Peanut butter lovers: these cookies are for you! Tony, Abra and I couldn’t get enough. These peanut butter oatmeal cream pies (or peanut butter sandwich cookies) are crispy on the outside, soft in the middle and, of course, filled with an epic uber creamy peanut butter frosting.
Oh and I added mini chocolate chips as an option because I just couldn’t resist. Thank me later. These are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, so share with friends and enjoy!
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Ingredients you’ll need
These amazing peanut butter oatmeal cream pies are a little indulgent and incredibly delicious. We’re using regular all-purpose flour and a few secret ingredients to make them. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Dry ingredients: we’re using all-purpose flour, old fashioned rolled oats (not steel cut), baking soda & salt for the oatmeal cookie base.
- Wet ingredients: you’ll need salted butter, natural, creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, honey and sour cream or plain greek yogurt.
- For the filling: you’ll use some more butter and natural peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and a bit of milk to make it creamy & fluffy.
- Exciting add-in: I love sneaking in some mini chocolate chips to the cookies themselves. Yum!
Two secret ingredients for the BEST peanut butter cookies
I know it may sound strange, but adding sour cream (or greek yogurt) + a little honey makes these cookies exceptional. Here’s how:
- The acidity from the sour cream helps to activate the baking soda so that you get amazing, crinkly tops.
- The added moisture from sour cream & honey makes the dough perfectly moist and keeps the peanut butter cookies chewy with crispy edges. No dry peanut butter cookies here!
Can I make these gluten free?
I have not tested these peanut butter oatmeal sandwich cookies with a gluten free flour. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend a substitute.
What about other nut butters?
I think these oatmeal cream pies would work with another nut butter like almond, but be sure to use an all natural, creamy almond butter that’s just nuts + salt. I will note that the flavor of the cookies and filling will be much more muted as they’re supposed to have that true peanutty flavor.
The best peanut butter frosting
Yes, the soft & chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies are incredible on their own, but this fluffy peanut butter frosting truly takes them to the next level. I based the frosting off of my Damn Good Peanut Butter Banana Cake, so you know it’s damn good. A couple of quick tips for making it:
- Start your mixer on slow at first and increase to high for about two minutes to make it super fluffy.
- Add the milk just a tablespoon at a time to make it nice and creamy. You should only need about 1-2 tablespoons total.
How to make peanut butter oatmeal cream pies
- Get your oven ready. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add them all to a large bowl and whisk until they’re well-combined.
- Make your dough. First, mix your wet ingredients together with an electric mixer, adding the egg, vanilla, honey & sour cream last. Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until your dough forms.
- Get a little wild. Add some mini chocolate chips if you’re feeling fancy like me!
- Scoop & bake. You’ll want to grab just a tablespoon of dough with a cookie scoop, roll it, and place it on your baking sheet. Leave 2 inches apart for the cookies to expand a bit, and bake for about 10 minutes.
- Make your filling. While the cookies are cooling, whip up the peanut butter filling in your electric mixer.
- Assemble the pies. Add just a spoonful of peanut butter frosting to a cookie, and sandwich it with another cookie. Enjoy!
Pro tips
These are a few of my tips and tricks for perfecting these peanut butter oatmeal sandwich cookies:
- Use an all natural creamy peanut butter with only peanuts + salt as the ingredients. My favorites are Wild Friends, Smucker’s, 365 brand, and Trader Joe’s.
- Only bake your cookies until they are just barely golden brown on the edges. They’ll be even more delicious when slightly underbaked (and will continue to cook & set up on the baking sheet!)
- Be sure to let your cookies cool completely before adding the filling so that the peanut butter frosting doesn’t melt.
- Leave a little edge around the cookies when adding the frosting so that it doesn’t leak out.
- The filling will have the best texture after letting the cookies sit at room temperature for 1 hour, so try to resist biting into them until then!
How to store peanut butter sandwich cookies
Store these babies in an airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days before transferring them to the refrigerator for up to 3-4 more days.
Tips for freezing
There are three easy ways to freeze these peanut butter oatmeal cream pies:
- Freeze the dough: after the peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough is done chilling in the fridge for at least an hour, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Once the cookie dough balls firm up, you can transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container. Cookie dough will keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply bake cookies as directed in the recipe and make your peanut butter frosting. You’ll likely just need to add a few extra minutes of baking time.
