Description
These Banana Oatmeal Cream Pies combine wholesome oats and ripe bananas with a soft, cinnamon-spiced cookie and a luscious cream cheese frosting. Perfectly chewy and flavorful, these pies offer a delightful twist on traditional oatmeal cookies, making them an irresistible treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups 1-minute oats (300g)
- 3 cups bread flour (389g)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (8g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (9g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (6g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt (5g)
Wet Ingredients
- 1½ cups light brown sugar (packed, 313g)
- 1 cup butter flavored vegetable shortening (or butter, 189g)
- 1 cup mashed banana (2½ bananas, 255g)
- ¼ cup light corn syrup (85mL)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (11mL)
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened, 62g)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (softened, 56g)
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for later use.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, bread flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and ground cinnamon until well blended.
- Cream sugar and shortening: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the light brown sugar and vegetable shortening together for about 2 minutes until fluffy and well combined.
- Add banana mixture: To the creamed mixture, add the mashed banana, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Mix at high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring all flavors are incorporated.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture, one cup at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated to create the cookie dough.
- Portion and shape cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 3 inches apart. Gently press each cookie down with fingers or the bottom of a glass until about ½ inch thick.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 6 to 7 minutes; the cookies will appear slightly soft in the center, which is normal for this recipe.
- Cool cookies: Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare frosting: While cookies cool, cream together softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth and well combined.
- Add powdered sugar: Add half of the powdered sugar to the cream cheese and butter mixture and blend until combined.
- Complete frosting: Add the remaining powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, and vanilla flavoring. Beat at high speed for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Assemble cream pies: Pipe about 1½ tablespoons of frosting onto the bottom of half of the cooled cookies. Top each frosted cookie with one of the remaining unfrosted cookies to form cream pies. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Ensure cookies are cooled completely before frosting to prevent melting.
- You can substitute butter for the vegetable shortening if preferred, but shortening helps achieve a softer texture.
- Adjust heavy cream in frosting for desired thickness or spreadability.
- Store assembled cream pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For an extra touch, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the cookie dough if desired.
