Description
These Banana Oatmeal Cream Pies are soft, chewy cookies filled with a creamy, luscious banana-flavored frosting. Made with wholesome oats, ripe bananas, and a hint of cinnamon, these treats blend the comforting taste of banana bread with an indulgent cream cheese filling. Perfect for a snack or dessert that’s both flavorful and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
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 & Dough
- 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 extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, bread flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Cream Sugar and Shortening: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the light brown sugar and vegetable shortening for about 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Add Banana, Corn Syrup, and Vanilla: Mix in the mashed banana, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, ensuring even distribution of flavors.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture one cup at a time. Mix after each addition just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Portion and Shape Cookies: Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 3 inches apart. Gently press each cookie down with your fingers or the bottom of a glass until approximately ½ inch thick.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 7 minutes. The cookies will appear soft in the center – this is expected and ensures a chewy texture.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, preventing them from breaking.
- Prepare the Frosting: While cookies cool, cream the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together until completely smooth using a mixer.
- Add Powdered Sugar: Incorporate half of the powdered sugar into the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined.
- Finish Frosting Consistency: Add the remaining powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of heavy whipping cream, and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed for about 2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add an additional tablespoon of heavy cream if needed to reach desired spreadable consistency.
- Assemble the Cream Pies: Pipe about 1½ tablespoons of frosting onto the bottom of half the cookies. Top each frosted cookie with an unfrosted cookie to create sandwich-style cream pies.
Notes
- Use ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Light corn syrup helps retain moisture and adds slight sweetness, but can be substituted with honey or maple syrup if preferred.
- Do not overbake the cookies; they should be slightly soft in the center when pulled from the oven.
- Ensure cream cheese and butter are softened for smooth frosting.
- If frosting is too thick, add a little more heavy cream, one teaspoon at a time, to adjust consistency.
- Store assembled cream pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
