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The Best Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

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These Oatmeal Cream Pies are made with soft, chewy oatmeal cookies and browned butter vanilla buttercream frosting. They are reminiscent of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies, but made from scratch with sourdough discard and brown butter and taste so much better.

Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pie with a bite taken out

These soft and chewy oatmeal cookies for this recipe are made with molasses, cinnamon, and brown butter for a rich, yummy flavor. Then, you’ll make a buttercream frosting with vanilla extract, cinnamon, and brown butter to add to the center of the cream pies.

I love making copycat versions of childhood favorites but with a sourdough twist! They are so much fun to make, and my kids love them. These are a copycat version of Little Debbie, but I have also made copycat recipes of Chewy Granola BarsCheez-ItsGoldfish, and Animal Crackers. They are all snacks I love to keep on hand for my family. 

Overhead view of Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

Why you will love this recipe

  • Copycat Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies but without preservatives and made with simple ingredients you can feel good about giving to your family. 
  • This recipe is quick and easy! No need to chill the cookie dough unless you want to do the optional overnight fermentation. 
  • It is a great way to use up some of your sourdough discard. 
  • You can try add-ins like raisins or chocolate chips in the cookies.
  • The cookies and the frosting are made with brown butter for a nutty flavor, but if you do not want to brown the butter you can just use regular butter instead. 

Why use brown butter in Homemade Oatmeal Cream Pies

The key ingredient in the recipe is the brown butter. It is used in both the cookie and the frosting for the warm, nutty flavor it brings. Making brown butter is really simple to do! All you have to do is add it to a pan and heat until the milk solids start to turn brown. This process toasts and caramelizes the butter to add so much depth and flavor to the cookies. You can find details on how to brown the butter below. 

If you do not like the flavor of brown butter or simply want to skip this step, you can substitute for regular butter. 

3 Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies stacked on top of each other

Optional overnight ferment for the cookies 

An overnight ferment will help break down the starches in the oats and the gluten in the flour. This can help the cookies be easier to digest and help your body absorb the nutrients. This is an optional step, but a great benefit because of the sourdough in the cookie. If you’d like the fermentation benefits, just make the cookie dough and then add it to the fridge overnight and bake the next day. 

Tools to make this recipe

  • Stand Mixer- You can make these cookies with beaters but I much prefer using a stand mixer. I used to use a 4.5 quart Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer with the cookie paddle attachment. 
  • Measuring Cups and Spoons or a Kitchen scale – the recipe card has grams or cups for measurements, however weighing your ingredients can ensure accurate measurements. 
  • Baking Sheet – you will need two for this recipe, or you can bake in two batches. 
  • Reusable Baking Mats– While you can just use parchment paper I love these reusable baking mats.
  • Cooling Rack – Using a cooling rack allows the cookies to cool evenly. You will want the cookies to be cooled before adding the frosting so it is easier to work with. 
Hand holding a Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pie

Ingredients to make Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

Oatmeal cookie ingredients

  • Browned butter – If you don’t want to brown the butter you can skip that step, but it adds a warm, nutty flavor that is so delicious!  
  • Brown sugar and granulated sugar – The combination of sugars gives a chewy texture to the cookies.
  • Sourdough discard – Discard is sourdough starter that is no longer active and bubbly. It gives great flavor and moisture to the cookies.   
  • Egg – This acts as a binder. 
  • Vanilla extract – Enhances the flavors in the cookies.  
  • Molasses- Adds a sweet, rich flavor and gives the cookies a beautiful brown color.  
  • Cinnamon – Pairs so well with the oats. 
  • Rolled oats- Old-fashioned oats give the cookies a chewy texture. 
  • All-purpose flour – I recommend using unbleached flour 
  • Salt– Enhances the sweet flavor. 
  • Baking soda- To leaven the cookies.

Brown butter frosting ingredients

  • Browned butter – Gives the frosting a warm, nutty flavor. 
  • Powdered sugar – Powdered sugar easily dissolves into the frosting for a smooth texture. 
  • Milk – You can use whatever type of milk you have on hand.
  • Vanilla extract – To flavor the frosting.  
  • Cinnamon– Adding the cinnamon to the frosting compliments the cinnamon in the cookies. 
  • Salt- Enhances all of the flavors. Can be removed if you use salted butter. 
Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies with oats scattered around them

Instructions on how to make Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

Make the Brown Butter

The first step is to make the brown butter for frosting and cookies. Take the butter for both (1 cup total), and cut it into even pieces so it will melt and cook evenly. Add it to a light-colored pan so that you can see when the butter has browned.

Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and let cool. 

Put half in the refrigerator to solidify for the frosting, and use the other half in the cookie recipe.

Make the Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375F. 

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with beaters in a large bowl, mix butter and sugars until light and fluffy. 

Then, add in the wet ingredients. Mix in the sourdough discard, egg, vanilla extract, and molasses and blend until smooth.

Batter for oatmeal cookies

Next, add the dry ingredients to the mixture. Add in the cinnamon, oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined. 

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. The cookies will be large so you can only fit 6 cookies per pan. 

Unbaked Sourdough oatmeal cookies on parchment paper

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop the cookie dough into 2 tablespoon heaps, and then with the palm of your hand gently flatten the cookies. The dough should make 12 large cookies.

