"Oatmeal" Cream Pies - amazingly without any oats or sugar! Just as tender and delicious, but grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, and made with simple, healthy ingredients! (Low-Carb/Keto, Paleo and Vegan options!)
Move over, Little Debbie!
I got the request from a follower on Insta to make low-carb Oatmeal Cream Pies and I am SO GLAD I did! It has been a dream of mine to recreate this childhood FAVORITE using healthy ingredients and I am BLOWN AWAY by the outcome. Seriously ON POINT.
- These cookies are tender, soft and definitely have that warm oatmeal flavor. There's just the right amount of chewiness to them -- not too hard, not too soft. PERFECT.
- And the cream is SO good I could just eat it with a spoon! (and I do!! haha.)
These cookies were a HUGE hit with my family who begged for more as soon as they ate one. I have a feeling they'll be a regular at our house!!
Disclosure: As an affiliate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases made through referral links in this post (at no additional cost to you).
How to Make Healthy Oatmeal Cream Pies
I took my sugar-free sugar cookie recipe combined with my recent baking experience to come up with the ultimate oat-free oatmeal cookie.
If there are no oats, WHAT is in it??
It's a magical combination of
- *Superfine* almond flour, ground flaxseed, tapioca flour (For the BEST outcome, I do not recommend substituting any of these ingredients. However, if you must sub out the tapioca, you can use more flax or almond flour, however I have not tested these and can't say for sure if it will have the same result)
- and my secret "oat" replacer: coconut shreds like I used in my new energy bites/granola balls and pumpkin oatmeal cookies! I promise it really works!
This combination of "flours" creates a SOFT cookie that's not too soft. It doesn't crumble or fall apart, and it tastes SO GOOD.
I have not found a perfect sub for almond flour, unfortunately, although that's on my list to find. And please for the love of baking, DO NOT use coconut flour. It is a nightmare to substitute.
Important Almond Flour TIP
As a recipe developer that goes through a LOT of almond flour every month, I have tried a lot of different brands either due to trying to save a little $$, or because my desired brand was out of stock.
And what I can honestly tell you is that NONE compare to Bob's Red Mill Superfine Almond Flour (and no, this isn't sponsored lol. I wish!)
The cheaper "fine" almond flours out there ARE NOT GOOD. They do not have the fine consistency you NEED for the best results. They are GRITTY, weird tasting, and DO NOT give you the amazing baked goods you desire. Trust me on this, friends 😉
My other secret oatmeal cookie ingredients?
- A pinch of cinnamon for delicious warmth
- 'Maple Syrup' for soft sweetness and a hint of flavor (I use monkfruit maple syrup which is sugar-free)
- Brown 'Sugar' for crispness and flavor (I use Lakanto Golden monkfruit granules which are sugar-free and taste amazing!)
- and Molasses for that classic flavor and color. (Yes, I used regular molasses. There is only a tiny bit in the recipe so I am not worried about the small amount of sugar it adds.)
- However, if you must replace it, use more monkfruit maple syrup. Just keep in mind, if you don't use molasses, your cookies will be lighter in color and not have the authentic flavor
The Dairy-Free CREAM Filling
To make this thick and creamy AMAZINGLY delicious cream filling, I used my go-to frosting recipe, which is in my cookbook (but I'm sharing it here, too!)
What's the main ingredient for dairy-free cream that tastes JUST like a bakery? Organic palm shortening! It's an oil that's solid at room temp, neutral tasting, and super creamy and delicious!
(Please only use a sustainable palm oil that is Rainforest Alliance Certified like Spectrum brand. You can find it on Amazon and at most Target Superstores or other major grocery stores.)
Need an alternative to palm oil? You could try a light-tasting butter (dairy-free or not) or refined coconut oil + a little melted coconut butter OR tapioca flour. (Please NOTE if you don't add anything to your coconut oil frosting, it will taste BAD and oily in texture. You have been warned ***)
To make this cream filling, simply add in your favorite powdered sweetener and a splash of vanilla with a dash of salt and this whips up in a minute flat. Super simple, super easy.
