Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies with Maple Buttercream
Soft, chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies filled with a creamy maple buttercream. The perfect fall dessert with warm spices and a hint of maple.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Hand Mixer
- 1 Tablespoon scoop
- Cooling rack
- Smaller bowl for the buttercream
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3/4 cup butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree 100% pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cups old fashioned oats do not use quick oats
Coating
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Maple Buttercream
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Prep the oven and pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This ensures the cookies won't stick and makes for easy cleanup.
- Cream the butter and sugars: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl using a hand mixer), beat the 3/4 cup room-temperature butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 cup sugar together on medium speed until light, fluffy, and pale in color. This takes about 2-3 minutes. Listen for the sound as the mixture changes from a coarse scraping to a soft, aerated whisper—that's when you know it's ready.
- Add the wet ingredients: Add the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then, add the 1/2 cup pumpkin puree and mix until completely combined. The mixture might look a little grainy or separated—that's totally fine. At this point you'll smell the sweet, earthy pumpkin coming through.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients: With the mixer on low, gradually add the 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix just until the flour disappears—overmixing at this stage can make the cookies tough.
- Stir in the oats: Turn off the mixer and fold in the 3 cups old fashioned oats using a rubber spatula. The batter will become thick and hearty, and you'll see little oat flakes studding the dough. Make sure they are evenly distributed.
- Scoop and coat: Using your 1 Tablespoon scoop, portion out rounds of dough. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Roll each dough ball in the sugar-spice mixture to coat evenly, then place it on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The coating will give the finished cookies a delicate, crystalline crunch.
- Flatten slightly: Using the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass, gently flatten each dough ball just a bit. This ensures they bake into nice, even disks that are perfect for sandwiching.
- Bake to perfection: Bake for 7-8 minutes. You'll know they're done when the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown and the centers look set but still soft and slightly puffed. Your kitchen will fill with the warm, spiced aroma of pumpkin pie and oats. The baking time is short because of the small size.
- Cool completely: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for exactly 5 minutes. This allows them to firm up enough to be transferred. Then, move them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Resist the urge to fill them while they're warm!
- Make the maple buttercream: While the cookies cool, make the filling. In the clean bowl of your stand mixer (or using a hand mixer and a smaller bowl), beat together the 1 cup room-temperature butter, 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup, pinch of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Beat until smooth and combined, breathing in the intoxicating maple scent. Gradually add the 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until it's incorporated, then turn the mixer to high and beat for 2-3 minutes until the buttercream is light, fluffy, and pale.
- Assemble: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of maple buttercream onto the flat side of half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches. Give them a gentle press to secure the filling. The soft, chewy cookies against that creamy, maple-sweet center—perfect.
Notes
Make-Ahead Notes:
- Fridge: Baked, unfilled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The maple buttercream can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and re-whip for a minute before using.
- Freezer: You can freeze the baked, unfilled cookies for up to 3 months. The assembled sandwiches also freeze beautifully! Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag. They thaw perfectly.
- Reheat: I actually love these straight from the fridge—the buttercream firms up slightly like a cold, creamy dream. For a softer texture, let them sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- Chill the scooped dough: This is my number one tip for perfect cookies. After you scoop and roll the dough balls in the sugar-spice mix, pop the baking sheet into the fridge for 15-20 minutes while the oven preheats. This solidifies the butter, preventing the cookies from spreading too much and giving them a wonderfully thick, bakery-style texture. Trust me on this one.
- Flatten before baking: Unlike a classic chocolate chip cookie, these don't spread much on their own because the oats act like little sponges. Gently flattening the dough balls before they go into the oven ensures you get a nice, even surface for the buttercream and a uniform shape.
- Don't overbake: The visual cue is golden edges with a still-pale, soft center. They will continue to "bake" and set on the hot baking sheet for the 5-minute cooling period. Overbaking will result in dry, crumbly cookies that are hard to sandwich.
- Room temperature butter is a rule, not a suggestion: For both the cookies and the buttercream, your butter needs to be properly softened. Cold butter won't cream properly for the cookies, and it will result in a lumpy, dense buttercream. Let it sit out on the counter for at least an hour before you start.