Day 9 - Oatmeal Cream Pies

Today was the perfect baking day.  It started snowing early this morning so I stayed in most of the day.  It was beautiful to watch the snow from my kitchen window while I was baking.  I was baking with a purpose today as I wanted to make some cookies for a holiday potluck in my office to watch the Annapolis boat parade.  In case you don't know what this is, and if you don't live (or work) in Annapolis, there is a good chance you don't, boats get all decked out in lights, and parade around Spa Creek.  It is a great way to kick off the holiday season.  I chose today's cookie because I have made these for years with rave reviews so figured they would be a hit at the party.  The idea for these came from Sally, after she went to one of her daughter Kristin's tailgates when she played field hockey and lacrosse at Princeton. One of the mom's brought these to the tailgate.  I thought it was such a great idea, I immediately made them the next opportunity I had to bring something to an event.  I used to make them for tailgates, end of season parties, etc. when my kids, Michael and Marissa were in high school.  There were always a hit.  The cookie is a regular oatmeal raisin cookie ( I use the one on the back of the Quaker Oats box - Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies) and the original recipe for the cream pies said to use store bought frosting in the middle to make the sandwiches. I did this for many years but always felt the frosting had a little bit of an artificial taste.  Then about 4 years ago, Sally sent me a recipe for an oatmeal sandwich cookie that had a white chocolate buttercream frosting and when I tried it on my oatmeal cream pies I knew I would never go back to store bought frosting.  I don't want to sound like a homemade only snob but the frosting was so much better!  You can use store bought frosting to save time, I promise I won't judge you! Little Debbie look out!

Recipe for the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar (I use dark)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/2 cups all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
3 cups Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked - I used old fashioned)
1 cup raisins ( or Craisins -- I use these a lot if I am making for the holidays)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium speed until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.  Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  Add oats and raisins; mix well.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet (I actually roll dough into small balls).

Bake for 8-10 minutes (I do 10) or until light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet.  Flatten each cookie with a metal spatula then cool cookie on a wire rack.

Once cooled make cookies into sandwiches, using the white chocolate buttercream frosting.

Recipe says it makes 4 dozen oatmeal raisin cookies.  Since I roll my dough into small balls (about the size of a walnut, I made about 70 cookies that then sandwiched, made about 35 oatmeal cream pies.

Recipe for White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk or water, as needed.

Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals until chips begin to melt, about 1 minute.  Stir and repeat, heating chips about 10 seconds at a time until thoroughly melted.  Stir until chocolate is smooth and no more lumps remain.  Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy.  Beat in half the powdered sugar,  all the melted white chocolate, vanilla and milk or water (if needed) until mixture is smooth and creamy.  Slowly beat in remaining powdered sugar until smooth.  If frosting is too stiff, add in a little more milk or water. This recipe makes a lot of frosting.  A half recipe would be enough for making the Oatmeal Cream Pies.