Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cream Pies
Be the first to reviewThese oatmeal cream pies start with soft, chewy cookies and a little non-diastatic malt powder for that cozy, toasted flavor. Sandwich them around fluffy salted caramel cream, add a small drizzle of syrup, and give the filling a brief chill to set.
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Oats and malted barley belong together
Oatmeal cookies are my absolute favorite. A lot of recipes get their deeper flavor from molasses, but I'm sensitive to it, so I wanted another way to bring that warmth without adding molasses to the dough. Then it came to me: non-diastatic malt powder. I LOVE this stuff.
Malted barley brings that toasty flavor I associate with a vanilla malt. Paired with oats, it makes these cookies feel cozy and nostalgic in a way I can't get enough of. It's a pantry purchase you might not have thought to make, but this duo deserves a little attention.
That toasted malt is what made me fall in love with these cookies. I wouldn't publish this recipe without it.
Ingredient notes
Key ingredients
Old-fashioned rolled oats
Keep them whole for a more distinct oatmeal texture, or pulse them first if you prefer a smoother cookie. Measure before pulsing.
Non-diastatic malt powder
Roasted malted barley, ground into a powder, with a toasty flavor and gentle caramel sweetness. It is a different ingredient from malted milk powder, which usually contains milk and other ingredients.
Flax egg
Ground flaxseed mixed with water thickens into a gel that helps bind the dough. It gives you an egg-free option; one large egg is also included in the recipe. These cookies still contain wheat and barley, and the filling contains dairy when made with butter and cream.
Plain unsweetened yogurt
A little yogurt adds moisture to the cookie dough. Keep it plain so the oats, malt, and vanilla can come through.
Salted caramel syrup
The syrup flavors the cream filling, with a little more drizzled between the cookies. The Rising Star product I used is pictured below.
Brands I used for this recipe
These are the two specialty ingredients I used for this recipe. They are preferences, not requirements; keep to non-diastatic malt powder when choosing another malt brand.
Modernist Pantry Non-Diastatic Malt Powder
This is the non-diastatic malt powder I buy on Amazon. Its toasted barley flavor is the reason I love these cookies.
Rising Star Baking Supply Salted Caramel Baker's Syrup
I use this syrup in the cream filling and drizzle a little more inside each sandwich.
From this recipe
Tested notes
For a classic soft cream pie, take the cookies out while the centers are still very soft and the edges are only lightly set. A few extra baking minutes make a crispier cookie.
Testing notes
Why this works
Why the two refrigerator rests matter
The 45-minute dough chill firms the butter while the flour and oats take up moisture. That makes the dough easier to handle and helps control spreading. After assembly, a separate 10-minute chill firms the butter in the cream so the filling stays between the cookies.
Why non-diastatic matters
Diastatic malt still has active enzymes that break starch into sugars, which can help yeast dough rise. Here, we want malt's flavor without that extra change to the cookie dough. Non-diastatic malt gives us the toasted barley flavor with those enzymes switched off.
Smooth cream needs the right temperature
Use room-temperature butter and cream, or cream that is only slightly warmer. Cold cream can make the butter firm into little flecks instead of blending smoothly. Add it gradually and stop at a consistency you can pipe or spread.
Step by step
How It All Comes Together
Step 1
Measure the ingredients
Measure the cookie ingredients, keeping the rolled oats whole unless you prefer a smoother texture. Stir 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 2 1/2 tablespoons water and let it thicken for 5-10 minutes. Whisk the flour, malt powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and optional nutmeg together, then stir in the oats.
Measure the oats before pulsing them, if you prefer a smoother cookie. Step 2
Cream the butter and sugars
Beat the room-temperature butter with both sugars for 2-3 minutes. Mix in the thickened flax egg, yogurt, and vanilla bean paste until fully incorporated.
Cream the butter and both sugars together before adding the wet ingredients. 
The flax mixture should thicken before it goes into the dough. Step 3
Mix the dough and give it its chill
Mix in the dry ingredients on low just until a cohesive dough forms. Cover and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before portioning.
Cover the dough and give it the full 45-minute refrigerator rest. Step 4
Weigh and lightly flatten the cookies
Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Weigh 45 g portions, space them several inches apart, and lightly flatten each into a circle.
Weigh the portions so the cookies will be easy to pair after baking. 
Leave several inches between the portions for spreading. 
Lightly flatten and shape each portion into a circle. Step 5
Bake softly and cool completely
Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers are still soft. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack and cool completely.
Let every cookie cool completely before adding the cream filling. Step 6
Make the salted caramel cream
Beat the filling butter until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, salted caramel syrup, and salt on low. Slowly add the room-temperature cream as needed, then beat on high for just a few seconds until light and fluffy.
Smooth the filling butter before adding the powdered sugar. 
Start on low when incorporating the powdered sugar. 
The syrup brings the salted caramel flavor into the filling. 
Keep the cream at room temperature so it blends smoothly. 
