Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Breathe in that cozy aroma, the spice of ginger and cinnamon rising as soft oatmeal cookies bake to delicate edges, then imagine a swirl of salted caramel tucked inside a velvety marshmallow cream. These sandwich cookies deliver holiday warmth in every bite, chewy and plush with a little sparkle of sea salt on top. Let me tell you, it’s worth every bite, and now let’s wander from that first whiff straight into the bake.

Behind the Recipe

This recipe is my homage to two childhood favorites, old school oatmeal cream pies and a tray of gingerbread men that perfumed the whole house. I wanted the nostalgia of those lunchbox treats with the depth of gingerbread and a ribbon of salted caramel for drama. The result is a cookie that feels like a December afternoon, no matter the calendar, and the kind you cannot resist sharing with a friend over coffee. Trust me, you’re going to love this.

Recipe Origin or Trivia

Oatmeal cookies first took off in American kitchens in the late nineteenth century, prized for heartiness and chew. Gingerbread, with roots reaching back to medieval Europe, brought molasses and spice to winter tables long before frosted cookie cutters. Bringing the two together makes perfect sense, oats add texture and chew, gingerbread spices add warmth, and a soft cream filling bridges them into a tender sandwich. The salted caramel, a modern flourish, brightens sweetness and keeps every bite balanced.

Why You’ll Love Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Let’s slide from story to mixing bowl, because this one’s a total game-changer.

Versatile: Pack for bake sales, give as edible gifts, or crown a dessert board, these cookies fit every cozy moment.
Budget-Friendly: Built from pantry staples like oats, flour, sugars, and spices, they feel luxe without fancy ingredients.
Quick and Easy: Straightforward dough, simple cream filling, and a ready to use caramel shortcut keep things smooth.
Customizable: Dial the spice, add orange zest, or fold a handful of mini chips into the dough for fun twists.
Crowd-Pleasing: Chewy cookies, pillowy cream, and salted caramel create a just one more bite effect.
Make-Ahead Friendly: Dough chills beautifully, and baked cookies hold well for sandwiching later.
Great for Leftovers: A night in the fridge melds flavors, and they taste even dreamier the next day.

Chef’s Pro Tips for Perfect Results

Before we crack eggs and measure flour, a few focused nudges will set you up for bakery style texture.

Chill Time: A 30 minute rest firms the dough, contains spread, and deepens spice.
Even Size: Use a small scoop so cookies match for neat sandwiches and even baking.
Soft Bake: Pull cookies when edges set but centers look soft, they finish on the sheet for maximum chew.
Smooth Filling: Beat butter until pale before adding marshmallow creme, it makes a silkier swirl.
Salt Finish: A tiny pinch of flaky salt on the caramel sharpens every flavor.

Kitchen Tools You’ll Need

A compact toolkit keeps the process calm and joyful from start to finish.

Mixing Bowls: For dry ingredients, dough, and frosting so each stage stays tidy.
Hand or Stand Mixer: Creams butter and whips filling to billowy peaks.
Cookie Scoops: Ensure consistent size and picture perfect pairs.
Baking Sheets: Light colored sheets promote even browning and gentle edges.
Parchment Paper: Prevents sticking and encourages flat, even cookies.
Wire Rack: Cools cookies quickly to preserve chew.
Offset Spatula or Piping Bag: Spreads or pipes a clean layer of cream and caramel.

Ingredients in Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

The harmony here is simple, chewy spiced cookies, plush cream, and a salted caramel ribbon. And now let’s gather everything measured and ready.

1. All Purpose Flour: 1 and 3/4 cups, about 220 g, builds structure while keeping the crumb tender.
2. Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: 1 and 1/2 cups, about 150 g, give hearty chew and classic oatmeal texture.
3. Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon, encourages spread and softness.
4. Baking Powder: 1/2 teaspoon, adds gentle lift for a plush bite.
5. Fine Salt: 1/2 teaspoon, balances sweetness and lifts spice.
6. Ground Ginger: 2 teaspoons, the star spice that defines gingerbread warmth.
7. Ground Cinnamon: 1 and 1/2 teaspoons, rounds flavor with cozy sweetness.
8. Ground Cloves: 1/4 teaspoon, a deep, smoky background note.
9. Ground Nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon, adds a soft, aromatic finish.
10. Unsalted Butter: 3/4 cup softened, 170 g, brings rich flavor and tender texture.
11. Dark Brown Sugar: 3/4 cup packed, 150 g, supplies moisture and molasses depth.
12. Granulated Sugar: 1/4 cup, 50 g, helps with delicate crisp edges.
13. Molasses: 1/3 cup, about 105 g, classic gingerbread character and moisture.
14. Large Egg: 1, binds and adds chew.
15. Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons, warmth that ties the spices together.

