Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies

Ok, I know what you guys are thinking. Some days she's a clean eater; some days she's a vegetarian; some days she's a smoothie nut; AND, some days, she does things like this....

HOMEMADE OATMEAL CREME PIES. 

Listen. I just like culinary experiments. AND...I saw an Oatmeal Creme Pie on Pinterest. Then, I wanted said Oatmeal Creme Pie. If we're honest, we'll admit that the only thing making those plastic-wrapped cookie-esque things delicious is nostalgia. They really aren't that delicious. Who didn't get an Oatmeal Creme Pie in their school lunch once or twice, right?!

I told my husband about my sudden hankering for oatmeal creme pies and he reminded me of Grandma Carey's delicious oatmeal cookies. No sooner was I feverishly messaging sisters and calling up old blog posts for the recipe. It really is amazing. I know store-bought Oatmeal Creme Pies are probably filled with a combination of garbage and HFCS. So, after consulting with the hubs, we decided the only appropriate filling would be homemade cream cheese frosting. I know, right!?

So, the hubs started dinner while I started the frosting and cookies. Everything was finished about the same time and we enjoyed warm, delicious oatmeal cookies joined together with a layer of decadent homemade cream cheese frosting, right after supper.

Here's the cream cheese frosting recipe (it makes more than you need):

Here's what you need:

• 1 block softened cream cheese
• 3 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Here's what you do: 

• Add all to mixing bowl and blend until thoroughly combined. (Easy peasy, right?)

Grandma Carey's Oatmeal Cookies

Here's what you need: 

▪ 1/2 cups brown sugar
▪ 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
▪ 1/2 cups shortening
▪ 1 egg
▪ 1 teaspoons vanilla
▪ 1 tablespoons milk, cow's
▪ 1 cups all-purpose flour
▪ 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
▪ 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
▪ 1/2 teaspoons salt
▪ 1 cups oatmeal

Here's what you do:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. 

• Beat brown sugar and granulated sugar, shortening (can use coconut oil, canola oil or butter), egg, vanilla and milk until smooth.
 
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 
• Add all at once to egg mixture. Beat until smooth.
Add oats and mix well. 
• Add 1/2 cup (optional): butterscotch chips, nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, Craisins, or other mix-in to oatmeal mixture. 

• Drop from teaspoon onto cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing.

• Yield: 3 dozen cookies

Notes: 

• I used a butter-flavored Crisco stick for my shortening. 
• I used a medium sized cookie scoop and got about two-dozen instead of three. 
• I want to make these again, tomorrow. :)