Yummy Oatmeal Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies

oatmeal pumpkin sandwich cookieI love pumpkin and was looking for a few new recipes to try this fall. I came across Shannah Coe’s recipe from Just Us Four Blog and the combination of oatmeal and pumpkin sounded divine. The layer of pumpkin cream cheese frosting that is sandwiched between two soft and chewy oatmeal cookies is quite delicious. I think the recipe caught my attention because it reminded me of one of our family’s favourites: Aunty Myrna’s Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies. They are similar to today’s recipe, but with a layer of date filling in between. They are indeed a must try as well.

Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 2/3 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup flour

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix well. Slowly add in the baking soda and the balance of the cookie ingredients. Stir until just mixed. Play the dough in a sealed container or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Once chilled, create small balls of dough (about 2 teaspoons per ball). Place the balls on parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. (I like mine on the “under baked” side, so I tend to stick to 8 or 9 minutes at the most.) Let the baked cookies cool for 1 minute on the pan before transferring them to a wire cooking rack to cool completely before adding the filling.

Filling Ingredients:

  • 12 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup pumpkin
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
While the cookie dough is chilling, prepare the filling by beating together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the pumpkin and mix until fully incorporated. Mix in the cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the powdered sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well between each addition.
Match the cookies up by size/shape and then spread the frosting on one of the cookies. Top with a second cookie of equal size.

Additional Notes:

*I found that this recipe made about 4 dozen oatmeal cookies. However, once sandwiches, you only end up with 2 dozen (depending on the size of your original dough balls). Next time, I would double the dough recipe.
*The filling made a huge amount of frosting. I filled all of the cookies and had well over half of it left over. If you double the cookie recipe, there is no need to double the frosting. In fact, half a frosting recipe might even be enough for a double batch of cookies??
*I also found it to be very creamy (and delicious), but the icing would squeeze out as you bit the cookie. I found that keeping the cookies in the fridge really helped with that, but I also wondered if I might play with the recipe a bit next time. I will try using only one package of cream cheese (8 oz) instead of using the suggested 12 oz.  I think this would stiffen the icing up just a bit and perhaps bring out the pumpkin flavour a little more, as well. (If it doesn’t work, I can always add the extra cream cheese to icing and make it according to the suggested recipe.)

Other Recipes You Might Like:

Pumpkin Loaf

Best Ever Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Loaf

pumpkin cheesecake

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Cream Filling

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies with Maple-Cream Filling

Oatmeal Shortbread Cookies

Aunty Myrna’s Oatmeal Shortbread

Ultimate Oatmeal Cookies

I got this recipe in 1996 when Tim and I were on an extended trip to California. We met a Manitoba gal down there through friend and ended up staying with her for over a month. She was an awesome person, but we lost touch after we returned home. I often think of Donna and wonder how she’s doing. This was her recipe, so whenever we make these cookies, I always think of her.

Ultimate Oatmeal Cookies:

1 cup of softened margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine the above ingredients and beat until fluffy.

1 1/2 cups flour (you may need to add a touch more if dough seems overly sticky after cooling)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup walnuts
*white chocolate chips
*Add 1 cup of Cornflakes or Rice Krispies instead of the walnuts

Mix the flour, soda and salt together. Add the oatmeal and nuts (or cereal). Mix well and add chocolate chips, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into balls and dip them in sugar.  Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake about 10 minutes. Should make about 4 dozen.