And if you like your cream pies LOADED up with cream, you may want to increase your frosting by 1.5x. (and if you have any leftovers, you can eat it with a spoon like I do lol!)
Lazy Method
You don't have to use a stand mixer or even an electric hand mixer. I guess I've been feeling lazy and didn't want to get out my equipment and the result was perfectly FINE haha.
For cupcakes, I would use an electric mixer to get it super smooth, but for these, it's great to just stir together. Save yourself the time and energy 😉
Cream Tip: make sure your palm oil is stored at room temp so it's easy to mix. If your house is really cold, you may want to use an electric mixer to soften it up first.
Cookie Baking Tips
You have choices! You can make your cookies big or small. I tested both and they work great either way!
- To make them large (3" size), I used a standard size cookie scoop, which I have learned equals roughly 1 ⅓ Tbs.
- To make small-ish (2 ¼") cream pie cookies, use a ½ Tbs measuring spoon to scoop your dough.
You also have the option to make your cookies thick or thin by how much you flatten them.
Some things to keep in mind as you're baking:
- THIN and/or small cookies cook FASTER -- around 7-8 minutes.
- THICK and/or big cookies take longer -- around 10-12 minutes.
- To make your cookies SOFTER, use a SHORTER cooking time.
- To make your cookies FIRMER, bake them LONGER.
Secrets Revealed
After these cookies come out of the oven, one side will have a very smooth, uniform, flat look to it. The reverse (the bottom that touches the parchment) will be a little more textured and to me, it looks more "authentic" to the original Little Debbie version.
So you can choose which side you want to be on the outside of your cream pies -- just remember to put that side face down when you're frosting (and only frost one cookie.)
This is the same as my Keto Oreo Cookies -- one side looks much more like a REAL oreo so I recommend putting that side facing out, just so it looks prettier, but it's obviously not a requirement, ha.
DOUBLE
Can you double this recipe? YES. And if you're gonna make the larger (3") cream pies, I highly recommend it! 🙂
For the large cookies, I got about 9 cookies, which makes 4 ½ cream pies. (This obviously only lasted a day at my house lol).
If you make the small size (using a half a tablespoon) you'll obviously get a much bigger batch -- approximately 28 cookies and 14 cream pies)
Either way, they're DELICIOUS. Let me know if you try them!! I can't wait for you to taste these 🙂 ENJOY, friends!
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Low-Carb "Oatmeal" Cream Pies
Ingredients
"Oatmeal Cookies"
- 1 cup fine almond flour
- 3 Tbs ground flaxseed
- 2 Tbs tapioca flour
- 2 Tbs coconut shreds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/16 tsp pink salt
- 2 Tbs golden monkfruit granules - or coconut sugar for non low-carb
- 2 Tbs monkfruit maple syrup - or water + a pinch of pure stevia or monkfruit extract and a splash of maple extract
- 2 Tbs avocado oil - or other neutral tasting oil
- 1 Tbs water
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¾ teaspoon molasses - or more monkfruit maple syrup
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
"Cream Filling"
- ½ cup palm shortening
- ¼ cup powdered monkfruit - homemade - see notes
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- dash of pink salt
Instructions
To make the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 325°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Use a measuring cup or spatula to press out any lumps.
- In a small bowl, stir together wet ingredients. Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix. If dough is too wet/sticky, add a sprinkle of almond flour.
- Scoop balls of dough using a standard 1 ⅓ Tbs cookie scoop for large or ½ Tbs measuring spoon for small, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Place another piece of parchment on top and roll or flatten each cookie with a flat measuring cup (for large, flatten to roughly 2 ¾" for large or 2 ¼" for small. Cookies will not spread)
- Bake about 10-13 minutes for large cookies, or 8-9 minutes for small. Bake until the edges are firm and centers are not doughy. (The color will darken slightly as it cools) Cool completely before frosting.
