are very soft when hot.

To make the cream cheese frosting, beat softened butter until smooth, then add cream cheese. Mix in powdered sugar a cup at a time with vanilla and salt until you reach your preferred sweetness and consistency. If the frosting is too thick, thin it with 1 tablespoon of cream or half-and-half.

Spread about 1–2 tablespoons of frosting on the bottom of one cooled cookie and sandwich another cookie on top to finish each sandwich.

Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced with a bright cream cheese filling, these gingerbread oatmeal sandwich cookies are perfect for Christmas cookie trays. Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Unbaked dough balls can be frozen for up to 2 months; bake from frozen as directed, then frost and assemble.

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

A festive twist on classic oatmeal cream pies — spiced gingerbread oatmeal cookies sandwiched with tangy cream cheese frosting.

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 9 mins

Cooling: 30 mins

Total: 1 hr 30 mins

Servings: 12 sandwich cookies

Equipment

• Cookie sheets

Ingredients

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (166 g)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (158 g), dark preferred
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
• 2 1/2 tbsp molasses
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/3 cup rolled oats (about 133 g), quick oats recommended

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112 g), softened
• 4 oz cream cheese (112 g), full-fat, brick style
• 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar (165 – 275 g), to taste
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp whipping cream, if needed to thin

Instructions

Gingerbread Oatmeal Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat butter with brown and granulated sugars until creamed.
4. Add molasses, vanilla, and egg to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients, starting the mixer on low speed and increasing to medium.
6. Stir in the oats until evenly distributed.
7. Scoop dough into 1–1.5 tablespoon portions and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets (about 24 dough balls).
8. Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 8–10 minutes, until the tops are just set. Let cookies cool completely on the sheet.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Beat the butter until smooth, then add the cream cheese and mix until combined.
2. Add 1 cup powdered sugar with vanilla and salt and gently mix. Continue adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until you reach desired sweetness and thickness.
3. If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon whipping cream to thin slightly.

Assemble

1. Spread 1–2 tablespoons frosting on the bottom of one cooled cookie and sandwich with a second cookie. Repeat for remaining cookies.

Notes

1. Molasses: Use cooking or fancy molasses. Avoid blackstrap, which is bitter.
2. Storage: Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge up to 4 days. Freeze unbaked dough balls up to 2 months and bake from frozen as directed, then frost.
3. Nutrition: Nutrition info is an estimate per sandwich cookie (two cookies with frosting), assuming all frosting is used.

Nutrition

Calories: 435 kcal, Carbohydrates: 62 g, Protein: 4 g, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Sugar: 46 g, Sodium: 188 mg.