Hi Everyone! Well, schools have been back in session for a month or so. Boy, the summer whizzed by. I didn’t get half of my summer projects done and the students have returned. Halloween decorations are in the stores and the evenings are getting cooler. I guess Autumn and all the pumpkin-spiced signs of it are right around the corner.
I think that I mentioned last year that I kind of miss the back-to-school hubbub and buying school supplies. I can’t resist walking down those aisles with the pencils and notebooks and lunchboxes. I don’t miss packing school lunches. I could never quite get the hang of that. I wanted to send foods that the boys would eat (which are mostly considered junk food) but then I felt like a terrible mom for not sending carrot sticks and apple slices. I just knew that those things would go in the trash can or come back home all dried out and wrinkly. Then I would have to throw the produce in our trash while lamenting the money I just wasted. I didn’t get to take my lunch very often when I was a kid because my mom was a cook at our school. If I ate her food at home, I could certainly eat it at school, after all. But there was something kind of magical about opening that lunchbox to see what treasure you might find, so those days were special. Not to mention the thrill of picking out a new lunchbox with some favorite character’s picture emblazoned on the sides.
My boys took their lunches much more often. By the time they were in school, my mom had retired, and they complained that the cafeteria food was not very good. It was good, I assure you, but kids have pickier taste buds than I do. I did relent and send bags of chips and snack cakes along with the peanut butter or turkey sandwich. I would try different types of cakes so that they would not get bored. It had nothing to do with the fact that I am an impulse shopper and cannot resist trying any new food item that has a clever marketing gimmick. Nope, nothing at all to do with that.
Snack cakes are a real problem. I mean they are tiny cakes with all kinds of delicious fillings and coatings and cool shapes. I might still buy a box once in a while. I might have some in a fancy cake stand on my kitchen table right now. It’s a weakness…one of many. And, both of my guys really like snack cakes, so I am drawn to the recipes that I see that are copycat versions of those wonderful little pieces of heaven. Because, you know, I’m a great mom. It brings back wonderful memories of those days when Cody and Alex were little guys, but I feel that the homemade versions must be better for you. I mean I make sure to leave out the preservatives that make store-bought snack cakes last forever. That’s gotta be better, right?
So, a couple of years ago, I saw a recipe for Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars. I was immediately interested. After all, those cakes have always been a favorite of my guys. And, these luscious little treats seem like a childhood favorite all grown up. These homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie bars have the great chewy oatmeal spice cake with a sweet creamy filling that you remember but are soooo much better. The cake has just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The filling has a marshmallow fluff base that creates a wonderful gooey texture. These are wonderful to take to a potluck or to your office or to pack in your kid’s lunchbox. Or pack in your own lunchbox. Or, eat right at home while standing at the kitchen counter as soon as you cut them because you need to taste test them…just saying.
This recipe does require that you bake each layer of oatmeal cake separately. I use two 9 X 13 pans baked at the same time but if you don’t have two you could certainly bake ½ and then put the other batter in the refrigerator for the few minutes of baking time. I also line the pans with parchment paper and spray the paper very lightly with cooking spray so that the paper peels off of the cake very easily. Don’t let the idea of moving these layers around scare you. It is not that difficult, and I will give you a couple of tips that help me.
For the bars, you will need 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon regular salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse sea salt (optional), 1 ½ cups flour, and 3 cups quick oats (dry).
For the filling, you will need 2 jars marshmallow fluff (7.5 oz or 7 oz each), 3 cups powdered sugar, ¾ cup butter (unsalted or salted), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two 9 X 13 pans by spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment, then spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray. Make sure to leave a little parchment hanging over the ends of the pan to use as handles. I know this seems like a lot of steps but believe me when I say that your baking life will be much easier if you do this.
In a medium bowl, mix together the regular salt, the coarse salt (if you are using), nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour. I like to run a whisk through my dry ingredients to fluff them up and make sure that everything is nicely mixed.
With your mixer, cream both sugars and the butter until fully mixed and fluffy. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix again until fully combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, only until you do not see any streaks of flour. You can do this by hand if you want but I just let the mixer do the work.
Add the oats and mix on low again just until combined.
Divide the dough as equally as possible between the two prepared pans and spread to completely cover the bottom. I usually end up using my hands for this. It helps to dip your fingers in water or spray your hands with cooking spray because this dough is sticky.
Put both pans in your oven side-by-side but not touching and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You want for the end result to be a light golden color with no raw spots in the middle. However, you don’t want to overbake the bars, or they will be crumbly. I usually check them at 10 minutes and if the center seems set and not jiggly, I pull those babies out.
Let the bars cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then use the parchment to lift them carefully from the pans and place them on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely while still on the parchment paper.