To make the cream:
- Add palm shortening, sweetener, salt and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Stir vigorously until fully mixed. (optional for extra smooth consistency, use an electric mixer)
- Place a spoonful of cream on a cookie and top with another cookie.
- (Optional for firmer cream, chill for 15 minutes) Enjoy!
Faiza
So I heard that you can easily sub almond flour for tigernut flour (for nut-free)
and im thinking ground chia subs flax ok?
Emily
I haven’t tried tigernut but that’s may be a great alternative.
Yes chia seeds are great as long as you grind them into powder first 🙂
Let me know if you try it and how it goes!
Angie
These were amazing! I used coconut sugar for the cookies and subbed organic powdered sugar for the frosting. I couldn’t stop eating them!!! They are even better the next day. Thanks for another great recipe!!! You never disappoint.
DeNisha Morrison
These were amazing! I have a dairy allergy and am currently on a sugar free, low carb diet. I miss oatmeal, so I was pretty excited to see this recipe pop up. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a real oatmeal cream pie, but the taste of these honestly took me right back to childhood. The only downside is that it’s hard not to eat too many haha.
Emily
I’m so happy you enjoyed them! Isn’t it crazy how they taste like the real thing? I haven’t had the real ones in ages either but these totally hit the spot 🙂 thanks for your review!
Hayley
I made these last night and my picky husband who loves sugar and sweets said "these are actually really good". Score!! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Emily
Woohoo!! that is huge!
MerisBakes
These were LEGIT perfection. I cannot tell you how many big box oatmeal cream pies I have eaten in my lifetime (mostly because it’s probably a ridiculously embarrassing number) but from here on out I will only eat Pretty Pies “Oatmeal” Cream Pies! They were so easy to throw together and yummy!!!! I didn’t have palm oil shortening so I whipped a little HWC (with powdered sweetener and vanilla) until it reached “butter status”... and spread that on between my cookies. I made 12 cookies (6 sammies) using a “regular” cookie scooper.
Emily
Thank you so much for your review! Woohoo! You made my day! So happy you liked them Good to know the HWC option worked too
Delores Mann
I love your website, I am allergic to almonds and I notice that the biggest part of your recipes are using almond flour. Is there another flour that is equal to almond flour I can use in your recipes. When I use Cassava flour all of my baking comes out gummy and somewhat like rubbery. What am I doing wrong to cause this?
Emily
Cassava flour is very starchy which causes gumminess. I would try another nut or seed flour that you can have —pumpkin seed flour or cashew flour or sunflower seed flour. Nuts and seeds have a similar protein and fat content and are generally interchangeable in recipes, although the flavor and texture can vary a little bit. I plan to do some testing with almond free baking soon 🙂
Mitebsyco
Is there anything to sub the coconut shreds with?
It's one of those things that ruins something for me, but I realize they're helping with the texture here.
Emily
I promise it doesn’t have a typical coconut shred taste or texture. I use ones that are finely shredded (not the large shreds you typically find in a grocery store). The shreds are what make it taste like oatmeal, mainly the flavor. If you can eat oats, that may be a decent sub here (quick oats).
Or if you need low carb, maybe use more almond flour or almond flour + a little flax meal. It won’t be quite the same flavor, but it should work. Hope that helps!
Laurie
sounds great! Can I sub regular maple syrup for the monkfruit maple syrup?
Emily
yes you can 🙂
Florida Gal
This recipe looks great! Could you substitute the shortening with coconut butter?
Emily
Sure, that can work! I would melt it down, use a liquid sweetener like monkfruit maple syrup, and add coconut milk to thin it out so it's soft like frosting like in my pumpkin muffin recipe. It's roughly a 1:1 coconut butter to liquid ratio to make frosting. Add a little bit of vanilla extract, too. Hope that helps!
Suzy
My plan is to just make the cookies and skip the filling. Any reason why not? Or do you have a similar standalone cookie recipe?
Emily
you can do that if you like 🙂 The filling does add some sweetness and of course the creamy texture.
You can always sprinkle on some cinnamon 'sugar' to the dough before baking or even after.