What Makes These Chai Oatmeal Cream Pies So Good
These aren’t just oatmeal cream pies with a pinch of spice. They’re intentionally formulated to taste like chai while keeping the soft-chewy texture you expect from the original.
- Soft, chewy centers with lightly crisp edges thanks to quick oats.
- Perfectly balanced chai spices (not too cardamom-forward).
- A fluffy filling that holds its shape: no oozing or slipping when you sandwich them.
- Kid and teacher-approved: these were a favorite among the cookie tins I made for teacher gifts!
My Top Tips Before You Start…
- Use quick oats, not rolled oats. Quick oats hydrate faster and create a tighter dough, which means no spreading, and thick, soft centers (classic cream pie texture).
- Weigh the dough balls if you can. This keeps every cookie the same size and ensures perfect sandwiches.
- Underbake them slightly.The cookies should look soft and underdone in the center when they come out.
- Cool fully before filling!The filling melts and becomes runny if applied to warm cookies.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Unsalted butter: gives these that classic oatmeal cream pie richness.
- Brown + granulated sugar: chewiness + structure.
- Quick oats: they absorb moisture quickly and prevent spreading (rolled oats will change the texture and spread more.
- Flour + baking soda: keeps the cookies soft instead of cakey.
- Chai spices: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice.
- Eggs + vanilla: structure and flavor.
- For the Cream Filling: unsalted butter, powdered sugar, eggnog (or milk), and vanilla.
How to Make Chai Oatmeal Cream Pies
Step 1. Combine wet ingredients: cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until it’s smooth.
Step 2. Combine the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, chai spices, salt, and oats. Mix into the wet ingredients.
Step 3. Scoop the dough: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop the dough balls. You can weigh them (35g each) to make them precise for sandwiching.
Step 4. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are set. The centers should be soft and they’ll set as they cool.
Step 5. Make the frosting: Beat the frosting ingredients until fluffy. Add more powdered sugar as needed so it’s relatively firm for sandwiching.
Step 6. Sandwich the cookies: Spread or pipe the frosting on one cookie then sandwich another cookie on top.
Make-Ahead, Gifting & Storage
Room Temperature: Keeps for 2 days, covered airtight.
Refrigerator: Keeps 4 days covered in the fridge, which makes these great for holiday parties, teacher gifts, or cookie boxes.
Freezer (unfilled cookies): Freeze oatmeal cookies only up to 3 months, then thaw and fill.
Gifting Tip: They hold up well if stored at room temp or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just store in holiday tins or bakery boxes with parchment between layers.
Chai Oatmeal Cream Pies
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups quick oats
Cream Filling:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons eggnog or milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- kosher salt to tast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Beat wet ingredients (4 min): In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined, 1 minute.1 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Mix dry ingredients (2 min): In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, all spice, salt, and oats.1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground all spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups quick oats
- Combine (2 min): With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until combined. The dough will be sticky.
- Scoop (5 min): Using a medium cookie scoop, or 1.5 Tablespoons (about 35g each if you’re weighing them), drop the dough 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake (10-12 min): Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are golden and the tops are just set (they should still look very soft). Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The filling will melt if you try to frost/sandwich warm cookies.
- Make the filling (5 min): In a large bowl with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Pour in the eggnog (or milk) and vanilla and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Taste and add salt as needed.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 2 Tablespoons eggnog, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, kosher salt to tast
- Sandwich the cookies (5 min): Spread about 1 Tablespoon of frosting on the bottom of half of the cookies or pipe with a piping bag. Sandwich with another cookie right side up. Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.