While they cool, you can make the cream filling. With your mixer, beat the butter until nice and fluffy. Don’t beat it too long or it will begin to melt. Add the powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and then turn the mixer up to medium or high and beat until the mixture is lighter in color and smooth. I would start with 2 cups of powdered sugar and then add more after the rest of the ingredients have been added. Add both jars of marshmallow cream, the vanilla, and salt and beat again until smooth and fully combined. If you need more powdered sugar at this point add more in ½ cup increments. The weather tends to affect how this filling turns out. Mine never turns out to be fluffy like cake frosting. It is smoother and more like a marshmallow filling that you would find in a snack cake from the store. You just want to make sure that it is stiff enough to stay on the bottom layer of the bars and not run off the edge.
When the bars are completely cool, place a cutting board or cake board on top of one of the uncut slabs. Flip the whole thing over as carefully as possible and peel the parchment away. Spread this slab with marshmallow filling as evenly and as close to the edges as possible.
Now, if you are super coordinated you may be able to move your other uncut cookie slab over onto the top of the marshmallow filling. I am not that coordinated. So, I cut the remaining slab in half crosswise so that I have 2 smaller rectangles. Then, I move those over and place them on top of the filling (without flipping them) with the assistance of a couple of spatulas. You are going to end up cutting the bars anyway, so it won’t matter if you have a seam in the middle. Just try to get the 2 pieces to fit together pretty tightly. Don’t push down on the top layer or you may squish the filling out.
Cover the entire cutting board or cake board or whatever you used with plastic wrap or foil and place the large cookie into the freezer for about 2 hours. Once the bars are very well chilled, you can cut them into squares easily.
These bars can be stored in the refrigerator or on the counter. They will stay fresh a bit longer in the frig but they probably won’t last long enough to get stale anyway. Grab a glass of milk or cup of tea and enjoy! And, don’t forget to stick one in your lunchbag. You won’t regret it.
Oatmeal Cream Pie Bars
These homemade Oatmeal Cream Pie bars have the great chewy oatmeal spice cake with a sweet creamy filling that you remember but are soooo much better.
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1 1/4 cup butter unsalted
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs large
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp course sea salt optional
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 3 cups quick oats dry
For the Filling
- 2 jars marshmallow fluff 7.5 oz. or 7 oz. each
- 3 cups powdered sugar divided
- 3/4 cup butter unsalted or salted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
To Make the Bars
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two 9 X 13 pans by spraying with cooking spray, then lining with parchment, then spray the parchment lightly with cooking spray. Make sure to leave a little parchment hanging over the ends of the pan to use as handles. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the regular salt, the coarse salt (if you are using), nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and flour.
- With your mixer, cream both sugars and the butter until fully mixed and smooth. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix again until fully combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low, only until you do not see any streaks of flour.
- Add the oats and mix on low again just until combined.
- Divide the dough as equally as possible between the two prepared pans and spread to completely cover the bottom. Use your hands or a spatula for this. It helps to dip your fingers in water or spray your hands with cooking spray because this dough is sticky.
- Put both pans in your oven side-by-side but not touching and bake for 10 to 12 minutes. You want for the end result to be a light golden color with no raw spots in the middle.
- Let the bars cool in the pans for about 15 minutes and then use the parchment to lift them carefully from the pans and place on a cooling rack. Let them cool completely while still on the parchment paper
To Make the Filling
- With your mixer beat the butter until nice and fluffy. Don’t beat it too long or it will begin to melt.
- Add the powdered sugar slowly until it is all incorporated and then turn the mixer up to medium or high and beat until the mixture is lighter in color and smooth. I start with 2 cups of powdered sugar and then add more after the rest of the ingredients have been added.
- Add both jars of marshmallow cream, the vanilla and salt and beat again until smooth and fully combined. If you need more powdered sugar at this point add more in ½ cup increments. You want the end result to be a smooth and slightly gooey consistency that will stay in place between the bars. It will not be fluffy like a cake icing.
- When the bars are completely cool, place a cutting board or cake board on top of one of the uncut slabs. Flip the whole thing over as carefully as possible and peel the parchment away.
- Spread this slab with marshmallow filling as evenly and as close to the edges as possible.
- Cut the remaining slab in half crosswise so that I have 2 smaller rectangles. Then, move those over and place them on top of the filling (without flipping them) with the assistance of a couple of spatulas.
- Try to get the 2 pieces to fit together pretty tightly and don’t push down on the top layer or you may squish the filling out.
- Cover the entire cutting board or cake board or whatever you used with plastic wrap or foil and place the large cookie into the freezer for about 2 hours.
- Once the bars are very well chilled, you can cut them into squares.