For the Marshmallow Cream Filling
16. Unsalted Butter: 1/2 cup softened, 115 g, whips into a light, fluffy base.
17. Marshmallow Creme: 1 and 1/2 cups, about 180 g, creates that nostalgic pillowy texture.
18. Powdered Sugar: 1 and 1/2 cups sifted, about 180 g, sweetens and stabilizes the filling.
19. Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon, gentle aroma.
20. Fine Salt: 1/8 teaspoon, tiny but mighty for balance.
21. Heavy Cream or Milk: 1 to 2 tablespoons, loosens to a spreadable cloud.

For the Salted Caramel Ribbon
22. Caramel Sauce: 1/2 cup, store bought or homemade, thick consistency holds in the sandwich.
23. Flaky Sea Salt: 1/2 teaspoon, sprinkled to taste, bright finish that tames sweetness.

Ingredient Substitutions

Real kitchens are flexible, and swaps keep baking stress free.

Old Fashioned Oats: Quick oats for a finer crumb, use the same amount.
Dark Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar with 1 teaspoon extra molasses.
Molasses: Pomegranate molasses for fruity depth, or treacle if available.
Butter in Filling: Plant based baking stick for a dairy free option.
Marshmallow Creme: Vanilla buttercream made with extra milk for a soft set.
Caramel Sauce: Thick dulce de leche with a pinch of sea salt.

Ingredient Spotlight

Molasses: Rich and robust, it gives gingerbread its hallmark flavor, deeper color, and tender texture by holding moisture in the crumb.
Old Fashioned Oats: Their larger flakes bake into a supple chew that makes these sandwiches feel substantial without heaviness.

Instructions for Making Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

We have the mise in place, and now let’s dive to the steps so everything flows from bowl to bite.

1. Preheat Your Equipment:
   Heat oven to 350°F, 175°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment and set a wire rack nearby for cooling.
2. Combine Ingredients:
   In a medium bowl whisk flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. In a large bowl beat butter with dark brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in molasses, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
3. Prepare Your Cooking Vessel:
   Chill dough 30 minutes for neat edges. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl beat butter for the filling until pale and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add marshmallow creme, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then beat until silky, adding cream as needed for spreadable consistency. Transfer to a piping bag or keep covered at room temperature.
4. Assemble the Dish:
   Scoop dough into 1 tablespoon portions, about 20 g each, and space 2 inches apart on sheets. Lightly flatten tops with damp fingers for even spread.
5. Cook to Perfection:
   Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges are set and centers look soft. Let cookies rest on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to the rack to cool completely.
6. Finishing Touches:
   Pair cookies by size. Pipe a ring of marshmallow cream on the flat side of one cookie, spoon or pipe 1 teaspoon caramel in the center, sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt, then cap with a second cookie and press gently until cream meets the edges.
7. Serve and Enjoy:
   Let the sandwiches set 15 minutes. Drizzle a little extra caramel on top and add a final pinch of flaky salt if you like. Make coffee, take a bite, and enjoy that soft chew with warm spice.

Texture & Flavor Secrets

The secret is balance, soft set cookies with tender edges that bend, not break, a billowy filling that cushions each bite, and a ribbon of salted caramel that cuts through sweetness. Molasses keeps the crumb plush, oats provide gentle chew, and warm spices bloom as the cookies rest so flavors feel round and complete.

Cooking Tips & Tricks

A few friendly nudges keep your batch flawless.

• Portion Control: Small, even scoops bake into perfect pairs and prevent overbrowning.
• Cool Completely: Sandwich only when cookies are cool so the filling stays fluffy.
• Caramel Consistency: Use a thick caramel, if yours is thin, simmer briefly until it coats a spoon.

What to Avoid

Staying on track is simple with these gentle reminders.