Stop once the filling is light, fluffy, and ready to spread. Step 7
Fill, drizzle, and sandwich
Pair the completely cooled cookies by size. Pipe or spread the cream onto the flat side of one cookie, add a small drizzle of salted caramel syrup, and gently press its partner on top.
A small drizzle goes directly over the cream before adding the top cookie. 
Press gently so the filling stays between the cookies. Step 8
Let the filling set
Refrigerate the assembled cream pies for 10 minutes to let the filling firm up before serving.
Soft oatmeal cookies, fluffy cream, and that little layer of salted caramel. Give the assembled cookies their 10-minute chill before serving.
Troubleshooting
If This Happens
The cream looks flecked or uneven
Check the cream's temperature. It should be room temperature or only slightly warmer, and added slowly to the smooth butter mixture.
The filling squeezes out
Use completely cooled cookies, press the top on gently, and refrigerate the assembled sandwiches for 10 minutes before serving.
Keep it good
Storage
Fridge
Keep filled cream pies covered in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQ
Questions that come up
Can I make these without the malt powder?
Yes - leave out the 20 g of non-diastatic malt powder. The cookies will taste noticeably different without that toasted barley flavor.
Can I use a large egg instead of the flax egg?
Yes - use one large egg in place of the flax egg.
Should I weigh the ingredients or use volume measurements?
I strongly recommend weighing the ingredients in grams for the most reliable result. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but the amount in a cup can change depending on how an ingredient is filled, packed, or poured. These recipes are easy to follow, but their ratios are precise, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when volume measurements are used. I still use teaspoons and tablespoons for small amounts like leaveners, salt, spices, and flavorings because those are the most practical measurements.
More cookies to try
- Prep
- About 30 min (estimated)
- Bake
- 10-12 min per tray
- Total
- About 2 hr (estimated), including chilling and cooling
- Yield
- About 9 cream pies (18 cookies, 45 g portions)
Measurement note
For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.
Ingredients
Oatmeal Cookies
- 195 g all-purpose flour195 g (about 1 1/2 cups + 2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 140 g old-fashioned rolled oats140 g (about 1 1/3 cups + 4 tablespoons) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 20 g non-diastatic malt powder20 g (about 2 tablespoons + 3/4 teaspoon) non-diastatic malt powder
- 5 g cornstarch5 g (about 2 1/8 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 115 g butter, room temperature115 g (about 1/2 cup) butter, room temperature
- 125 g light brown sugar, packed125 g (about 1/3 cup + 4 tablespoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 75 g granulated sugar75 g (about 6 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 1/2 tablespoons water), or 1 large egg1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 2 1/2 tablespoons water), or 1 large egg
- 45 g plain unsweetened yogurt45 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 3/4 teaspoons) plain unsweetened yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
Salted Caramel Cream Filling
- 113 g butter, room temperature (1 stick)113 g (about 1/2 cup) butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 250 g powdered sugar, sift after measuring250 g (about 2 cups + 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar, sift after measuring
- 30 g salted caramel syrup (weigh for accuracy)30 g salted caramel syrup (weigh for accuracy)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 30 g heavy cream, room temperature or just slightly warmer, plus more as needed30 g (about 2 tablespoons) heavy cream, room temperature or just slightly warmer, plus more as needed
- Additional salted caramel syrup, for drizzlingAdditional salted caramel syrup, for drizzling
Instructions
- 1If using a flax egg, stir together 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 2 1/2 tablespoons water. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, until thickened. If using a large egg, keep it ready for the wet ingredients.
- 2In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, non-diastatic malt powder, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg, if using.
- 3Stir in the whole rolled oats. If you prefer a smoother texture, pulse the measured oats first.
- 4In a large bowl, beat the 115 g butter for the cookies with the light brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes, until creamy and well combined.
- 5Add the thickened flax egg or large egg, yogurt, and vanilla bean paste. Mix until fully incorporated.
- 6Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until a cohesive dough forms. Do not overmix.
- 7Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 45 minutes.
- 8Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- 9Portion the dough into 45 g cookies and place several inches apart on the prepared sheets. Lightly flatten and shape each into a circle.
- 10Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just set with the slightest crispness and the centers remain soft and chewy.
- 11Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before filling.
- 12Make the salted caramel cream. Beat the filling butter until completely smooth.
- 13Add the powdered sugar, 30 g salted caramel syrup, and salt. Mix on low until fully incorporated.
- 14Slowly stream in the room-temperature or slightly warmer heavy cream as needed, starting with the listed 30 g and adding more for your desired consistency.
- 15Once fully incorporated, increase the mixer to high and beat for just a few seconds, until light and fluffy.
- 16Pair the completely cooled oatmeal cookies by size. Pipe or spread the filling onto the flat side of one cookie.
- 17Drizzle a small amount of additional salted caramel syrup directly over the filling. Top with the second cookie and gently press to form the cream pie.
- 18Refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow the cream to set.
Helpful notes
- For a classic soft cream pie, take the cookies out while the centers are still very soft and the edges are only lightly set. A few extra baking minutes make a crispier cookie.
Meet the baker
Angela Heckler
Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
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