- Freeze baked cookies (without filling): wait for the peanut butter oatmeal cream pies to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature, frost them with the peanut butter filling and enjoy.
- Freeze baked cookies (with filling): Another option is to freeze the cookies after you’ve added the filling and sandwiched them together. Place them in a layer in a container and separate each layer with wax paper. Once ready to enjoy, take out cookies and thaw them at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour.
See how to make the peanut butter oatmeal cream pies
More holiday cookies
Incredible Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies
Death by Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Salted Brown Butter Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies
Soft Brown Butter Ginger Cookies with Lovely Lemon Icing
Lemon Cookies with Lovely Lemon Glaze
Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies (gluten free, grain free, paleo friendly)
I hope you love these amazing peanut butter oatmeal cream pies! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cream Pies with Fluffy Peanut Butter Filling
Incredible peanut butter oatmeal cream pies made with soft, chewy peanut butter oatmeal cookies and homemade, fluffy peanut butter filling sandwiched in the middle. This delicious take on traditional oatmeal cream pies is a peanut butter lover’s dream! Add mini chocolate chips to make them extra special.
- Dry ingredients:
-
1 1/4
cups
all-purpose flour -
3/4
cup
old fashioned rolled oats -
1
teaspoon
baking soda -
¼
teaspoon
salt - Wet ingredients:
-
1/2
cup
salted butter, softened -
½
cup
all natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts + salt as ingredients) -
1
cup
packed brown sugar -
1
egg -
1
teaspoon
vanilla extract -
1/2
tablespoon
honey (or sub molasses) -
1/2
tablespoon
sour cream or plain greek yogurt - Optional:
-
⅔
cup
mini chocolate chips - For the frosting:
-
1/4
cup
butter, at room temperature (or sub vegan butter) -
¼
cup
natural creamy peanut butter (just peanuts + salt) -
1
cup
powdered sugar -
1
teaspoon
vanilla -
1-2
tablespoons
unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice), to make the frosting creamy and fluffy
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, add in softened butter, peanut butter and brown sugar; mix on medium low until well combined. Switch mixer to low speed; add in egg, vanilla extract, honey and sour cream and beat for 1 minute or until well combined, smooth and creamy. Slowly add in dry ingredients, increasing speed to medium low; mix until just combined. If you want to add in chocolate chips, now is the time to do so. I suggest mini chocolate chips!
Use a small cookie scoop to grab a tablespoonful of dough and roll into a ball with your hands. It’s important that the dough is smaller as the cookies will expand and since we’re making sandwiches, you don’t want them too big.
Place dough on the cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches apart between each dough ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just barely golden brown. A slightly underbaked cookie is always best so they stay nice and chewy!
Allow cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for 5-10 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack. This allows them to set up a bit and harden slightly around the edges. Repeat with remaining dough.
Once cookies have cooled completely, you can make the peanut butter filling: in the bowl of an electric mixer, add the softened butter and peanut butter and whip on high until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk. Beat slow at first, then increase speed to high and beat for approximately two minutes. Frosting should be nice and creamy, if you want it extra creamy, add another splash of milk and beat again.
Top one cookie sandwich with a spoonful of filling, leaving a nice edge around the cookies and top with another cookie sandwich, then very gently press down slightly. Repeat with all cookies. You should get about 16 oatmeal cream pies. The filling will have the best texture after letting the cookies sit at room temperature for 1 hour, if you try to bite into them earlier the frosting won’t be as firm as we’d like. Makes 32 cookies, 16 oatmeal cream pies
Freeze the dough: after the peanut butter oatmeal cookie dough is done chilling, roll the cookie dough into balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container. Cookie dough will keep well for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply bake cookies as directed in the recipe and make your peanut butter frosting. You’ll likely just need to add a few extra minutes of baking time.
Freeze baked cookies (without filling): wait for the peanut butter oatmeal cream pies to cool completely, then transfer them to a reusable freezer-safe bag or container lined with wax or parchment paper. I like to place them in a single layer to avoid any cookies breaking. Cookies will keep well for up to 2 months. Once ready to eat, simply thaw out at room temperature, frost them with the peanut butter filling and enjoy.
Freeze baked cookies (with filling): Another option is to freeze the cookies after you’ve added the filling and sandwiched them together. Place them in a layer in a container and separate each layer with wax paper. Once ready to enjoy, take out cookies and thaw them at room temperature for 30 minutes-1 hour.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