• Overmixing Dough: It toughens cookies, stop when flour disappears.
• Overbaking: Dry cookies lose that cream pie softness, pull at the first sign of set edges.
• Too Much Caramel: Excess can squeeze out, stick to a teaspoon in the center.
• Skipping Salt: A pinch on the caramel is the sparkle that makes flavors pop.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 14 sandwich cookies
Calories per serving: 290
Note: These are approximate values.

Preparation Time

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 11 minutes per batch
Total Time: 1 hour including chill

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

The dough can chill for up to 48 hours, which only improves spice depth. Baked cookies keep, unfilled, in an airtight container for 3 days or frozen for 2 months. Filled cream pies hold well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, bring to room temperature for the softest texture. For longer storage, freeze assembled pies in a single layer, then wrap and store up to 1 month, thaw in the fridge and let stand before serving.

How to Serve Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies

Serve on a platter lined with parchment, drizzle a little caramel in zigzags, and finish with a few flakes of sea salt for sparkle. Pair with cappuccinos, hot cocoa, or chai. For a plated dessert, halve a pie, fan it beside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, and spoon warm caramel on the plate for a bistro style finish.

Creative Leftover Transformations

Leftovers invite playful second acts that taste like a new dessert.

Ice Cream Mix In: Chop and fold into vanilla ice cream for a spiced caramel ripple.
Holiday Trifles: Layer chunks with whipped cream and caramel in glasses for mini parfaits.
Cookie Crumble Topping: Bake crumbled pieces briefly to crisp, then scatter over baked apples.

Additional Tips

Tiny tweaks add polish without effort.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Soft butter and a room temp egg blend smoothly and trap air.
Rest for Flavor: Assembled pies taste even better after an hour as spices bloom.
Clean Edges: Wipe the spatula between spreads for neat sides and tidy sandwiches.

Make It a Showstopper

Stack pies in a tier on a cake stand, thread thin ribbons of caramel over the top layer, and dust the rim of the stand with a little cinnamon sugar. Tuck in a few whole oats and tiny gingerbread crumbs for texture, then add a sprinkle of flaky salt at the table for a final sparkle.

Variations to Try

Orange Spice Twist: Add 1 teaspoon orange zest to the dough and a touch to the filling.
Chocolate Drizzle: Finish assembled pies with thin ribbons of dark chocolate for contrast.
Maple Cream Version: Swap caramel for thick maple butter and add a pinch of extra sea salt.
Toasted Oat Upgrade: Toast oats in a dry skillet until fragrant for deeper nutty notes.
Nutty Crunch: Roll the sandwich edges in finely chopped toasted pecans for texture.

FAQ’s

1. Can I use quick oats instead of old fashioned oats?

Yes, quick oats work and give a slightly finer crumb, use the same amount.

2. Can I make the cookies larger?

You can, add a minute or two to bake time and cool longer so they set before filling.

3. What if my caramel is too runny?

Simmer until it thickly coats a spoon, then cool, it should slowly ribbon off the spoon.

4. Can I replace marshmallow creme in the filling?

Yes, use a soft vanilla buttercream and thin with a tablespoon of milk for a plush texture.

5. How do I keep the cookies chewy after a day?

Store airtight and add a small piece of bread in the container to maintain moisture.

6. Do I need to chill the dough?

A short chill helps control spread and heightens spice, highly recommended.

7. Can I freeze assembled cream pies?

Yes, freeze on a sheet until firm, wrap individually, and thaw in the fridge before serving.

8. How spicy are these?

Warm rather than hot, reduce ginger to taste or add a pinch more for extra zing.

9. Can I make them gluten free?

Use a 1 to 1 gluten free flour blend and certified gluten free oats, texture remains lovely.

10. Can I add chocolate chips to the dough?

Absolutely, fold in 1/2 cup mini chips for a chocolate caramel vibe.

Conclusion

From the first soft bite to the last sparkle of sea salt, these Salted Caramel Gingerbread Oatmeal Cream Pies deliver comfort, elegance, and a little nostalgia in one handheld treat. Bake a batch for gifts, stack them high for a party, or simply keep a few in the fridge for that late afternoon sweet tooth. This one’s a total game-changer, and trust me, you’re going to love this.

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