Bake at 375F for 10-12 mins until lightly browning around the edges. After the cookies have cooled slightly, add them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. 

Baked sourdough oatmeal cookies

Let cool and make the frosting by whipping all the ingredients together. 

Make the Brown Butter Frosting

While the cookies are cooling, make the brown butter frosting. 

Take the brown butter from the fridge and add it to the bowl of your stand mixer or in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients for the frosting in the bowl and whip together until light and fluffy. 

Place the frosting in a piping bag or a ziplock bag and cut the tip. Take one cooled cookie and pipe the icing on the back of the cookie. Then add one more cookie on top to sandwich them together. This recipe will make 6 Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies. 

3 Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pie on top of each other

How to store Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

To store, wrap them with plastic wrap or add them to an airtight container. The sandwich cookies are best served at room temperature and can be kept on the counter for a few days. To extend their shelf life you can keep them in the fridge and then let them soften on the counter.

Three Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies with brown butter frosting stacked on top of each other.

Sourdough Oatmeal Cream Pies

Emily Christensen
These Cream Pies are made with soft, chewy oatmeal cookies and vanilla buttercream frosting. They are reminiscent of Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies, but made from scratch with sourdough discard and brown butter and taste so much better!
4.62 from 34 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 6 Cream Pies
Calories 798 kcal

Ingredients
  

Oatmeal cookies:

  • 114 grams browned butter ½ cup
  • 110 grams brown sugar ½ cup
  • 100 grams granulated sugar ½ cup
  • 120 grams sourdough discard ½ cup
  • 1 egg 50 grams
  • 5 grams vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
  • 10 grams molasses ½ Tablespoon
  • 1 gram cinnamon ½ teaspoon
  • 135 grams rolled oats 1 ½ cup
  • 210 grams all purpose flour 1 ½ cup
  • 3 grams salt ½ teaspoon
  • 5 grams baking soda 1 teaspoon

Brown butter frosting:

  • 114 grams browned butter ½ cup
  • 240 grams powdered sugar 2 cups
  • 30 grams milk 2 Tablespoons
  • 2 grams vanilla extract ½ teaspoon
  • 1 gram cinnamon ½ teaspoon
  • 1 gram salt ¼ teaspoon

Instructions
 

  • First, make the brown butter. Take the butter for both (1 cup total), and cut it into cubes. Add it to a light-colored pan, if you have one, so that you can easily see when the butter has browned. Heat over medium heat, stirring consistently to prevent the butter from burning. Heat for about 5 minutes or until the milk solids have turned a golden brown color and you can smell the nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and let cool. Put half in the refrigerator to solidify for the frosting, and use the other half in the cookie recipe.
  • Preheat the oven to 375℉.
  • In a stand mixer or with beaters mix butter and sugars. 
    114 grams browned butter, 110 grams brown sugar, 100 grams granulated sugar
  • Mix in the sourdough discard, egg, vanilla extract, and molasses.
    120 grams sourdough discard, 1 egg, 5 grams vanilla extract, 10 grams molasses
  • Add in the cinnamon, oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. Mix until combined. 
    1 gram cinnamon, 135 grams rolled oats, 210 grams all purpose flour, 3 grams salt, 5 grams baking soda
  • Scoop into 2 Tablespoon heaps and then with the palm of your hand gently flatten the cookies. They are larger cookies so you can only fit 6 cookies per cookie sheet. This recipe will make 12 total cookies.
  • Bake at 375℉ for 10-12 mins until lightly browning around the edges. 
  • Let the cookies cool and make the frosting by whipping all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Place the frosting in a piping bag or a ziplock bag and cut the tip. Add the frosting in between two cookies and sandwich them together. 
    114 grams browned butter, 240 grams powdered sugar, 30 grams milk, 2 grams vanilla extract, 1 gram cinnamon, 1 gram salt

Notes

To long ferment the dough, place it in the fridge for 12+ hours and then bake as directed.
To store, wrap them with plastic wrap or add them to an airtight container. The sandwich cookies are best served at room temperature and can be kept on the counter for a few days. To extend their shelf life you can keep them in the fridge and then let them soften on the counter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 798kcalCarbohydrates: 118gProtein: 8gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 754mgFiber: 3gSugar: 76g
Keyword brown butter, buttercream, cinnamon, Little Debbie copycat, molasses, oatmeal bran muffins, sourdough discard
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10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe was divine. I wanted smaller cookies and used a small cookie scoop making 14 filled cookies. The brown butter made them absolutely heavenly. They were easier to eat the next day after the frosting had set. Thank you so much for the recipe!

  2. 5 stars
    Little Debbie oatmeal cream pies were a favorite childhood treat and dare I say, these were so much better!!!!!! I did make them smaller though, 14 total sandwiches, so that helped with the calories.

    How do you recommend storing them? Is the cream shelf stable with the milk?

  3. Very rich and delicious! The cookies are quite large, I will be making these much smaller next time as they are too rich to even eat half of one.

  4. 5 stars
    I’ve made these many times now and they are an absolute fan favorite. I have friends and family requesting more. They are super soft and way better than the Little Debbie version. Thanks for the amazing recipe!

4.62 from 34 votes (30 ratings without comment)

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