Oatmeal Creme Pies

God I loved Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies as a kid. Before I realized the effect it would have on my waistline and thighs, I could eat one after another. Now I can hardly consume any goodie without feeling guilty about calories, preservatives, and fat + sugar content. How terrible is it that when the doorman at my office says, Hey now, wait a minute...I've got something for you, and hands over candy from Halloween that I only think two things? Awww...Sonny, this is sweet but it's January and Should I really eat these two Hersey's kisses and one miniature Reese's cup? Its probably only 100 calories. But is it worth it? I continue to ponder this as I hitch a ride on our creaky elevator to the fourth floor. Sometimes I feel good about myself when I manage to resist temptation and leave the sweet treats on the counter of our office kitchen, while other times (most of the time, if I am honest) I just feel guilty as I unwrap the treat, pop it in my mouth, and half-enjoy the bite-sized chocolate morsel.

Now, I wouldn't advocate that I revert to my childhood endeavors of unwrapping and eating three oatmeal creme pies in a row, but I do think that it is perfectly fine to enjoy the occasional treat without feeling guilty about it. While three oatmeal creme pies certainly won't earn you any rave reviews with your cardiologist, I seriously doubt that ingesting one on a Saturday night with friends will require the purchase of bigger pants. So next time you're faced with that sweet dilemma, partake! And, most importantly, don't feel guilty.

Oatmeal Creme Pies

Kelley Gondring

Preheat oven 350

Cookie Dough
In an electric mixing bowl, beat together:
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
2 teaspoons vanilla

Scrape down the bowl and add:
2 eggs





Once incorporated, add:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Scrape down the side of the bowl.

Mix in:
1 1/2 heaping cups oats

Because you are going to make sandwiches, make sure to use consistent amounts of cookie dough for each dollop. I used a tablespoon of dough and thought it made the perfect sized cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes. Because these cookies are meant to be chewy, don't overcook them. When I took mine out, they were still a little gooey. That being said, use your common sense :)

Let cool on rack before assembling.

While the cookies are baking, prepare the filling.

Filling
In an electric mixing bowl, beat together at a high speed:
7 ounce jar marshmallow fluff
1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon shortening
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Scrape down the sides.

Add:
1/3 cup powdered sugar

To assemble, spread about a tablespoon of filling on the backside of one cookie. Place second cookie of equal size on other side.

Eat up!