Description
These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cream Pies feature chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies sandwiched with a luscious maple brown butter cream cheese frosting. The cookies are made with browned butter for a rich, nutty flavor and chai spice blend for a warm, aromatic touch. The frosting combines brown butter, cream cheese, and hints of maple and cinnamon, making these pies a perfect seasonal treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- 20 tbsp (283g) unsalted butter, browned and reduced down to 1 cup (226g), cooled to softened but still cold
- 1 ½ cups (180g) all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon chai spice blend or pumpkin spice blend
- 1 tsp (5g) baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup (150g) light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (18g), room temperature
- 1 cup (230g) pumpkin puree, blotted
- 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (191g) old fashioned rolled oats
Maple Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 10 tbsp (141g) unsalted butter, browned and reduced down to 8 tbsp (½ cup, 113g), cooled to solid room temperature texture
- 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 2 ½ cups (280g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp maple extract (optional)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1-3 tbsp (15-45 ml) milk, as needed
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once it foams, whisk continuously until brown bits form and it develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, and cool 30 minutes to room temperature. Transfer to the fridge for 60-90 minutes until it firms up to the texture of softened butter.
- Prepare Pumpkin Puree: Lay 2-3 paper towels over a shallow bowl. Scoop about 15 oz (425g) of pumpkin puree onto the towels to absorb excess moisture. Squeeze excess water from the pumpkin to yield approximately 1 cup (230g) of blotted pumpkin.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, chai or pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a mixer on medium speed, cream the browned butter and both sugars until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in egg yolk, then pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract on low speed until just combined, about 20 seconds between each addition.
- Combine Dough: On lowest mixer speed or by hand, gently mix dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Stir in rolled oats until evenly incorporated.
- Chill Dough: Cover dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or up to overnight to develop flavor and chewy texture. Remove from fridge about 10 minutes before baking.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) at least 20-30 minutes ahead. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Shape Cookies: Using a small or medium cookie scoop or tablespoon, form dough into 1 ½ inch balls (~40g) and place 3 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers are slightly underbaked and puffed. Let cool on baking sheet over a rack for 10 minutes.
- Shape Cookies: Within 5 minutes of removing from oven, use a large biscuit cutter to gently shape cookies into round discs. After 10 minutes, transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make Frosting Brown Butter: Prepare brown butter for frosting same as step 1 and chill until solid room temperature texture.
- Create Frosting: Beat cooled browned butter and cream cheese together for 4-5 minutes until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar ½ cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, maple extract (if using), 1 tablespoon milk, and salt. Beat on high until fluffy. Add additional milk 1-2 tablespoons if frosting is too thick.
- Assemble Pies: Using an offset knife, spoon, or piping bag, spread desired amount of frosting onto bottom of one cookie. Top with another cookie, gently pressing together to form a sandwich.
Notes
- Batch Browning Butter: For efficiency, brown 2-3 pounds of butter at once, cool, and store in the fridge in an airtight container. Use a scale to measure required amounts later, bringing the butter to room temperature before use.
- Blotting Pumpkin: Removing excess water from pumpkin puree prevents cake-like cookies and helps achieve a chewy texture.
- Refined Sugar Free Option: Substitute both brown and granulated sugars with 1 ¼ cups maple sugar for a refined sugar-free version.
- Chai Mix Recipe: Combine 3 tbsp ground ginger, 2 tbsp ground cinnamon, 1 tbsp ground allspice, 1 tbsp ground cardamom, 1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg, and 1 ½ tsp ground cloves. Mix well and store in a spice jar or small mason jar.
- Storage: Store frosting airtight in fridge and bring to room temperature before applying. Frosted cookies should be wrapped individually in wax paper and stored airtight in fridge or freezer. Unfrosted cookies store well at room temperature in an airtight container.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwiched cookie
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
